The National Theatre of Ghana is set to honour Professor Martin Owusu with the play “The Legend of Aku Sika,” which will run for four days: Saturday, June 1, Sunday, June 2, Saturday, June 8, and Sunday, June 9, 2024.
Professor Martin Owusu, an acclaimed scriptwriter and a lecturer at the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Ghana won an ECRAG award in the late 90s for “The Legend of Aku Sika.”
The stage play is an adaptation of the old Ghanaian folktale, “Aku Sika.”
In collaboration with Image Bureau and April Communications, the National Theatre will also bestow the honour on its three resident groups: the National Dance Company, the National Drama Company, and the National Symphony Orchestra.
Join our WhatsApp Channel for more news
Who is Prof Martin Owusu?
Born In 1943, in Agona Kwaman near Swedru in the Central Region, Prof Owusu attended Mfantsipim School after passing his common entrance exams at the Methodist Middle School, Agona Kwaman, in 1956. From Mfantsipim School, he enrolled at the Presbyterian Training College, the present-day College of Education, to train as a teacher. He later gained admittance to pursue Drama and Theatre at the University of Ghana after he completed the training college in 1963.
Professor Martin Owusu Okyere earned his doctorate degree and returned to Ghana after 10 years of teaching in different universities in the United States. He has taught many Ghanaian actors including Adjetey Anang, Dzifa Gomashie, Akorfa Edjiani, Nadia Buari, and Ekow Smith Asante among others.
The Legend of Aku Sika
The “Legend of Aku Sika” revolves around Aku, a young and orphaned woman who suffers from a hand deformity caused by an animal trap that accidentally cut off her hand when she was a child. Aku grows into a stunning young lady, but she carefully conceals her deformity with a cloth to avoid discrimination in the community.
Aku’s stunning beauty caught the eye of the King in the village, who takes her as his wife. The King’s first wife who was filled with jealousy, discovers Aku Sika’s deformity and tells the King, since it was a taboo for royals to marry physically challenged people.
To avoid disgrace and shame, Aku Sika attempts to end her life.
Actress and singer, Adomaa Adjeman plays Aku Sika in the popular play. The play focuses on the values, norms, morals, and beliefs of a society and contrasts them with the influence of destiny and fate, which are unknown to man.
