The National Troupe of Nigeria’s (NTN) Town and Gown, in partnership with the University of Jos, staged the last performance of the series, titled “Do the Right Thing” on Friday. at the St Louis College, Jos in which the 200 Level students of Theatre and Film Arts Department of University of Jos performed in the Assembly Hall of the College. to an audience which included students, staff, and other special guests. as part of the requirement for the Theatre in Education course.
In a chat with some of the students after the performance, they expressed that they were happy with the message of the play, which was quite timely and of utmost importance to them at stage of life. A student, Patricia Zakka, on her part said she is motivated to do the right thing, by being serious with her studies, and avoiding any distractions brought her way by fellow students, or peer groups, and squarely facing her studies so that she could become something in life.
Dr. Festus Idoko, course coordinator of the 200 level students of the Theatre and Film Arts Department, University of Jos, said that the National Troupe of Nigeria’s Town and Gown started in the early 2000s and was mostly in the South. They just thought that it should be brought to the Middle belt, and Plateau State is benefitting. The idea, he says, is to see how “we can take the university out of the university into the community and impact them positively for national development.”
He says the play encourages that we do the right thing. That “it pays to do the right thing” and it would help them as individuals, it would help their families, and it would help Nigeria as a whole. He hopes that the effect would help guide them for the rest of their lives.
On his part, Mr. Omale, Abel, HoD Languages and Linguistics, who represented the principal prays that the National would continue in this light and carry-on impacting lives with its programmes. He says they have had other programmes of this nature within the school, but that this one is a very good addition, and a very welcome programme that has a direct positive bearing on the students.
Just like the NTN did in the previous performances, the school was presented with items which include soap, buckets, drinks/edibles, and other sanitation items.
