Google Honours Ola Rotimi: Facts About The Complete Man of Theatre Who Wrote The God's Are Not To Blame
- On the 13th of April, 2022, search engine giant, Google used its doodle to honour one of Nigeria's greatest literary giants, Ola Rotimi
- Ola Rotimi is recognised as a complete man of theatre due to his well-rounded creativity and the way he showcased his art
- The Google doodle reminded people of a man who did so many great things for Nigerian literature and for propagating culture
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The name, Ola Rotimi, sits prominently featured on the top of Nigeria's literary ecosystem. A rendering of the history of Nigerian literature won't be complete without a proper mention of the man who wrote so many works that later became reference points in the world of dramatic arts.
In recognition of his theatrical prowess, Legit.ng has outlined four facts about Rotimi. Historical resources for this article are drawn from Encyclopedia Britannica and Wikipedia.
Source: UGC
1. Place and date of birth
Ola Rotimi was born on the 13 of April, 1938 in Sapele, the present-day Delta state. He was born to a father named Samuel Gladstone Enitan Rotimi who was Yoruba. His mother, Dorcas Adolae Oruene Addo was an Ijaw woman and a drama enthusiast.
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2. Education of Ola Rotimi
Rotimi first attended St. Cyprian's School in Port Harcourt from 1945 to 1949. Thereafter he proceeded to St Jude's School, Lagos, from 1951 to 1952 and the Methodist Boys High School in Lagos.
He sought higher education at the prestigious Boston University where he bagged a BA in Arts. The late Rotimi also obtained an MA from the Yale School of Drama, earning a distinction. His wife, Hazel Mae Guadreau whom he married in 1965 also attended Boston University.
3. Ola Rotimi's notable works
Ola Rotimi was famed for his plays which explored Nigerian cultures. He published and staged notable dramatic works which continue to resonate to date. Some of them include: The God's Are Not To Blame (1971), Ovonramwen Nogbaisi (1974), Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again (1977) and To Stir the God of Iron, his first play produced in 1963. The late Rotimi taught at the University of Port Harcourt and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
4. Ola Rotimi's passage
The great Nigerian dramatist passed to the great beyond on August 18, 2000 in Ile-Ife at the age of 62. His works have remained regular features in Nigerian schools. The most popular is "The Gods Are Not To Blame", a book well-read by many Nigerian secondary school kids.
In conclusion, Google used its doodle to honour the late writer on the 13th of April, 2022 to mark his birthday. It was also to recognise his contributions to Nigerian as well as world literature. It reminded Nigerians of one of its most talented dramatic artists.
Margeret Ekpo, the great women's rights activist
In another list, Legit.ng wrote about the Late Margeret Ekpo who was a social rights activist.
Ekpo was also a politician who was among Nigeria's first women to be elected into leadership positions.
In 2006, she passed on at the age of 92 in Calabar. The Mageret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar is named after her.
Source: Legit.ng
