Winners emerge at Beeta playwright competition

•Bikiya

As part of the commitment to bring stage play to the centre-stage, promoting of Nigerian theatre and recognising the importance of telling Nigerian stories, winners have emerged at the recently concluded Beeta playwright completion which took place at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The overall winner Paul Ugbede, won one million Naira. And the first runner-up, Orok Nikita, won five hundred thousand naira and third place winner, Olayiwola Awakan won two hundred and fifty thousand naira.

The competition is an initiative of Beeta Universal Arts Foundation, founded by Nollywood actress and theatre producer Bikiya Graham-Douglas.

Speaking on criteria considered in selecting winners of the competition, Graham-Douglas said, “what we really wanted was to have organic Nigerian stories from the youth. So it was a competition that was open to Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 45 and they had to write a Nigerian story. We gave them technical specification that is; how many characters they could have, the length of the play and we even judge people based on their grammar because if you are going to be a playwright, you need to write properly.

“We also had a panel of judges with the chairman Professor Ahmed Yerima, Shaibu Husseni, Ibiso Graham-Douglas, Kemi Lala Akindoju and Kenneth Uphopho who is the director of the Lagos Theatre Festival. We had representatives from not just the end of the production but the process of the production – from the plays to the rehearsals – so we had everyone represented on our panel and the judges had to read every single play that entered into this competition.


“I wasn’t really part of the judging process because I had to be fair, I just stayed clear and allowed them to do their job in the capable hands of my judges and I can’t thank God enough for the people I have because they remain committed.”

Graham-Douglas however stated that the competition goes beyond just the prizes won but a certain percentage will be used to help the winners produce their own plays.

“It goes a long way they won this price money and a percentage of this price money will be used towards producing their own plays. We are going to produce the winner’s play and with the finalists we are going to take them on a school tour to go and speak to children. We are going to see how the plays from these competitions can get into the curriculum in Nigeria.”

Expressing gratitude, Ugbede who emerged overall winner, said, “I want to thank God for this because I list expected it, but I believe this is a reward for hard work and a reminder of better things to come. I also believe that Beeta playwright competition is going to be a bigger platform for younger playwrights who are looking for opportunities like this.”