Damiete Braide
Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) has unveiled plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Village Headmaster, Nigeria’s first acclaimed longest-running television drama series that ruled Nigerian TV for more than two decades before it was rested. The commemoration will be conducted in collaboration with surviving cast and crew of the epic serial, The Village Headmaster Family (VHMF).
Later before the year ends, a series of events will be held in honour of the popular programme, which in its heyday promoted traditions, ethics and values.
The anniversary themed, “Sustaining Our Heritage” will feature appearances and talk shows on radio and television. A roundtable scheduled for October 8 at Freedom Park, Lagos Island, will involve presenters and discussants such as Prof. Ahmed Yerima, Duro Oni, Joke Silva, Zik Zulu, Kaderia Ahmed, Femi Odugbemi and Deborah Ogazuma and will be moderated by Danladi Bako.
Other related professional guilds will make valuable contributions to the topic “Drama: A Tool for National Development.”
The Village Headmaster cast will stage two performances at TerraKulture, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The celebration will culminate in a gala night at Shell Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, where the management of NTA will present awards to members of VHMF and posthumous awards to families of deceased members.
The VHMF will also launch The Village Headmaster Foundation, to cater to the needs and overall well-being of people in the entertainment industry, including ailing and retired practitioners.
NTA Zonal Director Lawal Ahmed gave kudos to the cast for sustaining the series for a long time while Bimbo Oloyede, Head of Planning Committee, VHMF, hinted that plans are underway to produce a new Village Headmaster series and urged corporate organisations and Nigerians to support the initiative.