Africa
BIKIYA Graham-Douglas, the Chief Executive officer of BEETA Universal Arts Foundation (BUAF), has urged Nigerian youths to believe in themselves, develop their ideas which could be relevant to the world.
Graham-Douglas made this known at the 5th BEETA Arts Playwright competition grand finale held at the MUSON centre, Onikan, Lagos, on Saturday.
She congratulated Yemi Akande who was the winner of the competition after three attempts.
She said that youths should have the benefits of creating and writing from wherever there interest lies.
“The importance of dramatic literature is that it touches both minds, skills and body which are being developed with imagination then the truth.
“It develops an attitude of understanding and encouragement, it helps in breaking down tensions and releasing un-expressed steam,” she said.
The CEO noted that the BEETA Arts Foundation started the competition when she it saw a vacuum in creative writing.
She said that they received about 2,000 playwrights entries all over Nigeria and it was trimmed down to 794, then to 10 finalists.
She commended the judges for taking time to read all the entries and finalists for taking a risk in trusting their intellectual properties to someone for critic and assessment.
She noted that everyone is a winner but one person must come out tops.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the playwrights that made it to top 10, were “Dusk to Dawn by Gloria Asoloko”; “Rise In A Triangle by Michael Ordia”; “Heros Of The Night by Elias Ozikpu”; “The Mask We Wear by Yemi Akande”; “Bellicose by Mayowa Olajide”; “A Town Call Sane by Adesewa Akinyemi”; and “Soro Soke by Olaolu Oni”.
Others are “The Masquerade That Dance Naked by Olabunni Fasuloni”; “House 22 by Uche Mordi”; and “Brother Brother by Chetachu Igbokwe.
The winner, Yemi Akande who wrote, “The Mask We Wear”, went home with N1.5 million from MTN and a lap top from Chairborne Global Services Ltd, oil and gas and a certificate.
The first runner up was Gloria Asoloko, who wrote “Dusk To Dawn” and went home with a lap top, from Chairborne Global Services Ltd and a certificate.
The 2nd runner up was Chetachu Igbokwe, who wrote “Brother Brother” and went home with certificate and lap too from Chairborne Global services Ltd.
Ego Boyo, an actress and a playwright, urged the winners to see their victory as the beginning of good things to come.
She noted that it was a good opportunity given to them by BUAF, noting that it’s not easy to have a platform.
The winner, Yemi Akande, spoke on behalf of others, and commended BEETA for the opportunity given to them and added that it was his third attempt.
He said his winning money couldn’t come at a better time because his mother was sick and she is very supportive of his craft.
NAN reports that Bikiya Graham-Douglas is a Nigerian born-British actress and performing artiste. She is the daughter of Nigerian politicians Alabo Graham Douglas and Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu.
She has attended and taken courses at the London Academy of music and Dramatic Art, Oxford School of Drama, Bridge Theatre Training Company Endpoint Blank Music School.
She has B.A. degrees in business economics and business law from the university of Portsmouth. (NAN)
A.I
Tags: Alabo Graham Douglas BEETA Universal Arts Foundation Bikiya Graham-Douglas Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu Gloria Asoloko Olabunni Fasuloni Yemi Akande
