Queen Oronsen’s epic story set for stage in Lagos
By Taiye Olayemi
Nollywood actress, Damipe Adekoya, has revealed plans to bring the extraordinary life of legendary Queen Moore Oronsen to the stage, to celebrate African women’s resilience and hardworking nature.
Adekoya, the Chief Executive Officer of Zevicar Productions, disclosed this at a news conference in Lagos.
She said the play, put together to depict the life and times of the legendary queen, is entitled “Moore Oronsen (The Mystical Queen)”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Queen Oronsen is a deity from Yoruba mythology, who was the spouse of Olowo Rerengejen, the traditional ruler of Owo Kingdom in Ondo state, over 600 years ago.
The annual Igogo Festival in Owo is celebrated in her honour annually in September.
Adekoya noted that the play would be staged five times from Feb. 22, 2025 to Feb 23, 2025, at the Alliance Francaise, Ikoyi, Lagos.
According to her, the play will highlight the African women’s legendary nature of hard work, and how their important roles in the community are being passed down through generations.
She said this was meant to take people down memory lane, to bring history alive and celebrate the legend who is still being worshipped in Owo.
Adekoya said that the theatrical experience would honour Queen Oronsen’s historical legacy, shedding light on her remarkable journey and unwavering dedication to success.
“I am someone who loves stories that talk about women in general and in my research as a writer, I found out that we rarely hear the history of the majority of our female legends.
“We just hear bits and pieces of stories about them.
“This is a deliberate effort to reinforce Queen Moore Oronsen’s historical legacy, I have tried doing this three times right from 2012, I am glad this is gaining traction.
“This is an attempt to start telling stories about women in general. I am the voice of the African woman.
“I want to project women in general. As a girl’s girl, a woman’s woman, I like to always project what a woman is, whether emotionally, financially, or anything,” she said.
Making reference to how the love story between Queen Oronsen and her husband, Olowo Rerengejen, led to war, Adekoya said Africans could draw inspiration from such intriguing story.
According to her, the play production will delve into Queen Oronsen’s struggles, triumphs, and visionary leadership, showcasing her unwavering commitment to her community.
“The play is aimed at educating audiences about Queen Oronsen’s remarkable legacy, inspire dialogue about women’s contributions to history, foster a sense of community and shared heritage as well as empower women and girls through Queen Oronsen’s story.
“Queen Oronsen’s legacy is a testament to the strength and resilience of women. This production is a tribute to her courage and a celebration of the unbreakable spirit that defines women.
“I want to encourage women to always be at the forefront of success as exemplified by Queen Oronsen,” she said.
Also speaking, Emmanuel Adejumo, the Artistic Director for the play, said Africans should watch out for how the famous Odudu dance peculiar with Owo people in Ondo State would be transformed.
Adejumo said there would be a display of modern and traditional ways of rendering the dance in the course of presenting the play.
Oluwasegun Adeyemi, the Choreographer for the production, assured that he will seamlessly integrate contemporary and traditional dance techniques to create distinctive and captivating dance styles tailored specifically for the play. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Folasade Adeniran
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