Duro: When the spirit world refuses to let go

The play offers a new take on the Abiku phenomenon and adds another aspect of Yoruba spirituality: the unseen husband from the spirit world, known as oko orun.

IN Yoruba culture, names that start with ‘Duro’ are often linked to the ‘Abiku’ phenomenon. An ‘Abiku’ is a spirit child who dies and is born again many times. Names such as Durosomo, Durodola, Duroorike, and Durosinmi often indicate that a child is an Abiku. This idea has interested scholars and artists for generations.

Two of Nigeria’s leading poets, the late Professor J.P. Clark and Professor Wole Soyinka, both wrote poems titled ‘Abiku’. These works are still some of the most powerful reflections on the topic.

The famous Yoruba theatre figure, Duro Ladipo, was widely thought to be an Abiku himself and had several names that showed this: Durodola, Durosomo, and Duroorike. With so much cultural importance and artistic focus on the topic, it might seem like there was nothing new to discover.

However, Langfield Pictures Production brought a fresh perspective with their play ‘Duro’ on July 18 and 19 at Ikosi Road, Oregun, Lagos. As if having an Abiku child was not challenging enough, Langfield’s ‘Duro’featuring Gloria Anozie-Young, Sandra Iroegbe, Susan Adebisi Ajibade, and Adeyemo Ayomide, introduced ‘Oko Orun’, a spiritual husband from the unseen world, into the story.

Directed by Olubori Ojo and written by Soji Gbelekale, the play tells the emotional story of a mother, Agbeke (Young), who has suffered because of her Abiku child, Duroorike (which means ‘stay and be pampered’). Duro (Iroegbe) had been born 13 times before, but out of pity for her tired mother, who always showed her love, she chooses to stay the 14th time.

As Duro grows up, her mother finally believes she has a child who will care for her in old age and be there at her burial. However, Agbeke does not expect Jankariwo (Ayomide), her daughter’s spiritual husband, who refuses to let go of his bride.As Duro prepares for her wedding in the real world, Jankariwo keeps urging her to come back to the underworld for their Red Moon Festival. He calls her repeatedly, insisting she must return to be with him.

Duro, who had been healthy, suddenly falls ill. From her experience, Agbeke knows this is another sign of her daughter’s Abiku ways. This sets up a struggle between Agbeke, the caring but weary mother and Duro on the one hand, and Jankariwo, the spiritual husband who wants his bride back, on the other.

The story is told in a lively way, with plenty of music and dance. Director Ojo’s choice to use immersive theatre worked very well. Abiku is a sensitive topic, and some Christians and Muslims do not believe in it. During the play, Agbeke and other actors asked the audience questions, and people responded based on their own experiences and beliefs. This made the play even more engaging and sparked conversation.

The costumes did a great job of showing the world the play wanted to create. Anozie-Young, an experienced Nigerian stage actress, delivered a powerful, emotional performance. She truly captured Agbeke’s pain and later disclosed that the role connected with her own life in surprising ways.

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“I’ve never done anything like this before, so I felt it,” she said. “I felt the pain of a mother who has lost a child, so I kept telling people that this is a little personal. I’ve had the pain of losing a child, not having a child for years. I wanted to see if I could do it without getting into it, but I ended up doing it because I cried at the end, and those tears are real. I took my disadvantage and made it my advantage, and I enjoyed every minute of working with my fellow cast members, the crew and the director.”

Producer Adeyemi Olanrewaju, who is making a name for himself in theatre, said the Oregun shows will not be the last for this production. He disclosed plans to bring Duro to the MUSON Centre later this year. He also thanked sponsors and supporters like WinesRUs, Smoov Chapman, Nestle Foods, Lasena Water, and FAK Events Ltd.