The Rising Sun Ovonramwen Nogbaisi Hits MUSON Stage

BUILDING on a rich legacy of quality performance, Quebic 4 Productions Limited is set to stage the first of four endeavours for 2024: The Rising Sun Ovonramwen Nogbaisi is scheduled to captivate Lagos audiences from April to May.

The first performance is today. The play will also be performed on May 4, 5 and 11 at the Musical Society of Nigeria ( MUSON) Centre.

The play delves into the captivating narrative of Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, the Ekpenowa ( home leopard) of the Benin Kingdom.

Set against the backdrop of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the play unfolds a compelling tale woven around the intricate dynamics of a trade treaty between the Benin Kingdom and the British government. This pivotal agreement, coupled with the tragic demise of British soldiers at the hands of the Oba's chiefs, sets the stage for the harrowing events of the great Benin massacre of 1897 and subsequently leads to the dethronement and exile of Oba Ovonramwen.

Amid a backdrop of flourishing trade activities with Portuguese and Dutch merchants, the Benin kingdom thrived in the commerce of ivory, palm oil, pepper, and even profited from the slave trade. However, this era of prosperity was marred by incessant and violent succession struggles among royal dynasties, neighboring rivals, and internal conflicts that erupted into full- fledged civil wars. as the Berlin Conference convened to deliberate the partitioning of Africa, the scramble for dominance over lucrative trade territories intensified among leading European powers and the United States.

The British government's attempts to assert control over the Benin kingdom were spearheaded by Consul Galway, who initiated negotiations for a trade treaty concerning oil. However, these negotiations faltered, with the treaty document bearing only an ' x' as the signatory mark, purportedly attributed to chief Iyase of Benin, rather than the Oba himself.

The play is written and directed by William Benson, a seasoned thespian with over 30 years’ cognate experience in theatre and film production.