IROKO Theatre Company’s Home from Home project celebrated British Nigerians, writes Neandra Etienne

people perform wearing clothes in a Nigerian style — Stratford Library Home from Home Event and Exhibition. Photo: Joseph Obasi/jaybrightmedia_studio1.

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Stratford based IROKO Theatre Company’s Home from Home project ran from October 2022 to August 2024. The aim of the project, which celebrated the contributions and achievements of British Nigerians, was to inspire other cultures and nationalities to tell their own stories. The project included performances in Stratford Library, Barking Road Community Centre and Ranelagh Primary and Stratford Academy School, training programmes, museum visits to see Nigerian artifacts, Stratford library workshop and exhibition tours in Newham libraries.

Among the profiles prepared of 100 British Nigerians were those with Newham connections, former West Ham United player Justin Fashanu, paralympic medalist Ade Adepitan, Christine Ohuruogu, Professor Hakim Adi and actor Chiwetel Ejiofor. There were also interviews with 23 British Nigerians of varied backgrounds plus 12 oral interviews with BritishNigerian Londoners. In her oral interview Tee Fabikun, founder of the award winning Carpenters Café, spoke about her childhood in Nigeria, surviving cancer and setting up the café.

hfh.irokotheatre.org.uk

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