Wapakhabulo opens Kampala International Theatre Festival

Retired Ugandan high commissioner to Kenya Angelina Wapakhabulo has paid tribute to the late Ghanaian playwright, poet, teacher and author Efua Sutherland. 

Sutherland died on January 02, 1996.

She said Sutherland is the person who inspired her to become a theatre lover because her works were extraordinary. 

She made the tribute during the official opening of the 11th edition of the Kampala International Theatre festival at the National Theatre yesterday (Wednesday).

“Let me use this occasion as the guest of honor t to pay tribute to Efua Sutherland, the lady that wrote the play The marriage of Anansewa in 1975. She was an amazing creative artiste and I regarded her as the mother of African Theatre,” she said.

The festival that started on Wednesday will close on Sunday. (Credit: Alfred Byenkya)

She said that her writings are still relevant and inspirational despite her death and this is the reason she still celebrates her as a role model, teacher and educator. 

“As we remember her works, I regret that I never had the opportunity to perform any of her works because by the time she was writing in the 60s I was still in school,” she said.

Wapakhabulo said that Sutherland’s work is the reason she pursued a profession in theatre.

“I made my first sh500 in 1969 because of drama. My play, Walambivu won the first prize in the national play competition. Even my flight was because of drama and as a result, I inspired many girls to join theatre because they wanted to get the opportunities that I had,” she said. Wapakhabulo was a playwright and actress and spent more of her theatre-active years in Tanzania.

The festival that started on Wednesday will close on Sunday. Participants in this year's festivals have been drawn from over 10 countries including Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Germany, Zimbabwe and Burundi.