This widow has a choice! When Alagbaoso’s ‘The Widow’s Choice’ hit the stage in Jos
By Omadachi Oklobia
THE performance of Jerry Alagbaoso’s The Widow’s Choice at the ongoing Jos International Festival of Theatre 2026, supported by the Embassy of Spain and AECID, took place on the evening of Friday, 9 October 2026. Directed by Wapi Barau, it opened another vista for theatrical discourse on another bright evening. This is because of the peculiar nature of Alagbaoso’s writing and theatre. His plays are easy to read but they deeply explore the depths of the human mind in terms of machinations and ideas. In this process, the playwright brings out the buffoonery in human nature and this is what gives rise to his brand of theatre and comedy.
Alagbaoso also has the dexterity and talent of treating serious issues in light manners, especially through comedy and satire. Arguably, Alagbaoso can be said to be the most engaging satirist in the Nigerian theatre circuit presently.
In our society, the widow is expected to be humble and subservient to a variety of norms. She is expected to adhere to a series of rules and engagements most often set by a male-dominated society, and these rules and engagements often leave her with little or no choice even if there are children involved. Once a woman loses her husband, all sorts of people appear in her horizon. There are those who come genuinely interested to help. Some come to want to take possession of the widow in her vulnerable state while some still come trying to take possession of whatever earthly possessions the husband might have left behind, not minding the fact that the children and the widow should have a life after their bereavement. The widow is most times focused on looking for closure and answers but these hawkish family men deny her that, and if the children are often old enough to know what is going on, they are also denied the opportunity to constructively mourn their dead father.
The Widow’s Choice is a literary work that draws attention to the experiences of widowhood and the decisions a woman often faces following the death of her husband. The production as seen at the 17th Jos International Festival engaged the attention of the audience through the actor’s performance and their ability to establish a connection, as the actors demonstrated an effective understanding of audience engagement, making the performance more interactive and relatable as the story progressed.
One notable aspect of Alagbaoso’s The Widow’s Choice is in its aesthetic difference from the other productions that had taken place during the festival. This was made manifest in the interaction between the actors and the audience. Rather than maintaining a complete separation between the stage and the audience, the actors engaged the audience at different points, creating a more immediate and participatory theatre experience. This interaction between the audience and the actors helped to sustain the audience’s interest and made the unfolding story to feel more connected to people’s experiences. This earned the actors a standing ovation and prolonged applause, indicating the appreciation of the audience for the production. The interaction between the actors and the audience, according to the director, the director Barau, “was to stimulate a very engaging kind of experience where the audience can speak directly from their experiences. We use this very effectively in theatre for development.”
Cast members of Jerry Alagbaoso’s The Widow’s Choice
In the post-performance discussion of the play, Barau reiterated the fact that there must constantly be a connection between the actors and the audience, especially in our African setting, and playwrights like Alagbaoso, even though they do not set out to write plays for theatre for development, his plays allow for a director to give it the interpretation that would leave a more lasting impression and engagement in the minds of the audience. In this instance, the cases of widows who have been short-changed in the society, by people who are supposedly meant to protect them and their children, has become very rampant.
In Alagbaoso’s dramaturgy, as soon as the husband dies, there is the ‘fight’ to claim ownership of the widow but nobody is talking about the offsprings from the marriage. This is where the widow, much against tradition and culture, decides to speak out for herself and her children. Alagbaoso’s message is very firm – let widow’s speak for themselves and be allowed to chart their own best course in life following the death of their breadwinner, especially when they are in a very vulnerable and insecure state. They should be allowed to mourn peacefully, seek closure and allow the dead to rest.
And the director Barau added “that widowers, that is the men, should be allowed to do the same, too.” The cast and crew then expressed gratitude to the Embassy of Spain, Nigeria and AECID, the Spanish Development Agency, for making their participation in the festival possible.
The festival comes to a close today, Saturday, 10 October 2026 after a 4-day run with the performance of Federico Garcia Lorca’s The Showmaker’s Wonderful Wife, directed by Eniyome Onoviran at the premises of Alliance Francaise, Jos at 4.45pm.
* Oklobia, a student of Federal University, Lafia, is attending the festival
