Lekan Balogun (born 3 March 1973) is a Nigerian

dramatist A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between characters and is intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. Ben Jonson coined the term "playwri ...

and theatre director. His plays include ''Moremi Ajaasoro'', performed as the Western zone's entry for the Festival of Nigerian Plays (FESTINA 2003); ''Olofin Ajaye and The Mote in the Eye'', NANTAP International Theatre Day, 2008 and 2009/20th Anniversary Play projects; ''The Rejected Stone'', an African retelling of the popular fable ''

Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...

'', ''Alaafin Kanran'', ''Farewell and Dirty Circle'' for

Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a West End theatre#London's non-commercial theatres, non-commercial theatre in Sloane Square, London, England, opene ...

, London, excerpt performed at the

Sloane Square Sloane Square is a small hard-landscaped square on the boundaries of the central London districts of Belgravia and Chelsea, London, Chelsea, located southwest of Charing Cross, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The area forms a ...

, Jerwood Theatre, London, in 2009 with sponsorship from the

British Council The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh lang ...

, Nigeria
GENESIS Foundation
UK; ''The Ghost Catcher''; ''Goodbye Yesterday''; ''Our Tomorrow Today''; Ijebu 1832; ''For Heroes and Scoundrels'', among others. He wrote and directed a play about Zulu folklore (Izibongo) and history in 2008 with the title ''

Shaka Shaka kaSenzangakhona (–24 September 1828), also known as Shaka (the) Zulu () and Sigidi kaSenzangakhona, was the king of the Zulu Kingdom from 1816 to 1828. One of the most influential monarchs of the Zulu, he ordered wide-reaching reform ...

'', the Zulu legend.

Early life

Lekan Balogun studied English and Social Studies, gaining a Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) at the Federal College of Education, Osiele,

Abeokuta Abeokuta is the capital city of Ogun State located at the south western part of Nigeria. It is situated on the east bank of the Ogun River, near a group of rocky outcrops in a wooded savanna; north of Lagos by railway, or by water. , Abeokut ...

. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and master's degree (with Distinction) in Theatre Arts from the Department of Creative Arts,

University of Lagos The University of Lagos (UNILAG) is a Public university, public research university located in Lagos, Nigeria, which was founded in 1962. UNILAG is one of the education in Nigeria#First generation universities, first generation universities in ...

, Akoka, Nigeria.

Career

Shortly after graduation from the Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta, in 1996, Lekan Balogun joined the Centre for Cultural Studies, University of Lagos, Akoka, as an Associate member as well as a member of Akuro Theatre, owned and managed by late Professor Bode Osanyin, playwright and theatre director, under whose tutelage he received professional training as an actor and playwright. With the Centre and Akuro, he was part of productions such as ''Orisa'', ''Left in the Cold'' (adaptation of

Bertolt Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known as Bertolt Brecht and Bert Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a p ...

's ''

The Good Person of Szechwan ''The Good Person of Szechwan'' (, first translated less literally as ''The Good Man of Setzuan'') is a play written by the German dramatist Bertolt Brecht, in collaboration with Margarete Steffin and Ruth Berlau. The play was begun in 1938 but no ...

'') ''Two Jolly Men'', ''Ogedengbe'', etc. He was in the

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings ...

-sponsored UNILAG/NUGA GAMES 1998 production of Ben Tomoloju's ''Jankariwo''; Mediaknights/Total Theatre ''Not, My Fault'', 1998; was a member of cast, '' The Gods Are Not to Blame'' (MUSON Festival, 2006). He was a member of

, Akoka contingent, which went on performance tour of

Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

on the invitation of the Nigeria High Commission in Ghana, to mark Nigeria's 48th Independence, 2008. He has worked variously as a researcher, writer-in-residence and cultural officer for Songobiyi African Creation, established by Princess Adetokunbo Abimbola, wife of Professor Wande Abimbola; as freelance researcher, writer and performer with th
Centre for Black and African Art and Civilization(CBAAC)
writer and director for th
National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts’ Practitioners

Association of Nigerian Authors The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) is a non-profit organization that promotes Nigerian literature. It represents Nigerian creative writers at home and abroad. It was founded in 1981 by Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe as its president. The ...

among others. He has done extensive research on African

myth Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

and

legend A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the ...

Mask A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment, and often employed for rituals and rites. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes, ...

philosophy Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

religion Religion is a range of social system, social-cultural systems, including designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics in religion, ethics, or ...

metaphysics Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that examines the basic structure of reality. It is traditionally seen as the study of mind-independent features of the world, but some theorists view it as an inquiry into the conceptual framework of ...

and has particularly expressed his bias for Yoruba folklore, myth, legend, and history, which have all been reflected in his works. He is the artistic director, Legendaire Theatre, a professional theatre company based in Lagos, Nigeria.

Directing/production credits

Lekan has successfully directed the Theatre workshop class of the Department of English University of Lagos for three years, including the last; ''Look Back in Gratitude'' (adaptation of

John Osborne John James Osborne (12 December 1929 – 24 December 1994) was an English playwright, screenwriter, actor, and entrepreneur, who is regarded as one of the most influential figures in post-war theatre. Born in London, he briefly worked as a jo ...

