“Bintu – The Musical” brings the crisis in Nigeria’s Northeast to stage

In 2014, Boko Haram militants kidnapped 276 schoolgirls from Borno, and till date, more than 100 of those girls are still missing. Not only has this left numerous families inconsolable but it also gave rise to spread of the Bring Back Our Girls movement.

Over the years, world leaders, concerned individuals and organizations have continued to lend their voices to this cause with the hope that the right actions are taken to ensure that the girls are reunited with their loved ones.

In light of this, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Thursday, December 19 premiered Bintu – The Musical in Nigeria. Staged at the MUSON Centre in Lagos, the theatre production is a bold and thoughtful dramatization of the humanitarian impact of the decade-long crisis that has plagued Nigeria’s north-eastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

Bintu – The Musical is based on the real-life experiences of people caught in the conflict which has driven an estimated two million people from their homes.

The play follows a young girl called Bintu, whose dream of going to university is dramatically cut short when insurgents strike. Bintu and her friends find refuge in a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs), where they receive humanitarian assistance. While in the camp, Bintu slowly begins to rebuild her life.

The protracted conflict in north-eastern Nigeria, triggered by a regionalized armed conflict, continues to devastate the lives of civilians, leading to widespread forced displacement as well as violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

Since its onset in 2009, over 27,000 people have been killed and thousands of women and girls abducted, majority of whom are subjected to sexual violence, exposed to trafficking, and other forms of gender-based violence.

More so, almost three million people struggle to meet their food needs in the three crisis-affected states – almost double the number at the same time last year. As of 2019, 1.8 million Nigerians had fled from their homes and are internally displaced, the majority in Borno State which is the epicentre of the crisis. Further displacements are expected to occur as military operations and hostilities continue.

The humanitarian community has reached millions of those affected with life-saving assistance to help stabilize living conditions. For instance, WFP since 2016 has been providing a lifeline for vulnerable families affected by the conflict in the northeastern states, supporting internally displaced people, returnees, young children and pregnant or breastfeeding women with life-saving food and nutrition support.

Last year, WFP and partners served an average of 800,000 people with food or cash every month. But recurring threats of attacks by armed groups and military restrictions pose as obstacles to trade, livelihoods and markets, leaving a substantial percentage of the civilian population dependent on humanitarian assistance.

Amidst the severe humanitarian crisis that has affected up to 7.7 million people, WFP taps into Nigeria’s vibrant performing arts and entertainment industry to tell the story of conflict-driven hunger, resilience and humanity, with the goal of attracting the much-needed attention to address the crisis.

“We hope the play will spark conversations around the crisis in the North East and lead to greater engagement of all parts of society – the private sector, government agencies and individuals – boosting efforts to achieve zero hunger in Nigeria,” said Paul Howe, WFP Representative and Country Director in Nigeria.

Written and directed by Agozie Ugwu, a Nigerian playwright who teaches performing arts at the Nile University of Nigeria in Abuja, the play uses powerful song, dance and poetic performances to depict the victims’ struggles, their will to survive and the vital humanitarian assistance they receive.

“This work goes beyond a theatre piece. It is a call to action from humanity to help humanity,” said Ugwu, whose Mosaic Theatre Production developed the play with WFP.

The premiere of Bintu – The Musical in Lagos will be followed by a showing in Abuja in the first quarter of 2020.