Founder of the Street Project Foundation, Mrs. Rita Ezenwa-Okoro, has called for the adoption of Legislative Theatre to enhance governance and increase youths engagement.
According to Rita Ezenwa – Okoro, “after identifying a gap in our ARTvocacy Movement model, which encourages youth to use their creative talents to speak out against injustice, the Street Project team was selected for a capacity-building programme called Demo Reset, designed by Extituto, a Colombian organisation, that used Legislative Theatre, a unique method for empowering communities to engage in policy-making through storytelling and performance.
“We discovered it during our training program, it was created by a Brazilian theatre maker called BOAL who developed what is called Theatre of the oppressed. Legislative Theatre is a component of this art form,” she stated.
Ezenwa-Okoro further explained that Legislative Theatre harnesses the power of participatory theatre to develop innovative policy solutions.
As part of the Demo Reset programme, the Street Project team organised a Youth Legislative Theatre Laboratory between February 3 and 5, 2025 in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State.
She noted that “ This pioneering initiative brought together youths, policymakers, artists, and international collaborators to address pressing issues such as unemployment, political thuggery, and social inequality.
Participants identified unemployment as the most critical challenge, with a staggering 90 per cent-95 per cent consensus among the youths.
“Many shared personal stories of frustration and lost opportunities, revealing how joblessness has driven some into crime and political violence,”Ezenwa-Okoro explained,
Through guided exercises and improvisational role-play, attendees created a powerful dramatic piece that illuminated the root causes and consequences of unemployment.
She revealed that, “Legislative Theatre is not just about performance; it is therapeutic and a catalyst for advocacy.”
“It shows that storytelling can inspire systemic change, enabling youth to debate policies and explore new perspectives. This builds a foundation for real and impactful policy change.”
Ezenwa-Okoro urged politicians and policymakers to embrace this transformative approach to enhance governance and foster youths engagement.
She further commended local officials for their active participation in the Legislative Theatre laboratory,among whom were: Prince Kehinde Saliu, Councillor for Orile-Oworo Ward B; Mr. Philip Iwok, Kosofe Peoples Assembly Coordinator for YIAGA Africa; Ms. Victoria Oletu, Impact and Policy Lead at ElectHer; and Prince Kehinde Omotehinse, President of the Kosofe Youth Movement.
In her contribution, Melissa Vélez from the Demo Reset Team at Extituto, Colombia, echoed this sentiment, stating, “Our organisation in collaboration with Street Project Foundation is dedicated to strengthening democracy in the Global South through citizen participation.”
Velez noted that “collaborating with the Street Project Foundation since April 2024 has deepened our understanding of deliberative democracy and community engagement.”
Vélez added: “We have been working together to understand how deliberative democracy functions, what elements it should include, and how community work can fit into these citizen participation scenarios. We are very happy to be here in Nigeria, sharing our assets and learning from you.”
As the momentum for change builds, Ezenwa-Okoro stated that “We are not merely discussing change; we are taking co-creative action. This is a unique opportunity to integrate Legislative Theatre into the ARTvocacy movement model for social change.”
In her words, “ The youth of Kosofe are demonstrating that art and democracy can work hand in hand to rebuild our communities through Legislative Theatre,” Ezenwa- Okoro stated.
