ART MUST REFLECT LIFE – BOLANLE AMBODE
Wife of Lagos State Governor Mrs. Bolanle Ambode has stated that Art was supposed to reflect life, as “Ewuro Project” cast and crew attempts to relive issues of social and domestic violence in their play to foster appreciation and engender an understanding of the need to forge a common front and combat the menace.
Speaking at the Public Presentation of EWURO, a stage play produced by Republic of Xtreme in partnership with Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs & Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Ambode stated that the drama reflects cultural practices which dehumanize and debase the feminine gender, highlights negative aspects of our culture and belief systems as well as identifies the vibrancy of the people.
Ambode, who was represented by Mrs. Rhoda Ayinde, commended the efforts of the Team in the campaign to enlighten and educate the general public on the dangers domestic violence posed to the society as media spaces were daily inundated with reports of rape and other forms of violence against the vulnerable and helpless in the society.
She, therefore, urged corporate organizations and public spirited individuals to join the train to show that domestic violence results in a psychologically traumatic experience which limits human and capital development in any Society.
Earlier, Mrs. Lola Akande, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) stated that the Ministry partnered with Ewuro Project because its aim aligned with that of WAPA’s vision of continually engaging in productive conversations about the plight and welfare of women and their families as well as poverty alleviation in Lagos State.
According to her, “The partnership began in 2015 when the Ministry was invited to the staging of the Ewuro Play. It was at that point that it was realized that the project required government participation to ensure the requisite attention and also move policy makers towards action.”
In his speech, Tim Godfrey the Producer and Team Leader of Ewuro Project thanked Lagos State Government particularly the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation for keying into the Project. He said the Project was as a result of his mother’s personal harrowing, nasty and brutal experience when his father died some 19 years ago.
He noted that the initiative was his own way of highlighting the anomaly and evoking public discourse on ways to eliminate violence and discrimination against women using the arts, music, drama and poetry.