STELLA MOROUNMUBO MOROUNDIA OYEDEPO – THE LITERARY ICON & LEGEND

Stella Morounmubo Moroundia Akinrodemi was born on May 07, 1949 in Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria to the family of Florence and Francis Adebayo Akinrodemi of Idanre, Ondo State, Nigeria.  She grew up in a family of 4 girls and 2 boys.  It was a family close knitted in gruesome hardship and the struggle to survive due to the painful loss of their young Father when Stella was 16.  Forced into early adulthood, little did she realize that God was at work in her to refine her as silver is refined and test her as gold is tested so that He could bring her to a place of abundance.

She got married to Hezekiah Bamidele Oyedepo on March 08, 1975 and together they nurtured 5 children and several other siblings, relatives and community members.

Stella attended Igbajo Baptist Day School (1955 – 1956), Iragbiji Baptist Day School (1957 – 1960), Baptist Girls’ High School, Oshogbo (1961 -1965), Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo (1967 – 1969), University of Ibadan, Ibadan (1971 – 1974; B.A. (Hons.) English), University of Wales, Cardiff (1984 – 1987; Doctor of Philosophy (Applied Linguistics)).

An outlier from an early age, she “formally” started her career as a Teacher in Government Secondary School, Ilorin and then proceeded to teach at the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin from 1977 – 1992 where she rose to the highest lecturing position of Senior Principal Lecturer.  She assumed the leadership position in Kwara State Council for Arts & Culture as Director and Sole Administrator from 1992 through to 2014.  Prior to her appointment at the Arts Council and while she taught at the College of Education, she founded the Kwara Drama Troupe.   In 2018 and until the time of her passing on to glory, she was the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

She was an exceptionally gifted and highly prolific playwright, poet; and an accomplished play director whose literary prowess accounted for more than 200 titles.  Her immense literary and academic contributions include several commissioned plays, poems, short stories, dance dramas.  She wrote and produced 2 Video Films and maintained a Newspaper column in the Kwara Weekly from 1990-1992.

She found enjoyable creative expression in Writing, Sewing and Gardening and was an avid reader of all subjects.  Her fashion style (distinctive clothes and hairdo) spoke her Africanism, defiance for ordinariness, authentic pride in femalehood, and love for the arts.  Every challenge, opportunity, pain point, subject, . . . was a keen area of interest that begged for conquest in her insightfully unique touch of appealing awesome art.

Stella personifies a legendary artistic being who speaks for the downtrodden.  She mostly used the family as the subject matter for communicating the malaise of corruption that enslaves Africa and the nothingness in empty pursuits of Godless debased living.  In very simple satirical dramatic terms, she exposed societal dysfunctions and celebrated the triumph of womanhood.  On this strength, she expresses her deep understanding of who we are, where we are, and where we are headed . . .  a complex people of Africa.  Often her stories end in tragedy, not because she cannot tell a romantic story; the suffering in Africa worried her.  Like a prophet, she wrote futuristically predicting what was to come – one of her plays in the 90’s was a cry for help from the evil that had pervaded the land.  Shortly after that, we saw the Civil Wars and genocides in Rwanda, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and the rest.  Stella was a freedom fighter that battled on the side of justice.  Her weapons were her pen and paper.

In the early nineties, she was Vice Chairman of Association of Nigerian Authors and later Chairman.  From childhood and all through her life, Stella’s distinguished, and excellent personae earned her notable recognitions, media mentions/accolades and awards within and outside the shores of Nigeria.

Stella was a total woman, complete in all things, excelling in all things, unstoppable in the works of her hands, fully recognizing and walking in the limitlessness and overflowing grace of her Lord Jesus Christ – no area of her life suffered.  As a Daughter, she was exemplary in dutiful service.  As a Sister, she hesitated not in sacrificial loving kindness.  As a wife and mother, she typified the Proverbs 31 virtuous woman and was love personified.  As a Grandmother, she was abounding in fond loving care and wise counsel.  As a Colleague and in every Leadership role, she was equitable, compassionate, focused, building up, putting the love of others before self.  As a child of the Most High, she faithfully lived depicting that all things are possible with God, flourishing in God-praise-gratitude to live as His image and likeness.  In all roles, she was exceedingly passionate, infinitely optimistic, faithfully generous, astute in integrity, humble in modesty, ardently cheerleading, devotedly encouraging.

