Re-Enacting Theatre for Development

Journal of Development Communication, 2020

The concept of development communication is a clear pointer to the interrelationship between communication and development and the fact that the process of communication can be effectively applied to achieve development purposes. In development communication, the major aim of communication is to bring about the process of development. Theatre as a communicative art is a highly dynamic and powerful conscientisation medium, and as such, integral to communication, as it is to development, establishing its importance and unique role as an invaluable development communication instrument. Anchoring on the truism of the above statement, and reinforced by the participatory development communication model, the paper refocuses the Esuk Ewang and Ibaka Communities of Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria's Environmental Theatre for Development Project, to highlight the true nature of theatre in the context of development as well as the interrelationship between communication and development.

This paper discusses the place of theatre as a tool for development communication. In this regard, the paper projects the potency of theatre in enhancing development and its role in influencing social change. The paper submits that, development starts with people and not with ‘goods’. It includes their education, empowerment and preservation of people’s cultural identity and all that enhances their well being and makes for a good life. Theatre for Development as a Strategic communication method is a powerful tool that can improve the chances of success of development projects. It strives for behaviour change not just information dissemination, education, or awareness-raising by Interrogating and possibly challenging traditional philosophies and visions of development where the top down model to development is replaced with the bottom up model in a bid to transfer the control of development to the target recipients of the intended development in a situation whereby the recipients become active participants - ‘spec actors’ not ‘spectators’, in the process and they – the people define how and when development happens. Key Words: Theatre for Development, Development Communication, Development

2021

Among many communication tools available, Theatre for Development (TfD) is a powerful medium for communication because of its performative, festive, communal, realistic and concrete nature. It is a good medium of communicating messages to local communities for the actors are often from the local community and the villagers do not have to travel to see the performances for it is performed in their locality. Many Social and Development issues facing various communities require public investment to address them. This investment will only arise if the general community is supportive and community support is only likely if the issues are widely acknowledged and  understood. Some believe that Social and Development issues have to be solved by government alone, they do not seem to understand their share of responsibility in solving the problems. TfD is known to be alive to the social and development realities of its time. It is a kind of performance where the economic, social, religio...

Among the many communication tools available, theatrical representation is a favorite in many sub-Saharan African countries. Because of its festive, communal, realistic and concrete nature, it is almost impossible to avoid if you have a message to transmit to local communities – whether rural or urban. When we talk about theatre in the development context, we are obviously not talking about classical theatre, but rather about popular forms of theatre also known as street theatre, intervention theatre, or theatre for develop¬ment. The most popular forms of theatre for development are forum theatre, interactive theatre, and the theatre debate – all of which use similar techniques. One of the distinguishing characteristics of popular theatre is its social content. The troupes of actors are often local or regional. The villagers do not have to travel to see the performances, as the troupes come to the villages to perform. Within development, there is an increasing recognition of the need to hear the opinion of the people who are most affected by development. One response to this is ‘Theatre for Development’, which is a technique of performance and drama-building. It rests on an interaction between people who are in the flight path of development projects and those agencies who initiate them. This paper will examine theatre as a powerful tool of communication which enables people to contribute in the development of their society and thereby get involved in the search for solutions. Keywords: Africa, Communication, Development, Theatre, Enlightenment, Nigeria

Book Chapter, 2019

The importance of development to the growth of any nation cannot be overemphasized. Communication, on the other hand, is an indisputable instrument of development hence, for the development goals of a nation to strive, communication has to be put in its proper context; this lies in the fact that communication can be said to be the only viable tool that can be used to bring development to the doorstep of its citizenry. Therefore, for communication to be successful, the decoding process must be an indication of proper understanding. In Nigeria, however, inadequate communication linkages have stood as a bane to development both in the Urban and rural areas coupled with the fact that the people whom development is meant for are often times, excluded from the development process hence, the utmost need to place communication in its proper context for development. In view of the above, this paper focuses on the people which the paper captures as the Natives and their role in the process of communication using a development communication approach and strategy known as Community Theatre. Findings from the paper show that through Community Theatre, the Natives were able to immerse themselves in the development process via participation thus, accentuating the fact that development cannot be devoid of the people whom it is meant for. This, therefore, is a pointer to the fact that strategic communication plays a huge role in development is adequately utilized.

