Deborah Ekeng 
It was a rousing reception for students of EkoCity Polytechnic, Ikotun Egbe, Lagos State, for their stage production of ‘ATAUNLA’, a short play written, produced and directed by Akinbile Micheal Ayoola, who is also a lecturer at the institution.
He is also an actor, choreographer, an administrator and a teacher. ATUNLA is centered on the important crafts in the society that the youths should get themselves involved with just like in the olden days, and not wait for the government to do everything for them instead they should reduce their expectations from the government and get involved in crafts, fishing, farming and hunting in order to provide for their families and keep themselves busy.
The play essential tells the story three different families living in the same neighbourhood. Mati (played by Emmanuel Osas), is a farmer, fisherman and hunter, he provides for his wife Mili (Joseph Naomi Aza), a woman who cares about her husband Mati and always wants to sexually satisfy him.
Julu (Olugbenga Ibraham), is a friend to Mati and Kuso and husband to Kape (Rashi Rashidat). Kape a woman who is romantically attracted to her husband and like her friends in the neighbourhood they cook and satisfy their husband “in the other room.”
Kuso (Kayode Olarewaju), is a one-legged man who unlike his other friends and neighbours, he never gets satisfaction from his wife sexually which makes his friends make jest at him. Adu (Gift Roland), is Kuso’s wife.
She does like sex, hence she does not satisfy her husband but cooks and cares for him. Mama Paun (Keyinde Precious) is a local bar owner who attends to the men whenever they come to her bar to drink and relax, while Paun (Osho Esther), helps her mother to sell at the local bar and at times tries to flirt with Mati but he doesn’t pay any attention to her.
The themes of this play are: hard work, independence, and love. The actors portray the theme of hard work by hunting, fishing, farming and providing for their loved ones.
The play also shows how the men dependent only on themselves for their daily needs and did not wait for someone else to do for them what they can do for themselves.
Love as theme, shows that in as much as the men were always busy, they still create time for their wives. Like in the case of Mati who does not look at Paun when she tries to flirt with him at the local bar.
That shows he loves and respects his wife even in her absence. It was a showcase of talents and creativity, as the actors even as the actors had to change into different costumes while still on stage.
Speaking with New Telegraph, Mr Olatejumola, the Visual Art lecturer, who collaborated and also helped in putting them through on the set designs, said that the student really tried their best being the first time of ever performing on stage.
The Head of Department, (HOD), Mr Olayemi Ahmed, said: “There is no craft you venture into that you won’t succeed as long as you put your mind to it.”