Super-intelligent, she was a pioneer in many roles, light years ahead of many and moved with a relentless speedy pace that milked every value and dividend from 24 hours of each day as she redeemed the time.  She was always engaged with something; new ideas, new business, reaching out to people, she had no patience for frivolities/waste.

She lived a mission to outdo all expectations and get more done in less time because no one knew the hour or day.  Her relationship with God was practical and evident in her daily living.   She was an action-prone consistent doer, painstakingly detailed, tireless, indefatigable, a realist, radical, peace-broker, humble, prudent, subtle but most powerful; the tiniest amongst us in frame and yet the mightiest.  Nothing and no one could slow Stella down.  She took on more and more and yet displayed supernatural capacity for much more.  She understood by books, explored the deep creative insights of God, dreamt dreams, saw visions, wrote visions and ran an amazing race.

The miracle, Stella, is indeed a Creation of God Himself, we behold this splendid work of God and declare with God; beautiful, good, excellent in every way and pleasing to God; well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord!

LITERARY AND OTHER AWARDS RECEIVED

  1. Best Arts Student of Baptist Girls’ High School, 1965 Graduating Students.
  2. French Award by the French Government for writing and producing BURN THE FETTERS – a play for the Bi-centenary of the French Revolution in 1989.
  3. Best Play Script Writer NAFEST ‘92
  4. Best Drama Youth Festival 1991
  5. Play “Saga of Rescue” written and directed by Stella Oyedepo won 1st prize at NAFEST 2008
  6. Honourable mention of Stella Oyedepo’s play – Beyond the Dark Tunnel at Association of Nigerian Authors’ Convention, 1991
  7. Best Dance Drama at Youth Festival 1993
  8. National Productivity Merit Award 1996
  9. National Council of Women Societies Merit Award in Performing Arts
  10. Best Troupe Award for Troupe led by Stella Oyedepo at Minna ‘94
  11. Best Troupe Award for Troupe led by Stella Oyedepo at Lokoja ‘95
  12. NAMAAC Award for Best Costumed Troupe for Troupe’s Costumes Designed and Sewn by Stella Oyedepo for NAFEST ‘95
  13. Merit Award by PMAN, Kwara State
  14. Award of Life Matron by Association of Nigerian Theatre Practitioners
  15. Certificate of Honour by Lions Club International, Kwara State
  16. Recognition of Dedicated Humanitarian Services by Afonja Lions Club, Ilorin
  17. Merit Award for an Achiever by Pioneer Communication, Kwara State
  18. Certificate of Merit by Faculty of Science and Students’ Association (FOSSA), University of Ilorin
  19. Certificate of Merit by Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, Students’ Union Government
  20. Emeritus Award for Excellence by Nigerian Media Men of Excellence
  21. Merit Award by Nigeria Association of Women Journalist, Kwara State
  22. Association of Nigerian Authors 1999 Merit Award
  23. Award of Honorary Life Member by Union of Campus Journalists, UNILORIN Chapter
  24. 1999 Distinguished Public Relations Personality Award by Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR)
  25. Congress Merit Award by Guild of Nigerian dancers (GOND)
  26. Certificate of Merit by Ondo State Students’ Union
  27. Award of Super Administrator by Kwara Arts Council
  28. Chieftaincy Title of Akeweje by Egbe Akeko Ijinle Yoruba, University of Ilorin
  29. Award of Fellow of Institute of Industrialist and Corporate Administrators

SOME IMPORTANT SOCIAL/CULTURAL/CAREER RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. Former Member, Board of Directors of Alliance Francaise, Kwara State
  2. Former Vice-Chairman, Association of Nigerian Authors, Kwara State Branch
  3. Former National Treasurer, Association of Nigerian Authors
  4. Former Sole Administrator, Kwara State Arts Council
  5. Former Secretary, Patigi Regatta Implementation Committee
  6. Chieftaincy Title of Yeye Meso of Omu-Aran Land, Kwara State
  7. Matron, Association of Kwara Indigenes Theatre Practitioners
  8. Chairman, Kwara State Anti-Piracy Committee
  9. Founder and CEO, Mama Africa Cultural Initiative
  10. Member, National Committee on International Year of Culture of Peace (IYCP)
  11. Life Patron, Association of Nigerian Theatre Practitioners (ANTP), Kwara State Chapter
  12. Matron, UNIK Club, Omu-Aran
  13. The ‘Akeweje’ of Akeko Ede Yoruba, University of Ilorin

