A Nigerian theatre production inspired by the unresolved story of abducted schoolgirl Leah Sharibu will be staged in Johannesburg this week as part of the Cradle of Creativity Festival.
Abuja-based Arojah Royal Theatre will present LEAH at the Market Theatre’s Barney Simon Theatre on Sept. 4, 5 and 6, according to the festival’s official programme. The production runs for 60 minutes and is recommended for audiences aged 13 and above.
Written by Nigerian theatre practitioner Jerry Adesewo, who also serves as the production’s artistic director, LEAH features Folasade Olafisoye in the title role.
The play is inspired by the story of Leah Sharibu, who was among 110 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram fighters from the Government Girls Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State, on Feb. 19, 2018.
Of the 110 girls abducted, 104 were later returned to their families, and five were reported to have died. Sharibu remains in captivity, while uncertainty continues to surround her circumstances.
Rather than presenting itself as a documentary reconstruction of Sharibu’s experience, the production uses her story as the basis for a theatrical exploration of memory, education, faith, resilience and the effects of conflict on children and young people.
According to the festival programme, LEAH combines storytelling, music and multiple character transformations to trace its central character’s journey from school life in Dapchi through abduction and captivity.
The production uses those theatrical forms to examine how violence can disrupt young lives and leave lasting consequences for families and communities.
The distinction between artistic interpretation and verified fact is particularly important in Sharibu’s case. Various claims about her life in captivity have circulated over the years, but many details of her circumstances remain unverified.
Adesewo has said the production is centred on remembrance, using theatre to keep Sharibu’s story in public consciousness without presenting its dramatic interpretation as a definitive account of what happened to her.
The Johannesburg performances place the Nigerian production within a broader festival devoted to theatre and performing arts for children and young people.
Presented by ASSITEJ South Africa, the Cradle of Creativity Festival runs at the Market Theatre from Aug. 31 to Sept. 6, bringing together productions and artists from South Africa, elsewhere in Africa and other parts of the world.
The programme also includes workshops, professional exchanges and activities aimed at younger audiences and theatre practitioners.
This year’s festival takes place during the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto uprising, when thousands of students protested against apartheid-era education policies.
Organisers say the 2026 programme draws inspiration from the courage, creativity and activism of young people, with particular attention to their ability to challenge boundaries, imagine alternatives and shape their societies.
Within that context, LEAH brings a Nigerian story of conflict, interrupted education and unresolved national memory into a wider African conversation about young people and the role of performance in confronting difficult histories.
