By Henry Akubuiro
Scene from Soyinka’s Wheels of Justice
70 years on, The Pyrates Confraternity has become one of the most prominent campus groups in Nigeria and has extended its sphere of influence to outside Nigeria. Founded by the Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, as a student at the University College, Ibadan, which was to metamorphose into the University of Ibadan, together with six others, in 1952, its journey through the years formed the basis of the latest dramatic work, Wheels of Justice.
Contrary to the impression in some quarters that Professor Soyinka introduced cultism into the Nigerian university system, the play seeks to enlighten the public that its goals were far from the misconceptions.
Last Saturday, at the Agip Recital Hall of the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos, the 70th anniversary siege of the National Association of Seadogs, otherwise known as The Pyrates, took place with a dramatic enactment and interactive session with the Nobel laureate, who spoke via Zoom from Abu Dhabi, where he teaches in a university.
In pyratic lexicon, a ‘siege’ is a metaphor for an irregular meeting and adhoc gathering summoned for an urgent purpose, explained Tunde Awosanmi, the Director of Wheels of Justice.
“Tonight’s performance in commemoration of The Pyrates Confraternity’s 70th anniversary is conceived, therefore, as a siege – an interface between the organisation and the environment within which it functions and the public which it serves,” he said, adding that the performance was loaded with “pyratic anecdotes.”
The play, aside showcasing the metamorphosis of the group, is a satirical piece lampooning socio-political shortcomings in Nigeria from colonial to the contemporary, using The Pyrates as a vehicle to conscientise society and as a guerilla movement to right the wrongs.
Wheels of Justice evolves in dramatic sketches and musicals called “Short Guns” which include: “Ph.D Interviews”, “Foot Print Updated”, “Unlimited Liability Company”, and “A Little to the Left”.
The plot begins with the narrator (a Soyinka archetype) reliving the early days of The Pyrates, formed by seven students of the University of Ibadan, who wanted to challenge the status quo in the university and in the wider society: “We were unconventional, even theatrical. We called ourselves The Pyrates, a mind robbing group, coming together in an atmosphere of exuberance…, combined with some serious pre-independence ideas.”
The play features archetypal characters of The Pyrates pioneers brainstorming on how to change society. It also casts them at loggerheads with school authorities and the establishment, but there is no emphasis on violence as an instrument of change and advocacy.
The performance kept viewers at the Agip Hall on the edge of their seats with songs and dances, in tune with total theatre tradition.
The stage contained two platforms, which ensured that action took place on both platforms in synchrony, without overcrowding the stage.
The most captivating of this was during the court session where the judge stood on top of the platform while the lawyers, clerk and audience occupied the lower wrung. The costumes, from The Pyrates members to the downtrodden and the authorities, were well wrought.
The cast, a mixture of students from the University of Ife and professional thespians made the performance a memorable experience with the energy they brought on stage, well controlled in most parts and fervid in bits. The stuttering Nigerian wheel of justice, as demonstrated in the performance, raises a question mark on different aspects of our national life.
At the end of the enthralling spectacle, the stage director told the newsmen that “this particular performance traces the trajectory of The Pyrates Confraternity from the beginning. It also tried to depict the organisation itself as some form of a guerilla group. We have taken excerpts from Wheels of Justice, Prof. Soyinka’s latest play.”
Earlier in an interactive session, Prof Soyinka condemned what he described as “techno mobbery” by Nigerian youths – the propensity to use social media to attack people who hold contrary views and create falsehood around them. Fascinated by the marvels of technology, however, he canvassed its appropriate deployment by not only NAS but Nigerians.
The Capoon of NAS, Abiola Owoaje, said the performance was a combination of different short plays written by Professor Wole Soyinka. “It shows us how the fraternity was formed and how we have been involved in activism and advocacy,” he noted.
The Muson Centre outing was a culmination of the 70th anniversary of the National Association of Seadogs, which started last year.