Bode Sowande

Bode Sowande (born 2 May 1948) is a Nigerian writer and dramatist, known for the theatric aesthetic of his plays about humanism and social change. He comes from a breed of writers in Nigeria that favors a post-traditional social and political landscape where the individual is the creator and maker of his own history not just the subject of norms and tradition. Sowande is a member of the so-called second generation of Nigerian playwrights, who favor a much more political tone in their writing and seek to promote an alliance or acquiescence to a change in the status quo and fate of the common man and farmers who constitute the majority of the Nigerian society. Some members of this groups includes: Zulu Sofola, Femi Osofisan and Festus Iyayi. Bode Sowande in May 2010, launched a tarot website Tarot With Prayers. See also [1]

He runs the drama group "Odu Themes", established in 1972, and the "Bode Sowande Theatre Academy", an internship programme for dramatists. He is married, with children.

Works

Novels and short stories

• The Night Before Babylon, 1972
• A Farewell to Babylon and Other Plays, 1978
• Flamingo and other plays, 1980
• Without A Home, novel, 1982
• Our Man The President, novel, 1983
• The Missing Bridesmaid, novelette, 1984

Plays

• Tornadoes Full of Dreams, drama, 1990
• Arede Owo, [Yoruba adaptation of Molière's L'Avare], drama,1990.
• Ajantala-Pinocchio, drama, 1997
• Super Leaf, drama, 2004
• Just For The Fun Of It [ An anecdotal history of Odu Themes Theatre],2008, memoirs.
• Long Story, drama [on last days of Abacha and M.K.O Abiola], 2010

Radio plays, broadcast on BBC African drama programmes; [1975-1996]

• Bar Beach Prelude,
• Get a Pigeon from Trafalgar Square,
• Beggars Choice,
• A Dream from the sun,
• Alarm on Lagoon Street,
• Regina's Golden Goal.

Television

• Odu Themes weekly Television programmes, Western Nigeria Television [ now NTA, Ibadan.]1973- 1978.
• Television drama series, 'Acada Campus', NIGERIA TELEVISION AUTHORITY [network ], 1981,1982.
• Flamingo, 13 part television serial, Oyo State Broadcasting Service,1983
• Without a Home, TV 13 episode serial, Oyo State Broadcasting Service, 1984
• TarotWithPrayers

References

• Osita Okagbue, African Writers Vol. 2 1997