Love’s unlike lading – A visual language

The pleasure of live theatre lies in watching a story unfold through the combined force of performance, movement, dialogue and visual expression. In Love Unlike Lading, written by Femi Osofisan and staged at Terra Kulture on September 7th, 2025 these elements come together in a production that blends romance, comedy and social commentary. Directed by Toluwalase Adebiyi and produced by Nifemi Ajani, the play offers an engaging exploration of love, family expectations, political power and the social values that influence human choices. Among its most compelling qualities is the way its characters and their circumstances are brought to life on stage, with the costume design by Sampson Morenikeji making a particularly valuable contribution to the production’s visual identity.

At the heart of the play is a contest that will determine Tosan’s future husband. Following her father’s death, the suitors seeking her hand must choose between three caskets of silver, gold and bronze. Their decisions expose the limitations of wealth, pride and outward appearances, while Bashiru, a man whose intelligence outweighs his social influence, eventually proves himself worthy.

One of the play’s strengths is its ability to connect personal relationships with wider questions about society. The contest for Tosan’s hand, for instance, becomes more than a test of the suitors, it challenges the assumption that wealth and social standing are reliable measures of a person’s worth. The political tensions and family disputes extend this concern, revealing how power, tradition and personal interest can shape decisions that affect others. On stage, these conflicts give the performers opportunities to create moments of tension and emotional engagement, keeping the audience invested in the characters’ choices and their consequences.

What stood out the most is the production’s visual presentation. Sampson Morenikeji’s costume design deserves particular commendation for the way it establishes character, communicates social distinctions and strengthens the world inhabited by the performers. Rather than functioning merely as attractive clothing, the costumes provide visual information that complements the dialogue and helps the audience understand the relationships and hierarchies at play.

This is especially evident in the presentation of Tosan, whose opulent appearance reflects her social position and the significance attached to her marriage. Her costumes reinforce the sense that she occupies a place of considerable desirability within the world of the play. The wealthy male characters, dressed in traditional agbadas and flowing kaftans, similarly project status and influence. Through these choices, Morenikeji gives visible form to the social environment in which wealth and reputation carry considerable weight.

Morenikeji’s work illustrates the interpretative responsibility of a costume designer in live performance. It requires more than selecting garments that suit a character’s background; it involves understanding the dramatic context, identifying the visual details that communicate character and ensuring that each choice serves the production as a whole.

Ultimately, Love Unlike Lading offers an engaging theatrical exploration of love, power and the assumptions people make about one another. Sampson Morenikeji’s costume design stands out for the clarity and purpose it brings to the characters, demonstrating how carefully considered clothing can deepen characterisation and reinforce a production’s ideas.

By Tony Okuyeme