SAVANNA: A Journal of the Environment and Social Sciences, 2018

There is limited information about attempts to communicate with communities about social change. Despite the global nature of the problem, little documentation however exists about efforts in different countries using the appropriate media to effectively communicate with local people about their social realities. This paper fills that void by providing a synthesis of the local experience. Though, mass media are important in spreading awareness of new possibilities and practices, but at the stage where decisions are being made about whether to adopt or not to adopt, forum communication is far more likely to be influential. Based on the above, this paper therefore, aligns with the newer perspectives on development communication claim that active involvement of communities in the process of the communication itself accelerates development and moves communication away from a top-down approach to a more sustainable, effective flow of information between people. The paper used the Samaru Project of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and its participatory theatrical approaches as an experiment to metaphorize participation of rural communities in a development project, including research and social analysis. The paper ends by suggesting that effective use of participatory theatre is not only capable of building consensus on root causes of development crisis within a particular social context but also capable of equipping the key stakeholders with the tools and skills to advocate for social change and helping to share information, knowledge, trust, commitment and a right attitude in development process.

Academia Letters, 2021

Introduction The study attempts a periodisation of the evolution of TfD and the development communication process in Africa. The perspective adopted spans within the larger scope of its implications and imperatives, to explore how this noble initiative that was given impetus by both Freire and Boal has developed in the continent over the years. This analysis is, therefore, undertaken from the following tripodal angles: i. The Pre-independence Era ii. The Post-independence Era, and iii. The Electronic Culture Era Conscious effort has been made to highlight the significant way in which patterns in social change within these epochs have particularly shaped the varying evolution trends. The Pre-independence Era TfD was witnessed in Africa as "early as the 1930's, when the colonial health workers, secondary school teachers, agricultural and community extension workers used drama to sell the virtues of modernization, cash crop productivity, and financial prudence" (Kamlongera qtd. in Mlama 68). As Mlama highlights, during this period field workers travelled from village to village organising drama performances, discussions and demonstrations based on such topics as cash crop production, taxation, and disease eradication; with theatrical programmes planned, message chosen, and scripts prepared by government workers. Kid further confirms the existence of TfD in this era in his review of some relevant literature (5). This is a clear pointer to the consciousness of the instrumentality of theatre which the colonial masters exhibited in using theatre as a powerful tool for conscientisation in pre-independence Africa. This theatre, as Odhiambo hints, is however couched in the parochial assumption "that the colonial subjects needed to be enlightened in a particular

The paper examines the evolution of theatre for development in Africa and mutations that have attended its growth. The work also critically examines the interfaces between TFD and development communication with a view to prospecting on the future directions of development communication in Africa

It is observed that most development modalities employed over the years for achieving community development in Africa have not leaved up to expectation in terms of involving the majority of people in the quest for national transformation and development; rather, these modalities tend to complicate the very problems they are set out to solve. The situation is mostly like this because the adopted development strategies have not taken adequate cognizance the essence of effective communication methods and the importance of people's perspectives and peculiarities in these processes. Mostly, the so-called outsiders and experts in development matters who are physically and socially separated from the people think for them and about their development. This situation is inimical to genuine and sustainable development. It is important therefore to note that development can only be meaningful and sustainable when it is people generated; involving people's real needs and their participation in the process of achieving them. It is at this point therefore that community theatre can come handy as it has the potentials to bring people together to discuss issues that disempowered them and participatorily proffer solutions to the negatives. Community theatre can be explored to work with rural and urban people; mostly the rural dwellers who are mostly disempowered. In view of this therefore, this paper posits that community theatre is a method of participatory communication towards achieving social change.

​In ​Theatre for Development ​(TfD),​ ​drama scripts are improvised on a certain developmental issue and presented according to the need of the people and area. The Koraput-Balangir-Kalahandi (KBK) region of Odisha, a state in Eastern India, is undoubtedly one of the most-backward, underdeveloped and poverty-stricken areas of the country. So, alternative forms of communication like theatre find relevance in formulating communication strategies in this area. The present study is based on enquires into the existing approaches of TfD, the aesthetic challenges it faces and attempts to explore the correct approach to TfD practice with respect to KBK. The findings hint at the use of aesthetically inappropriate methods to incorporate development messages in theatre and gross negligence to preparations of theatre. It is concluded that although applied in nature, a theatre should conform to its aesthetic principles to effectively communicate development messages.