Theatre veterans reunite for 40th anniversary of Ajofest

FORTY years after Ajofest ’86 at the National Theatre in Lagos, veteran performers and members of Nigeria’s theatre community are preparing to reunite and reflect on its impact.

Ajofest ’86, which was started and funded by veteran lawyer and playwright, Dr Fred Agbeyegbe, will be celebrated on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at Queen Amina Gardens, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

The event, called ‘Ajofest ’86 – 40 Years Later: Reunion and Reflections’, is being organised with the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP). It will also be available to watch online.

Ajofest took place in 1986 and featured four plays by Agbeyegbe: ‘The King Must Dance Naked’, ‘Woe Unto Death’, ‘The Last Omen’ and ‘Budiso’. The shows ran over four weekends, mixing political satire with independent theatre during a period of military rule in Nigeria.

Ajo Productions, led by Agbeyegbe, produced the festival. The late Jide Ogungbade was the artistic director, Ben Tomoloju was associate director, and Segun Ogunfidodo was stage manager. The shows drew large crowds at the National Theatre. They featured actors who later became well known in Nigerian theatre, film, and Nollywood, including Richard Mofe-Damijo, Antar Laniyan, Ayo Lijadu, Lara Akinsola, and Sola Awojobi.

The anniversary will feature surviving members of the original group, cultural leaders, supporters, and younger theatre practitioners. There will be discussions, tributes, and dramatic readings to help keep the festival’s place in Nigerian theatre history.

Ben Tomoloju, the former arts editor of The Guardian, will deliver the keynote address. The panel discussion will feature Mofe-Damijo, Lijadu, Yomi Layinka and Akinsola, with Dr Lookman Sanusi moderating.

Professor Segun Ojewuyi, Dr Tunji Sotimirin, Godwin Onohwosa, Jahman Anikulapo and Adeniran Makinde are also expected to share reflections on the festival and its wider cultural significance.

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The Crown Troupe of Africa, a performance group linked to NANTAP, will lead dramatic readings from the four original plays. There will also be tributes to Jide Ogungbade, Pero Sosan, Sola Awojobi, Victoria Ajomeyimje, Akpor Otebele, and others who were part of the festival.

For the organisers, the reunion is not just about remembering a famous moment in Nigerian theatre. They believe much of Ajofest’s story lives in the memories of those who were there, so the anniversary is a chance to collect these stories and share them with a new generation.

“Ajofest ’86 was a bold act of private investment in Nigerian theatre, and its plays spoke truth at a critical time in our national life,” said Dr Lillian Agbeyegbe, coordinator of the organising committee.

“Forty years later, we want to honour the visionaries who built it, preserve their firsthand stories, and pass that rich legacy to the next generation,” she added.

Makinde, NANTAP’s national president, said the association’s involvement reflected its commitment to recognising the foundations of modern Nigerian performance.

“Partnering on this milestone underscores NANTAP’s commitment to honouring the foundations of modern Nigerian performance. Ajofest ’86 proved that independent theatre could thrive and reshape our cultural dialogue,” he said.

Ajofest was created outside government-run theatre and showed what private investment could achieve in big stage productions. Its mix of political themes, original scripts, and both new and experienced performers made it an important event in Nigerian theatre.

Forty years later, the reunion is a chance to look at the festival’s artistic successes, its impact on the careers of those involved, and its role in shaping Nigerian theatre. By connecting veteran performers with younger artists, the organisers want to make sure Ajofest’s story is remembered as part of Nigeria’s cultural history.