's ''

Look Back in Anger ''Look Back in Anger'' (1956) is a realist play written by John Osborne. It focuses on the life and marital struggles of an intelligent and educated but disaffected young man of working-class origin, Jimmy Porter, and his equally competent yet i ...

'') written by Bosede Ademilua-Afolayan. His professional directorial works include

Wole Soyinka Wole Soyinka , (born 13 July 1934) is a Nigerian author, best known as a playwright and poet. He has written three novels, ten collections of short stories, seven poetry collections, twenty five plays and five memoirs. He also wrote two transla ...

's ''Camwood on the Leaves'' for the inaugural Theatre @Terra, 2007; ''Olive Branch'', produced in conjunction with Kowry Kreations Media (now Image and Heritage); Emmanuel Eni's ''Death of a Curator''; his outfit's production of ''Love and Colours in Delphi'', one of his experimental plays (in association with Theatre Centrik, owned and managed by his long-time friend and associate, Tony Biyi Boyede) and Oya, with support from th
National Troupe of Nigeria
Olofin Ajaye, written and directed as NANTAP 2008 International Theatre Day production and ''The Mote in the Eye'', performed as NANTAP 20th Anniversary play, featuring Ambassador Segun Olusola and veteran actors such as Dejumo Lewis, the Oloja of Oja of the Village Headmaster fame, Mufu Onifade, originator of ARAISM, Sola Awojobi-Onayiga, Tunde Alabi and directed by the talented Makinde Adeniran,

Femi Osofisan Babafemi Adeyemi Osofisan (born June 16, 1946), known as Femi Osofisan or F.O., is a Nigerian writer noted for his critique of societal problems and his use of African traditional performances and surrealism in some of his plays. A frequent theme ...

's ''Women of Owu'', etc. Balogun has had a very long professional relationship with the actor and theatre director, William Ekpo, Tunji Sotimirin and few others.

Experimental works

Lekan Balogun has begun a new style of writing he calls "the theory of contradiction", which was inspired by the Absurd Theatre, but drawing from African history, myth and legend. In performance, ritual music and silence are technical components of realization. Plays written to develop the theory include ''Love and Colours in Delphi'', ''Soyinka in the Eye of

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

'' read as the National Troupe of Nigeria, 26th in the Series of Play Reading, ''

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater ...

Remembered'', performed at the Duro Oni @ 60 celebrations, featuring highly talented actor Art-Osagie Okedigun, Wale Lampejo and Qamar Adekunjo; A Walk with

Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India's independence from British ...

and Epitaph for

Gaddafi Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi (20 October 2011) was a Libyan military officer, revolutionary, politician and political theorist who ruled Libya from 1969 until his assassination by Libyan rebel forces in 2011. He came to power ...

. He also collaborated and wrote dialogue for an international production of The Power Play, by the German-based theatre company, FLINN THEATER, which opened to public viewing in September 2012 at Kulturhaus Dock 4,

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Other Related Works

Lekan Balogun is also an essayist, cultural ambassador and columnist for a number of journals. He has been invited as speaker, panel discussant and facilitator in several workshops on art, literature and theatre. He has essays on EDAOTO, among others, and been invited as speaker in several national and international seminars and workshops including Write Associates' The Africa Century International Writers Conference programme, 2012 at the University of the Free State, South Africa and the African Studies Institute International Conference on Africa and its Diaspora with the theme Africa and its Diaspora: Expressions of Indigenous and Local Knowledge, University of Georgia, Athens, USA, 2012.

Published works

*''Moremi Ajaasoro'' – Afrocentric Productions Books, 2002 *''Our Tomorrow Today'' – Afrocentric Productions Books, 2003 *''Street Children and Orphans of HIV/AIDS Victims'' – Afrocentric Productions Books, 2003 *''Alaafin Kanran'' – Literamed Publications (Lantern Books), 2005 *''The Rejected Stone'' – Literamed Publications (Lantern Books), 2005 *'' Oya'' – Literamed Publications (Lantern Books), 2008 *''

'' – Literamed Publications (Lantern Books), 2010 *''For Heroes and Scoundrels'' – Legendaire Theatre Production, 2009 *''Farewell'' – British Council, Nigeria Anthology of Drama, 2009 *O''lofin Ajaye: the Story of Lagos'' – Legendaire Theatre Production, 2010

Awards/Selections

Some of Lekan's plays have received critical acclaim, among them the following: *''Moremi Ajaasoro''—winner, NANTAP/FESTINA, 2002 Drama Award for Best New Play *''Atundaolu'' – winner, Bode Osanyin 2006 Drama Award *''Beyond the Sunset'' – selected by the jury for Jos Repertory Theatre, UNIJOS 2006, Festival of Theatre *'' Oya'' – selected by the jury for Jos Repertory Theatre, UNIJOS 2006, Festival of Theatre, University of Jos *'' Oya'' – 2006 University of Lagos Convocation play, University of Lagos, Akoka *''

Remembered'' – selected for the inaugural Atlanta Black Theatre Festival,

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

, Georgia, USA, 2012.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balogun, Lekan 1973 births Nigerian dramatists and playwrights Living people Yoruba dramatists and playwrights People from Lagos State University of Lagos alumni Nigerian theatre directors 20th-century Nigerian politicians 21st-century Nigerian politicians