A photo exhibition chronicling the historical account of the life and some of the literary works of renowned playwright and pan-Africanist, Efua Theodora Sutherland, has been unveiled at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra.
Christened: “Mate Masie”, an adinkra symbol in Akan that means “what I hear, I keep”, the exhibition which will extend to next week attracted a number of patrons who thronged the park to commemorate the Emancipation Day celebration.
Also displayed at the exhibition grounds was an honorary doctorate degree conferred on Efua Sutherland by the University of Ghana in 1991, as well as other field works.
An excerpt of her last interview with Prof. Femi Osofisan in October 1995 was among the collections.
She is seen with her three children — Ralph, Esi and Amowi — in one of the photographs.
One of the texts collected from her play, Foriwa, in 1971 read: “Our fathers bought the land with their blood, we build it with our strength, we create it with our minds, our fathers found the paths, we are the road makers”.
An interesting photograph of Sutherland and Maya Angelou taking part in a demonstration in Accra in 1963 also brings back memories of what she stood for.
The playwrights, Coretta Scott King and W.E.B. Du Bois, are also seen attending the Afro-Asian Writers’ Conference in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in 1958.
The collections also show the playwright’s interaction with the American writer, Langston Hughes, in the courtyard of her writing studios in Accra in the 1960s.
Patrons
Some patrons who gave their impression about the exhibition described the event as a memorable one.
The Head of Media and Public Relations of the Diaspora African Forum, Charity Kesewa, said “this exhibition is a good platform to honour our heroes and heroines, and it is phenomenal for women of our history, and it will go a long way to boost the confidence of the younger generation”.
The Second Vice-President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), Abena Ruthy, said: “I think it is impressive and very important for us as a nation to document history, particularly those that revolve around our nation-builders and icons, and something like this is an empowerment for our women and children”.
The Coordinator of the Efua Sutherland Centenary Committee, Emma Ofosua, who walked patrons through the collections, articulated the contributions of Efua Sutherland to literary work in the country.
She commended the other committee members for working hard to make the exhibition successful so far.
The other members of the committee are Prof. Esi Sutherland-Addy as Chairperson, Amowi Sutherland Philips, Rachel Philips and Elizabeth Efua Sutherland.
The Chairperson of both the Committee and the PANAFEST Foundation, Prof. Sutherland-Addy, said the exhibition would serve as a learning ground for students, researchers, tourists and people in the academia to know what the playwright stood for.
About Efua Sutherland
Efua Sutherland was born on June 27, 1924, and died on January 21,1996.
She was a researcher, poet, author, cultural activist, educationist, and a pioneer in establishing post-independence cultural institutions.
She also founded the Ghana Society of Writers, the Ghana Experimental Theatre and the Ghana Drama Studio.
As a pioneer indigenous playwright and director, she was the key figure in the development of modern theatre in the country.
Her popularly known works include Foriwa (1962), Edufa (1967) and the Marriage of Anansewa (1975).
She also championed indigenous performances such as Concert Party.
The playwright was also passionate about the use of Ghanaian language to express one’s self.
She wrote more than 12 plays, essays, children’s stories, among other works.