Sons of an Ancestor, the play by Peter Ogohi Salifu that won the 2024 Society of Nigerian Theatre Artists’ (SONTA) Olu-Obafemi Prize for Playwriting, has been published by Kraft Books, Ibadan.
The publication was announced at the 39th International Conference and 40th Annual General Meeting of SONTA, held from August 18 to 21 at Lead City University, Ibadan, where the book was also showcased.
Originally submitted as an unpublished manuscript, the play draws on Igala storytelling traditions to explore themes of violence, tradition, power, leadership and human relationships.
SONTA Vice-President for Administration and Membership Services, Professor Adediran Ademiju-Bepo, announced the publication and presented a copy of the book to Professor Olu Obafemi, who instituted the playwriting prize, through SONTA’s Public Relations Officer, Dr Tosin Tume.
Sons of an Ancestor centres on King Ojiji, an ageing ruler with no heir. After his wife gives birth to twin boys, the king is falsely advised that the children are an abomination and must be killed. The decision sets off a chain of events whose consequences emerge years later, as the play examines how false beliefs, abuse of authority and violence can affect individuals and future generations.
Salifu said the work was inspired by the theory of Folkism developed by the late Professor Sam Ukala, which encourages the use of African cultural traditions and oral storytelling in dramatic writing. The play is dedicated to Ukala’s memory, whom Salifu credited with inspiring and supporting his development as a playwright.
Salifu’s former teacher, Professor James Atu Alachi, described the work as an epic narrative that addresses human suffering, fate and fundamental human rights while drawing strongly from Igala storytelling culture.
The publication situates Salifu’s work within the broader development of Nigerian theatre, where playwrights continue to combine indigenous cultural traditions with contemporary themes and the English language.
Salifu holds degrees in Theatre Arts from Kogi State University (now Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba), Dramatic Theory and Criticism from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Applied Theatre from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom.
The publication marks a new phase for the award-winning work, making Sons of an Ancestor available for wider reading, performance and critical engagement.
