With over 40 years in the theatre, Bode Sowande has definitely carved a niche for himself. The owner of Odu Themes, a performing outfit which he founded 40 years ago out of sheer passion for the Arts just after graduation has been nothing short of a success story for the thespian, who is a native of Abeokuta, Ogun State. Among others, his works have taken him across the globe. From France to Italy, from the US to the UK, Sowande has traversed all the cultural capitals of the world.
Sowande hit limelight in the 1970s and has never looked back.
A close scrutiny of his works will reveal that he gets his inspiration monthly for from his Yoruba roots and uses same to campaign for change
A couple of years ago, he got a grant to produce a play that would connect Africa and Italy culturally and that grant culminated in the production of his play, Ajantala Pinocchio, a play which draws from Yoruba and Italian cultural elements.
Ajantala Pinocchio was one of the plays presented at the just concluded 5th edition of the Lagos Black Heritage Festival (LBHF).
It is a drama which marries Yoruba culture with the Italian experience of Pinocchio, the Italian character who travels the world and provides a veritable platform for cultural exchange between both countries.
As the grandson of Classical musicologist, Fela Sowande, who was an Ifa priest, Bode Sowande also had a grand uncle who was equally an Anglican priest. Ajantala Pinocchio revolves around two badly behaved children from the folklore of two different cultures. While Ajantala is core to Yoruba religion and culture, Pinocchio is an Italian cultural character. Both characters are outcasts and are physically challenged. Ajantala is the Yoruba prodigy of pranks and nasty behaviour, while Pinocchio is the Italian prototype of a delinquent child.
The playwright-director indicts adult indifference, neglect and abuse as the cause of delinquency which is universal as he skillfully weaves his tail around the Yoruba pantheon, drawing on strong cultural beliefs of the Yorubas and the adventures of Pinocchio to deliver his message. Indeed, Ajantala Pinocchio explores delinquency in children and showcases how society has aided this hydra headed monster to grow through the neglect of children.
The role of Esu, Obatala, Ifa and Orunmila in the play gives it a strong cultural depth and the fusion of Pinocchio gives it an Italian appeal thus uniting both cultures.
It is the story of Ajantala who grows up and walks the day he is born and who is in search of his parents. The day he is born, Pinoccho, who is always traveling around the world comes to Lagos and the two, both victims of neglect are united and this almost leads to a breakdown of law and order with Esu reminding Ajantala that his will is his own. However, the timely intervention of Obatala saves the world from destruction. Indeed there is a strong use of comedy and satire as exhibited in the role of the police officers. Sowande goes as far as tapping into contemporary and catchy Hip hop phrases like 'ose,' to drive home his message
Sowande spoke to Daily Sun: Excerpts:
What Ajantala Pinocchio is all about?
A lot of people have asked me this question. It has to do with the very profound search of the neglected child for responsible parenting which we find in Ajantala. It has to do with the challenges of parenting a delinquent child which we also find in Pinocchio.
Now the two of them are pranksters. Pinocchio, if you read his story becomes a grown up the day he is born; same for Ajantala, they are prodigies. The difference is that Ajantala is core to the Yoruba religion and mythology while Pinocchio is the creative product of Carlo Collodi.
What inspired Ajantala Pinocchio?
I had an opportunity to visit Italy many years back while celebrating the 90th anniversary of the University of Bologna and I decided to do a paper on the existential experience of Pinocchio. Some years down the line I got a grant to do whatever I wanted as long as it would link Africa to Italy.
And as happens to writers, it was a crazy idea! You know, there's Pinocchio, who grows up the day he was born and Ajantala who does the same as well. Pinocchio in his original story travels the world so I said to myself, 'let me do something that has never been done before, bring him to Lagos the day that Ajanatala is born!'
How were you able to weave a story around an imported character, Pinocchio and mould him into Yoruba mythology?
It was because I wanted to go straight to the most profound depth. Why does something happen?
Why does this happen? Among the Yorubas, if you have a delinquent child, they don't just talk, they say 'let us go and pray about it, let us ask Ifa. Most important is that Obatala is an all-inclusive God, the God of the good, the bad and the ugly and he is the one that can resolve the crisis.
Actually in the Ifa folk tale, it is Obatala that actually comes to the rescue after Ajantala throws creation into confusion so; God in the form of Obatala comes to the rescue.
Like it was explained in the play, Obatala becomes intoxicated with the taste of wine.
And as a result of that we have all kinds of malformation when he forms the body of humans but within his divine consciousness, there is no bad and there is no good so within that consciousness you have the ability to redeem the situation.
When Ajantala was going astray, Esu kept egging him on. What was his role in all these?
Fine, the original role of Esu in Yoruba mythology before Christians translated the Bible to Yoruba is quite different. The Muslims have done a better job by calling Esu, Satani. Esu is a servant of Orunmila. Esu tests the will of the individual. He sees through every body.
In a way it is the reverse side of Obatala. Obatala is kind and forgiving but Esu will insist that there must be Karmic justice. Esu allows you to realize that your will is free but with free will there is also responsibility. If you say you are free to do anything, Esu will say 'Fine, go and do it.' But the same Esu will come and make sure that you don't escape the forces of retribution. Esu tests the will and conscience of every one. Esu lets you know that your will is free but there is responsibility as well.
How does this deepen our understanding and appreciation of Yoruba culture?
First of all if you look at the wisdom of Obatala, a wisdom that says everybody is my child so, throwing a child in jail is not Obatala's method. Just like we saw in Ajantala experience, the Yoruba cosmology is very inclusive, very different from Christian cosmology where you have sin and virtue. The Yoruba have causes and effect, deeds and retribution.
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