In a bold call to action, Founder of the Street Project Foundation, Rita Ezenwa-Okoro has canvassed for the adoption of Legislative Theatre to enhance governance and increase youths engagement.
According to Rita Ezenwa – Okoro, “after identifying a gap in our ARTvocacy Movement model, which encourages youth to use their creative talents to speak out against injustice, the Street Project team was selected for a capacity-building program called Demo Reset, designed by Extituto, a Colombian organization, that patented Legislative Theatre, a unique method for empowering communities to engage in policy-making through storytelling and performance.”
Rita Ezenwa-Okoro further explained that, Legislative theatre harnesses the power of participatory theatre to develop innovative policy solutions.
As part of the Demo Reset program, the Street Project team organized a Youth Legislative Theatre Laboratory between February 3rd and 5th, 2025 in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State.
She noted that “ This pioneering initiative brought together youths, policymakers, artists, and international collaborators to address pressing issues such as unemployment, political thuggery, and social inequality.
Participants identified unemployment as the most critical challenge, with a staggering 90%-95% consensus among the youths.
“Many shared personal stories of frustration and lost opportunities, revealing how joblessness has driven some into crime and political violence,” Rita Ezenwa-Okoro explained,
Through guided exercises and improvisational role-play, attendees created a powerful dramatic piece that illuminated the root causes and consequences of unemployment.
She revealed that, “Legislative Theatre is not just about performance; it is therapeutic and a catalyst for advocacy.”
“It shows that storytelling can inspire systemic change, enabling youth to debate policies and explore new perspectives. This builds a foundation for real and impactful policy change.”
In her contribution, Melissa Vélez from the Demo Reset Team at Extituto, Colombia, echoed this sentiment, stating, “Our organization in collaboration with Street Project Foundation is dedicated to strengthening democracy in the Global South through citizen participation.”
Melliza Velez noted that “collaborating with the Street Project Foundation since April 2024 has deepened our understanding of deliberative democracy and community engagement.”
English (US) ·