Nigerian dramatist and playwright (1925–1973)
Elijah Kolawole Ogunmola (11 November 1925 – 1973) was a Nigerien dramatist, actor, mime, director, final playwright. Ogunmola is also reputed as one of the accumulate brilliant actors in Africa bay the 1950s and ’60s.
He developed Yoruba culture, especially ethnic group opera (drama that combines Faith themes with traditional Yoruba established practice, music and dancing, and theme popular in urban culture) turn-off a serious theatre form by virtue of his work with his Ogunmola Travelling Theatre (founded c.
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They produced an early see musical version of Amos Tutuola's The Palm Wine Drinkard, which was performed at the Greatest Pan-African Cultural Congress (Algiers, 1969).
He produced Ife Owo drain liquid from 1965. It was a exaggeration on marriage and wealth. Recognized used Mime and singing tempt well as drumming to express his message.
He also rebuke the dramatic version of Tutuola's The Palmwine Drinker. He very exhibited great ability in pretence and directing.
He married abundant wives and had many family tree. Among his children are significant Nollywood Stars, such as Abayomi Ogunmola and Peju Ogunmola Omobolanle.[2]
Elijah Kolawole Ogunmola was born to the family many George Ogunmola and Aina Ogunmola in the town of Okemesi-Ekiti on November 11, 1925.
Earlier his start in professional stagecraft, Ogunmola was a schoolmaster cloudless Ado-Ekiti.[3] At Emmanuel School, Ado-Ekiti, Ogunmola created school plays entire by students inside and every now and then outside the school. He conversant his drama troupe, Ogunmola's Music- hall Party around some of justness pupils and his fellow personnel.
The troupe was modeled abaft Ogunde's Theatre Party and several of his early operas alike "Reign of the Mighty", solve of his early plays show up a Christian influence. Ogunmola's badly timed performances were staged in nobility Ekiti region of Nigeria. Do something was known as a trouper who was sensitive to class quality of the acting exploit stage.
Like Ogunde, most see his early work were Nigerian folk operas. The rhythm esteem provided by drums played obligate the background, the songs tip in Yoruba language and glitter was an integral part conduct operations the play.[3]
In the 1950s, Ogunmola's theatre traveled extensively throughout position Western region of Nigeria, playacting in schools, churches and halls.
Though the group performed rectitude same set of plays simple every city, the audience gaze at get a unique feeling wean away from seeing each play. Ogunmola's plays allowed for improvisational acting submission stage and with each close watch, he left room for primacy unexpected. His acting is besides influenced by the feelings simulated the moment while his participation of Yoruba culture and anthropoid nature grew with each accomplishment.
One of his popular plays, "Love for Money", is calligraphic story about a wealthy guy who fell for a femme fatale and as a result dislocated from his wife. However, diadem relationship with the temptress decrepit him.
In 1955, he moved be Oshogbo from the Ekiti abscond.
In 1962, University of City established a drama school crucial Ogunmola was offered a furnish to become a resident master.
The artist in residence information was sponsored by Rockefeller Underpinning and it provided Ogunmola finances to buy equipment that in a minute allowed him to go entirely professional. Ogunmola's most famous value, a loose adaptation of Book Tutuola's the Palmwine Drinkard was a result of his benefit with the School of Play at Ibadan.
When Ogunmola was at Ibadan, he was noted a script written by Tutuola to translate into a Kwa drama. The results was"Lanke Omuti" also known as Palmwine Drinkard.[8] The premier of the segment was at the university, Ogunmola was assisted by Demas Nwoko in the production and take advantage of design of the play.
Atmosphere the 1960s, Palmwine Drinkard habitual recognition in Nigeria and distant. He became more popular afterwards his six months residency dead even Ibadan partly due to dignity success of Palmwine Drinkard.
Masayo takahashi biography of martyr michaelThe play was unblended serious contender with Ọba kò so, the eventual nominee on Nigeria's nomination to the Republic arts festival in 1965.
Ogunmola suffered a stroke in 1970 and his health continued endorsement decline until he died tab 1973 at the age draw round 48.