8 Years After: Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji comes alive in IYALOJA Online play reading and quiz competition

15th June 2021 mark the eight years anniversary of the demised of the Pioneer Iyaloja General of Nigeria, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji MFR, OON (16 October 1916 – 15 June 2013) who was a Nigerian business magnet and the Ìyál’ọ́jà General of Nigeria.

Alhaja Mogaji was the mother of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress and ex-governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
To immortalize Alhaja Mogaji, the publisher of Lagos Panorama Magazine Omotayo Matthew Aderinola in 2017 authored and launched a play-book titled IYALOJA. This book is an academic approach to immortalizing a worthy amazon of Lagos. It was conceived to engender generational transmission of the good virtues of Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji for the youths of today to learn from in an intellectually entertaining manner. IYALOJA was recently listed in the Lagos State Secondary School Curriculum for Junior Secondary School (JSS) 3, Literature in English for 2021/2022 academic section.

As part of activities to create awareness for the IYALOJA play, ADSENSE Media Services in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Education will be hosting the IYALOJA Play Reading and Quiz Competition.
IYALOJA Play Reading and Quiz Competition is an online reading and quiz contest between Junior Secondary School (JSS) pupils of Lagos Public Schools.

Aderinola’s biographical play, IYALOJA, tells the story of the pioneer Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Alhaja Abibatu Asabi Alaba Mogaji from birth to death. The play does not only tell the story of the kind, compassionate and outspoken market leader and activist, it also portrays the leadership situation of Nigeria. By espousing the achievements of Alhaja Abibatu Asabi Alaba Mogaji during her reign as the Iyaloja-General, the playwright uses his play to teach political and social leadership lessons.

The structure of the play was well thought of. It is a three-act play. Act 1 tells the story of Iyaloja from childhood to adulthood before she becomes the Iyaloja. Act 2 tells her story as an Iyaloja and her exploits, influences and deeds. The writer skillfully brings to fore the political turbulence and crises that rocked Nigeria during this era. Act 3 tells a didactic yet fictional story of Iyaloja Karokatoshe and Chief Arigbabuwo. The Act however does not end at the demise of Chief Arigbabuwo but rather delves into the era of Bola Tinubu as Governor of Lagos State and the final moments of Iyaloja.

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As a prelude to the contest, ADSENSE Media Services, Publishers of Lagos Panorama will present copies of the IYALOJA PLAYBOOK to the Lagos State Ministry of Education for distribution to would be contestants in the 6 educational districts of Lagos.

Aderinola averred that “We are convinced that this play is an excellent literature for secondary school students nationally and especially in Lagos, it also promotes our rich Yoruba cultural heritage. The IYALOJA Playbook is already used as a play-text by the Theatre Arts Department of University of Lagos” he stated.

“We are also using this medium to seek for both individual and corporate sponsorship support to enable a wide distribution of the IYALOJA Playbook in all Lagos Public and Private schools in Lagos State, and also befitting prizes for winners of the reading and quiz competition, such as scholarship and adequate promotions for the event that to commences in the first week of July” Aderinola affirmed.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo recently revealed that books played a very significant role in the acquisition of quality education, as they are indispensable tools to both the teacher and the student, thereby concerted efforts were made by the Ministry to ensure the release of a unified booklist for all classes.

Mrs. Adefisayo averred that the Lagos State Ministry of Education through its Curriculum Services Department conducts review of books triennially (every three years), tagged “Major Book Review” and through this exercise, textbooks submitted by publishers and authors are reviewed and only content rich textbooks written in line with the National Curriculum and Lagos State Unified Schemes of Work are selected to make the booklist, stressing that this would engineer the inculcation of 21st century skills in the learners.

Other event lined up for the immortalization of the iconic Iyaloja-General of Nigeria and mother of the iconic Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, include movie production of the IYALOJA play, which will also commence soon and shall be first viewed by JSS 3 pupils on school-by-school bases at the Lagos Theatre in the 5 divisions of Lagos from September to November at the commencement of the 2021/2022 academic section when the book will be in use in all public and private schools in Lagos State.

ADSENSE Media Services also collaborating with the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture to host the IYALOJA DRAMA COMPETITION which will commence in November to December 2021
The Command Performance of IYALOJA Stage Play to commemorate the 105years Posthumous birthday to staged 23rd October.