MAJOR LITERARY AND ACADEMIC TITLES

  1. Our Wife Is Not A Women          (1979)
  2. A Thorn In My Flesh          (1980)
  3. The Twelfth Wife (1981)
  4. A Sacrifice To Mammon                                                       (1982)
  5. The Days Of Woe (1983)
  6. The Rebellion Of The Bumpy-Chested (A Feminist Manifesto) (1984)
  7. Blindfolded By Fate (1984)
  8. A Storm In The Purse          (1984)
  9. The Dainty And The Dirty (1984)
  10. On His Demise (1984)
  11. The Zoo School (1984)
  12. Doom In The Dimes (1985)
  13. See! (1988)
  14. The Greatest Gift (Commissioned by Kwara State Ministry of Social Development For 1988 Family Week)                   (1988)
  15. Wake Them Up (Commissioned by Kwara State Government for Socio-Economic Fiesta ’88)                   (1988)
  16. Burn The Fetters (Commissioned by the French Embassy in Nigeria

for the Bi-Centenary of the French Revolution)                            (1989)

  1. Gains From The Soil (Commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture

and Natural Resources to mark the National Conference on

Perspective Planning in Agriculture)                                           (1990)

  1. Brain Has No Gender (Commissioned by the Ministry of Education,

Ilorin)                                                                                   (1990)

  1. Don’t Believe What You See (1990)
  2. The Golden Dawn (Commissioned by the Kwara State Government

for the 1991 Merit Award)                                                      (1990)

  1. Child Na Gold (Commissioned by Kwara State Ministry of Social

Development)                                                                                (1990)

  1. Sweet Soil (Commissioned by Kwara State Ministry of Education) (1990)
  2. Beyond The Dark Tunnel (Commissioned by the National Committee

for Action Against Apartheid (NACAP) on the occasion of Nelson

Mandela’s Visit to Nigeria after his release from prison)                (1990)

  1. My Daughter Is an Egg (on Child Abuse) (1991)
  2. Reap and Keep (Commissioned by Kwara State Ministry of

Agriculture)                                                                           (1991)

  1. The New Broom (Commissioned for Youth Festival, Kano ’91) (1991)
  2. A Play That Was Never To Be (1991)
  3. Worshippers Of The Naira (1991)
  4. Farewell to Kazir (Commissioned by Kwara State Government) (1991)
  5. Death In The Seed Of Life (Commissioned by Kwara State Ministry

of Health)                                                                             (1991)

  1. The Precious Jewel (Commissioned by Ministry of Social

Development)                                                                                (1992)

  1. The Unknown Tomorrow (A Tribute to Mallan Abubakar, the 10th

Emir of Ilorin)                                                                        (1992)

  1. Let The Bitter Be Better (Commissioned by DFRRI) (1992)
  2. Make The Soil Yield (Commissioned by Kwara State Ministry of

Agriculture)                                                                           (1992)

  1. Don’t Taste The Forbidden Fruit (Commissioned by Kwara State

Ministry of Education)                                                             (1992)

  1. Help Us To Help You (Commissioned by EEC/FGN Middle Belt

Programme)                                                                          (1992)

  1. Better Days Are Coming – 27 Episode Radio Drama (Commissioned

by EEC/FGN Middle Belt Programme)                                       (1992)

  1. Water Don’t Kill Me Part-I (Commissioned by UNICEF) (1992)
  2. Make Me A Better Women (Commissioned by EEC/FGN Middle Belt

Programme)                                                                          (1992)

  1. Know The Unknown (Commissioned by Gateway Insurance

Company)                                                                            (1992)

  1. The Missing Ingredients (NAFEST entry) (1992)
  2. The Mad Doctor (1992)
  3. Advance For Recognition (Commissioned by National Civic

Registration Department)                                                         (1992)

  1. Hope For A Better Tomorrow (For BLP Children’s Festival) (1993)
  2. Give Us This Day Our House (Commissioned for Midland Bank) (1993)
  3. If Not For Better Life (Commissioned for Better Life Programme) (1993)
  4. The Bitter Pill Will Cure (Commissioned for NNPC Appropriate

Pricing of Oil)                                                                                 (1993)

