Wednesday, 11th of June, brought fresh tidings for many medical students. I spent my evening at the Wole Soyinka theatre along with friends, all of us there to finally see Ọgbà – the stage play. Reportedly, this stage play would be relatable as each of the characters had struggles similar to those medical students go through everyday.
The event started around 6 pm as against the earlier scheduled 5 pm. The director, Meliat Abu-Idris, welcomed the audience to the play, stating that this was her second time trying her hand at directing, the previous instance being at FOP ‘24, and that the audience could be sure to expect more UIMSA plays in the future. She linked the relativity of the play to COMUI and what students go through in general, and thanked the audience for their presence and support.
The play started with a monologue from the narrator foreshadowing the turmoils of Ọgbà. It follows a group of seven friends who have Part 1 MB exams coming up, as they navigate Ọgbà, the emotional and physical turmoils of medical school. Each of them portrays characters we see in coursemates and friends at large. From the party-loving Benjamin to the overworked and stressed Majority Leader, the efficiency of Evelyn, who juggled the stress of her schoolwork with being a Special Duties Officer to Memunat, the distinction student everyone looks up to without knowing how much she struggled with her mental health in secret. How can I leave out the overburdened Theodore or the tech-savvy man-eater Folashade?
One character who I know was really relatable for a lot of medical students was Theodore, a breadwinner who also juggled medical school. The incessant visits and threats by his father to provide for a family he didn’t give birth to is a situation many of us are in. The mental and physical struggle of balancing all these, along with the weight of his upcoming exams, is enough to weigh on anyone. Another scene which was relatable was the N90,000 scam Evelyn went through in the bid to purchase snacks for the MB talk. We’ve all had moments when we decided to trust online vendors only to see a single tick or their pages disappearing once we’ve sent them hard-earned money. It was a relief to see the situation swiftly handled in the play, and I could only wish scams were that easily handled in reality.
The last sequence of tests comes and goes. Results are released, and we get to see our different reactions to test or exam results reenacted on stage. The tension of getting notifications of the release of results was perfectly depicted by Folashade’s fall on stage, and it is something we have all experienced. A tight feeling in the chest and anxiety levels spiked for some, while for others, they just get on with it and check anyway. Benjamin gets a 50 and he’s happy, but we can’t say the same for Evelyn, who gets a 59 and cries because of the deep-seated feeling of knowing she could have done much better. That feeling of never being good enough is all too familiar.
Watching Folashade’s love life with Mofetoluwa and the proposal gone wrong between Benjamin and Evelyn was like replaying our everyday lives. These characters dance out the same tune we know too well– trying to fall in love without looking like our society’s definition of a mumu in love these days, only to end up with heartache, tears and a pending test on Monday. And even though all this drama is going on in our lives, we still have to show up and be the best in our fields, because breakfast or not, we’re constantly in academic danger. We were also reminded not to kill ourselves for medical school by Shalewa who took various energy drinks and caffeine–all in a bid to evade the creeping whispers of sleep and read–only for her to collapse, because school would go on as usual while you are down and out. Take it easy. Don’t die for medical school, it won’t die for you.
As the MB exams approached and the MB talks were given, which in reality do not do much for those who hadn’t been serious from the beginning, different study methods were tested by the friend group. Weekly brainstorming sessions, daily revision and discussion groups became the order of the day both in the play and the reality of life for every medical student. The moment where Benjamin hoarded past questions from the rest of the group reminded us of selfish coursemates we all hope not to have, who think medical school is a competition. I particularly loved how Memunat’s mental health issues, which stemmed from problems with her mom, were handled seriously. In times of “you will be fine,” even though you’re not really fine, I was glad she was referred to a therapist and placed on medication while her friends helped support and surround her with love and affection.
One theme I particularly appreciated in the play was the beauty of good friendship. The friend group, though they had their ups and downs and misunderstandings, were still able to work through it and emerge stronger in the end. It also taught me that no member of the friend group is useless, for example, Benjamin–with his constant anger and quarreling issues at first– was still a vital part of the friend group after he changed for the better because who else would have brought snacks for them and taken the role of ‘life of the party’? Another thing was the way they constantly made time to watch movies together and take breaks. In the world of COMUI, where even taking a basic 2-hour nap feels like you’re not serious with your life, don’t forget how rest refreshes the soul and mind. Do fun activities occasionally to take your mind off it, so you don’t burn out.
I can’t forget the gift of loving and compassionate lecturers like Dr Clara Martins. She advised the students constantly and reminded them to take care of themselves while preparing for exams. As students, it’s always comforting when you remember that some people have passed through the exact same situation and survived; it’s even more comforting when you get advice from them. Memunat finding it difficult to read, assimilate and remember all she read has been us in different subjects. I felt her joy when she found a YouTube channel that explained it perfectly, and she didn’t have a problem remembering anymore. I was also grateful she found her friends safe enough to open up to about her depression, and they helped her through it. Some of us have found safe friendships like that, others are still searching, but I hope everyone gets their people.
MB exams come and they all cope with their different coping mechanisms, some with long calls with family, others with romance, crying, prayers and so on. A truly precious moment was when Theodore’s Dad reconciled with him and sent him some money for support during his exams. Their results come out eventually, and three of them, including Memunat, get distinctions with a 100 percent class pass rate, which is the dream of every class. No one wants to leave a friend or mate behind. They depart to call their parents with joy and unwind with a bonfire during their health week.
This stage play stirred up different emotions in me. I laughed at the romantic drama between Folashade and Mofetoluwa and Benjamin and Timothy’s antics. The set design was really identical to the actual Anatomy building, and the room design was homely. The costumes were fitting to each character, and each of them played their roles well. We were promised relatability, and they delivered! It also showcases different personalities of students we meet in medical school and shows us that it is possible to “be a baddie and get a distinction”.
Ultimately, Ọgbà is more than a play. It’s a reflection, a call for better mental health awareness, and a celebration of resilience. It was relatable, hilarious, inspiring and also sadly hit too close to home—everything a good stage play should be. I would recommend this stage play to anyone, it was indeed a beautiful experience.
Wisdom Ladapo.