James Ene Henshaw
James Ene Henshaw, (born Aug.
29, 1924, Calabar,
Nigeria—died Aug. 16, 2007, Calabar), Nigerian playwright of Efik affiliation whose
simple and popular plays treating various aspects of African culture
and tradition have been widely read and acted in Nigeria. His style has
been much imitated by other writers.
A physician by profession, Henshaw was educated
at Christ the King College,
Onitsha, and received his medical degree from the National
University of Ireland, Dublin, before taking up playwriting. One of
his first plays, The Jewels of the Shrine, was published in the
collection This Is Our Chance: Plays from West Africa (1957). His
second collection, Children of the Goddess, and Other Plays (1964),
treated such themes as the inefficiency of a local village court because of the
drunkenness of its members and the struggle between local authorities and
missionaries over the spread of Christianity in a 19th-century Nigerian
village. Medicine for Love: A Comedy in Three Acts (1964) is a satire
with serious overtones on such matters as a politician’s attempt to bribe his
way into power and his difficulties with the three prospective wives sent to
him by relatives. The comedy Dinner for Promotion (1967) centres on an
ambitious young man, a newly rich businessman, and a quarrelsome sister-in-law.
Henshaw’s later plays include Enough Is Enough: A Play of the Nigerian
Civil War (produced 1975) and A Song to Mary Charles (Irish Sister of
Charity) (1984).
James Ene Henshaw… A legend
remembered 10 years on
By James Ene Henshaw Jr.
Late
Dr. James Ene Henshaw and his wife, Caroline
James
Ene Henshaw (1924 -2007) was one of the pioneer dramatists in Africa. A medical
doctor by profession, who, in his own words, ‘strayed’ into writing. Henshaw
died in 2007. The 10th anniversary of Henshaw’s passing comes up on August 16,
2017.
Born
on August 29, 1924 in Calabar, Nigeria, he attended the National University of
Ireland (1943-49) and University of Wales Postgraduate School, Cardiff, United
Kingdom, where he qualified a chest physician. He went on to have an
illustrious career in medicine, serving as Senior Consultant-in-Charge,
Tuberculosis Control, Eastern Nigeria (1955-68), and finally as Director of
Medical Services in the former South Eastern State of Nigeria. He also served
in various professional and public service positions and earned several
honours, including Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) and Knight of the
Order of St. Gregory (KSG) by his Holiness Pope Paul V1.
Henshaw
was a prolific writer, who carved a niche for himself, especially in
playwriting. Some of his notable works include This is Our Chance, Medicine for
Love, Children of the Goddess, Dinner for Promotion, Enough is Enough, and A
Song to Mary Charles. One thing for which Henshaw will be remembered is the
fact that his was the first attempt to be regarded as authentic African drama,
written by and performed by African people. As Henshaw himself recounted of
This is Our Chance, he had set out, consciously, to write plays whose scenes
take place in surroundings that are not far removed from Africa, and hence
familiar with the ordinary African. In an excerpt from one of his compilations,
he said, “These plays, I hope, will be of interest to the general public and
may help in a small way to give the true impression that various West African
communities have many problems, feelings and interests in common.”
Henshaw’s
plays capture the pulse and moments of his West African society; they speak of
the conflict between tradition and modernity, the declining morality of a newly
independent society, and the failure of becoming, in political and ethical
terms, among the evolving elite in society and so on. Henshaw was also one of
the first to be published outside West Africa. His first, seminal play, This is
Our Chance, is arguably the first full-length play by an African author in the
English language. Since its publication in 1956, it has become one of the
classics of African literature, read widely and performed in schools and
colleges across the English-speaking Commonwealth.
Most
of the analyses and debate on Henshaw’s plays have often revolved around the
themes of socio-cultural realities of pre-colonial times, the tug between
tradition and modernity, and the evolving post-colonial societies. Therein his
plays have often been described as simple, in terms of plot and content, but on
closer inspection, like an onion, they do reveal several sub-strata of themes
and ideas. Henshaw’s plays therefore deserve to be looked at again in the light
of prevailing circumstances of our times. In This is Our Chance often seen as a
play dealing with inter-tribal enmity, Henshaw tackles the challenges of
leadership – how far can a leader step ahead of his people to effect change
without falling foul of the existing power structures of the state.
King
Damba, against traditional mores, sends his daughter, Princess Kudaro, to
school far away in a modern city, and then has to deal with the ensuring
fallout. This question is also revisited in Children of the Goddess. Enough Is
Enough, one of a hand full of plays written about the Nigerian Civil War,
examines the issues of conscience against the horrors of the war and how the
players choose to, or not to, adapt and survive in the prevailing
circumstances. This play will prove informative to the current generation of
students and young people about a very significant event in the history of the
nation.