  1. Be Wise With Your Money (For Trade Bank) (1993)
  2. Forget Not Your Wife (Commissioned by Police Officers’ Widow

Programme)                                                                          (1993)

  1. No Duplicate (Commissioned by Road Safety) (1993)
  2. We Are The Mirror (Commissioned by Association of Nigerian

Authors)                                                                               (1993)

  1. Let Us Buy And Sell (1993)
  2. The Power Of The Chalk (Commissioned by NUT)          (1994)
  3. Make Medicine No Kill Us (Commissioned by EDP) (1994)
  4. Aso Niyi Ara (for FASHION ’94) (1994)
  5. Let My Country Live (Commissioned by NOA) (1994)
  6. It’s Time for Adult Literacy Class (Commissioned by EEC/FGN

Middle Belt Programme)                                                         (1994)

  1. Ruyawan Zaman Duniyan (Commissioned by EEC/FGN Middle

Belt Programme)                                                                    (1994)

  1. Put The Reins (Commissioned by the Planned Parenthood and

EEC/FGN Middle Belt Programme)                                           (1994)

  1. Be Our Pathfinder (for ANA International Writers’ Day) (1994)
  2. In The Lighter Mood (1994)
  3. Give Us Court of Appeal (Commissioned by Kwara State Ministry

of Justice)                                                                             (1994)

  1. The Gracious Rescue (Commissioned by FSP) (1995)
  2. Glorious Womanhood (Commissioned by FSP) (1995)
  3. Tell It To N.I.E.S.U. (1995)
  4. Gbe ‘ni Niyi (for FASHION ‘95) (1995)
  5. The Man Is A Gem (1995)
  6. Water, Don’t Kill Me Part 2 (Commissioned by UNICEF)          (1995)
  7. Give Her A Chance (Commissioned by FSP) (1995)
  8. Poison Between The Thighs (Commissioned by Kwara State

Ministry of Health)                                                                 (1995)

  1. My Lord Is Just (1995)
  2. Vigil To A Prison of Conscience (For Ken Saro Wiwa)

Commissioned by ANA                                                            (1995)

  1. From Quacks, Deliver Us (Commissioned by Kwara State Ministry

of Health)                                                                             (1995)

  1. Family Palaver (1995)
  2. A Dial Takes You There (Commissioned by NITEL)          (1995)
  3. If Not For FSP (1996)
  4. At The Devil’s Mercy                            (1996)
  5. The Gentle Heart That Bleeds (1996)
  6. We Shall Build (Commissioned by Kwara State Government) (1996)
  7. Mourning For The Land (1996)
  8. Not Born To Die (Commissioned by Kwara State Government) (1996)
  9. For The Rainy Day (Commissioned by Kwara State Ministry of

Health for National Health Insurance Scheme)                             (1996)

  1. E mu! Catch Am (Parts 1 and 2) (1996)
  2. Make You No Toy With Death (Part I) [Ministry of Health] (1996)
  3. Make You No Toy With Death (Part II) [Ministry of Health] (1996)
  4. Answer To The Question (For National Productivity Day)          (1996)
  5. Survival By Magic (For National Productivity Day) (1996)
  6. Greatness Shall Be Ours (Commissioned by Kwara State

Government)                                                                         (1996)

  1. Safe Journey (Commissioned by Federal Road Safety) (1996)
  2. Behold This Diamond (1996)
  3. The Greatest Joy (Commissioned by Kwara FSP) (1996)
  4. The Forbidden Fruit (Commissioned by NDLEA Programme) (1996)
  5. Let’s Crush Tyranny (1996)
  6. Way Out Of Darkness (Commissioned by Agency for Mass Literacy)(1996)
  7. Our Lasting Glory (1996)
  8. Death No Go Catch My Pickin (For Immunization Programme) (1996)
  9. Appropriate Pricing of Labour (For NLC) (1996)
  10. War Against Worms (For FSP Deworming Programme)          (1996)
  11. Devil In The Night (Against Cultism) (1997)
  12. They Are Not Empty Skulls (1997)
  13. Be Wise With Your Money (Part 2)          (1997)
  14. Be Wise With Your Money (Part 3)          (1997)
  15. FEAP To The Rescue (Commissioned by FSP) (1997)
  16. Kwara, Where Are You? (Commissioned by Kwara State

Government)                                                                               (1997)

