Theatre: Who Is The True Father?

As part of activities to celebrate the 2022 World Theatre Day, the Ministry of Arts and Culture on Sunday, March 27, 2022 organised a theatre performance in the Cameroon Cultural Centre, Yaounde. “Le Drame d’Assatou Abba,” written by Felix Njandza and directed by David Noundji, was performed by the Bena Zingui troupe from Zingui Centre, Ekoumdoum, Yaounde.  
The star-studded cast was played by (Jessica Mengue) Assatou, (Donald Mvondo) Abba, (Bertrand Baleguel) Abdoul, (Felicité Assse) Halimatou, Abdoulaye (Andre Takoussa), (Otis) Talba, (Veronique Eyali) Fanta, and (Stephane Alima), the photographer. “Le Drame d’Assatou Abba” or “The Tragedy of Assatou Abba” is set in Kaele in Mayo Kani Division of the Far North Region. It tells the story of an obedient, well-behaved only child, Assatou, a secondary school student. From a poor background, Assatou is determined to improve the status of her parents by pursuing her studies in order to make it in life.
But later falls under the bad influence of a friend, Halimatou, who introduces her to men. Gradually, Assatou becomes disobedient to her parents and less focussed on her studies. After falling pregnant and abandoning school, Assatou moves in to live with Abdoul, a struggling junior civil servant, who is one of her boyfriends. Inevitably, war erupts over who is the real father of Assatou’s new-born baby boy. Talba, a rich illiterate businessman, also claims the baby and wants Assatou as wife. Torn between who to marry, Assatou cannot even say who the real father of her baby is.
Appropriate lighting and sound effects, with traditional Northern Cameroon drumming and singing in Fulfulde backstage, gave the performance a plus. The costumes were those generally associated with people from Northern Cameroon.
“We watched the performance of a play that exactly reflects the objective of theatre - to entertain and educate. Everything was in place,” said Amboise Mbia, Ch...