His
last play, Eteyin Caesar, written in his native Efik language,is a study of the
conflicting demands of honour, patriotism, and friendship. The tragedy, written
by William Shakespeare in 1599, portrays the conspiracy and assassination
against the Roman dictator, Julius Caesar. The play reflects the general
anxiety of England due to worries over succession of leadership. At the time of
its writing and first performance, Queen Elizabeth, a strong ruler, was elderly
and had refused to name a successor, leading to worries that a civil war
similar to that which erupted after Caesar’s assignation might break out after
her death. Across the whole sway of Africa, from The Gambia, the Central
African Republic to Uganda, down to Malawi and Zimbabwe, we see the same
pattern repeating itself where leaders become autocrats and cling on
remorselessly to power. Nelson Mandela described Julius Caesar as the most
African of Shakespeare’s plays, and that it was one of the plays the African
nationalist prisoners read and performed while incarcerated at Robben Island.
Henshaw
has often been compared, unfavourably, with the likes of Wole Soyinka and J.P
Clark. This is mostly based on the ignorance that he was not a career writer or
even in ways an ‘active’ arts practitioner. Through his most productive years
as a writer, he was also a practicing medical doctor, rising to the very top as
a Consultant and Administrator. Also he wrote intentionally for young people
intending his plays to be read and performed in schools and colleges. This may
have given his plays a semblance of simplicity and naivety. Nevertheless, the
plays have grown to be among the most popular plays read and performed by
children in primary schools, as well as studied in universities and reviewed by
literary critics. As he said several times during conversations: “I never set
out to write any great work of art…” His genius then was that he was able to
present ‘adult’ themes for young people to read and enjoy, and at the same time
find his work attracting highbrow critical and intellectual scrutiny.
Henshaw
was a quiet and unassuming man, who guarded his privacy very much. He was also
a deeply religious man and an absolutely devoted husband and father. His son,
James Jnr says, “In reflection, as an adult now, being aware of the demands
being a writer can put on a person – the intense single-mindedness and
dedication required – I can’t help feeling that he may have sacrificed an even
greater literary career for the wellbeing of his family. This says a lot about
the man.” He never isolated his writing from his family life. It was usual to
find pieces of his writing strewn around the house. His family continues to
enthuse and revel in his tenderness, his generosity and his wisdom.
In
the mid-1970s, when he retired from medical practice, he led a quiet life in
his hometown, Calabar, playing the role of an esteemed senior citizen. His
typical daily routine involved spending the early part of the day in his
library writing. In the afternoon, a continuous stream of relatives, friends,
representatives of various organisations, and students from both local and
foreign universities would beat a path to the door for intellectual and
humorous discourse.
Even
though he ceased to be published after the play, Enough Is Enough, in 1976, he
still wrote prodigiously, “writing for pleasure” as he called it. He has left a
significant body of unpublished work mostly for young people and children,
which hopefully, will see the light of day in due course.
In
December 2013, the James Ene Henshaw Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation,
was set up primarily to maintain and promote the literary legacy of James Ene
Henshaw. The idea for the Foundation stemmed from the playwright’s own concern
and desire for the literary works that reflect the experiences of African
audiences, as well as encourage the appreciation and participation of young
people in the dramatic arts. The mission of the Foundation is ‘To enhance young
lives through creativity and skills development.’
Henshaw
is survived by his wife Caroline, eight children and 17 grandchildren. He was
described in a national newspaper as “one of the most influential cultural
thinkers the country ever produced”.
In
furtherance of this vision, the foundation works to inspire people who do not
normally engage with the arts to become active participants, promote emerging
African writers, and initiate, and support projects where young people can
engage in creative activities. Since its inception, the foundation has
organised a number of significant projects such as Plays-To-Schools Programme:
aimed at opening up and enthusing young people to the wondrous world of
literature through play productions in schools and colleges, Play Productions
and Theatrical Events that regularly produces high quality production of James
Ene Henshaw’s plays as well as other notable African playwrights, development
of New Writing Talent through Our Open Space Creative Mentoring Scheme,
supported by the British Council, that seeks to identify and nurture a new
cadre of writers who can take the place of the premier generation playwrights.
The first round of the scheme concluded in March 2017, with the production of
three socially important plays by writers with the potential to become major
writers in the near future, and Creative and Entrepreneurial Skills Training
aimed at the development of skills and the professionalism of local arts
practitioners. It runs regular workshops in acting, directing, technical i.e.
sound and lighting, project planning and management.
Henshaw
is survived by his wife Caroline, eight children and 17 grandchildren. He was
described in a national newspaper as “one of the most influential cultural
thinkers the country ever produced”.
*
James Ene Henshaw Jr., son of the late playwright, lives in Calabar
#nationalweekofremembrancefordepartedwriters
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