  1. Make Medicine No Kill Us (Part 2)          (1997)
  2. Ewe A Je (For Traditional Medicine Programme)          (1997)
  3. Adisa Must Hear (Commissioned by Ministry of Works)          (1997)
  4. Answer To The Question, Episode 2) (1997)
  5. Cash Power, Na Im We Want (Commissioned by FSP) (1997)
  6. If We Want Life (1997)
  7. Because I am A Teacher (1997)
  8. Ogar, Our Great Oga (Commissioned by Kwara State Government) (1997)
  9. NAWE To The Rescue (Commissioned by NAWE) (1997)
  10. No! To Decadence (Commissioned by NAWE) (1997)
  11. Age Is Grace (Commissioned by FSP) (1997)
  12. Osi Ki Ise Temi (Commissioned by Ministry of Water Resources) (1997)
  13. Brain Has No Gender II (1997)
  14. The Clarion Call (Commissioned by KWACCIMA) (1997)
  15. Let’s Build Our Town Commissioned by Omu-Aran Community) (1997)
  16. Home Grown Survival (Commissioned by Home Economics

Association of Nigeria)                                                              (1997)

  1. Ripples Of Death (Commissioned by the British Council) (1997)
  2. Na Work Dem They Do (Commissioned by Kwara State Government

for the 8th Conference of National Council of Works Kwara ’97)                (1997)

  1. Congrats! Honourable Chairman (Commissioned by Kwara State

Government for Local Government Council Workers’ Workshop)               (1997)

  1. Alice, Oh, Alice (1997)
  2. Women, Let’s Claim Our Political Rights (Commissioned by Ministry

of Women Affairs)                                                                   (1998)

  1. IPM Special (Commissioned by Institute of Personnel Management) (1998)
  2. He Is The Same God (Commissioned by Kwara State Government

for Religious Harmony)                                                             (1998)

  1. The Wife’s Fury          (1998)
  2. It Is Her Right – Part I (Commissioned by the Ministry of Women

Affairs)                                                                                  (1998)

  1. Centre For Life (Commissioned by Association of Lady Pharmacists

of Nigeria (ALPN)                                                                    (1998)

  1. Mr Precious One (Commissioned by Kwara State Ministry of Women

Affairs For the International Day of the Elderly)                            (1998)

  1. True Man Of God (1999)
  2. The Journey So Far (Commissioned by Kwara State Government) (1999)
  3. De Law (Commissioned by NBA) (1999)
  4. No! To Harmful Practices (Commissioned by Kwara FSP)          (1999)
  5. Know Your Right (Commissioned for anti-Piracy Campaign) (1999)
  6. Millennium Bug (1999)
  7. IPM Special II          (1999)
  8. That He May Not Change His Mind (2000)
  9. For He Well Deserves This Honour) (Commissioned by NUJ) (2000)
  10. Be Wise With Your Money Part 4 (Commissioned by Trade Bank of Nigeria Plc)(2000)
  11. Celebrations (Commissioned by Kwara State Government) (2000)
  12. Don’t Do It (2000)
  1. Zero Allocation (2000)
  2. Saga of Rescue (2008)

VIDEO FILMS

  1. Lady Director – A 15-EpisodeTelevision Soap Opera
  2. Aye Dotun – Parts I and II (Commissioned by EEC/FGN Middle Belt Programme)

POEMS

  1. Spears of Despair –  A Collection of Poems

SHORT STORIES

  1. The Wizard Of The Mango Village  –  A Children’s Story

  2. My Son Babus  –  A Children’s Story

DANCE DRAMA

  1. Survive, We Will (Dance Drama for YUFEST ’93)                   (1993)
  2. Aderoju Lives On Forever (1993)
  3. Oluronbi O! (1993)
  4. Izuzu Dance (1993)
  5. Computer Dance                                                                  (1994)
  6. Minna ’94 (1994)
  7. A-D-I-S-A (1995)
  8. Women Volley Ball Championship          (1993)
  9. Ismail – Dynamic (1994)
  10. Abacha Special (1994)
  11. S.A. ’94 (1994)
  12. S.P. (1995)
  13. Lokoja ’95 (1995)
  14. Superwoman (1997)
  15. Kebbi ’97 (1997)

Newspaper Column

  1. ‘Peeping Through The Window of Life’

(Weekly Column in Kwara Weekly from 1990-1992)