I walked into the auditorium in Arcola Theatre at about 3pm on Saturday morning not wholly knowing what to expect, and watched as Nigerians of all ages and accents filed into the hall to see the Oladipo Agboluaje drama that The Guardian described as “robust satire”. The stage was minimally set with three empty crates of Coca Cola and two pillows as props. Flags for the United Parties of Nigeria (one of the political parties in the play) were hung all around the room.
New Nigerians follows a politician named Greatness as he scrambles through several meetings with people who present many obstacles in his path to the Presidency. Patrice Naiambana (well supported by Gbemisola Ikumelo and Tunde Euba) is phenomenal in this role. Together, these three actors pull off a performance written for six characters and they all showcase a wide range of talent. As political satires go, New Nigerians was rather mild.
In the play, Greatness tries to reconcile the ideological differences between himself, his wife and his political counterparts. A power-hungry progressive who contemplates moral concessions “for the greater good”, he momentarily compromises his ideals for a man who, earlier on, uttered the phrase, “Let’s make Nigeria great.” Make of that what you will. Ultimately, it’s a classic story about the friction between family, ambition and principles.
All in all, it’s a great show. It’s funny and, at times, insightful. The final performance is scheduled for the 11th of March so if you’re in London I would recommend going to see it.