The Jos Repertory Theatre returns to Abuja with a landmark production of Wale Ogunyemi’s Queen Amina of Zazzau, which is the remarkable epic on the life and times of the legendary Queen Amina of Zazzau.
The production of the play, which had its world premiere in 2000, will run for two days in Abuja at the Sheraton Hotel on Friday, November 13, and Saturday, November 14, in two performances daily at 4pm and 7pm.
Versatile actress, Jumoke Olatubosun, will play the lead role of Queen Amina in the play. Olatubosun, a star of the stage also has very intimidating credentials in Nollywood, Nigeria’s film industry, and the country’s television. Nominated for the United Kingdom-based ZAFAA in 2009 as the Best Upcoming Actress for her role in the Nollywood film Greatness, she has had over 30 marvellous stage performances to her credit. Among her television appearances is the soap, ‘Band of Five’ currently showing on ONtv.
Others performances include Wetin Dey which took television by storm and Nimi (in Yoruba), both BBC initiatives. The other films to the credit of the Jos-based Olatubosun are: Sitanda, White Waters, Pensioners, Laviva, Five Apostles, Heart of a Father and Nadia.
Other influential actors from the JRT will be taking part in the production that will no doubt bring the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to a standstill.
Amina’s reign in the 16th century witnessed tremendous growth in territory, commerce and relationships with cities which Queen Amina conquered or which she forged friendships with. Her territory extended all the way from ancient Zazzau to the Sudan with the first markings of what later became the trans-Saharan highway. She exerted tributes of kolanut, gold and slaves from territories that she conquered and from territories that wanted friendship with Zazzau.
Queen Amina’s reign witnessed a lot of infrastructural development and her reign pioneered the use of iron coat armour which was used by her soldiers in their military campaigns and conquests. The famous Zaria wall is attributed to her reign and ingenuity.
She was a remarkable leader who developed and built a court founded on justice and fairness. Her subjects also prospered during her reign and according to her – “you will prosper if you work hard, as food does not grow on trees”.
Historically, she is not known to have married, though a lot of sultans and chiefs desired her hand in marriage. She had only one sister, Zariya, from an illustrious Queen mother, Barkwa Turunku, who was Queen before Amina’s reign. The fact of her being single did not go down well with her subjects, some of who also desired her hand in marriage. It was a relationship with one of her subjects which led to her untimely death after reigning for 34 years.
She had a great weakness – any man who shared her bed was put to death through poison. This was the destiny she chose at her initiation into the cult. However, one of her warriors shared her bed and escaped with the help of her most trusted maid. She gave him the antidote to the poison administered by Amina.
To fulfil the prophecy, Amina chased the warrior to Atagara in present-day Idah in Kogi State where she eventually died not fulfilling her aim of putting the warrior to death.