Thank you for supporting live theatre in Regina!

Welcome to OFF GUARD’s digital program!

INTERMISSION

There is a 15-minute intermission between Act 2 and Act 3 of the performance.

MATURE LANGUAGE & THEMES

OFF GUARD contains depictions of racism in the every day lives of Black students in Canada. Some scenes may be upsetting to viewers.

TALK ABOUT IT

Let us know on Instagram and Facebook! We love to hear from our audience about your experience seeing the performance.

DIRECTOR’S NOTE:

The inspiration for this play began during an ethnography course, where I pitched the idea of exploring racism at the University of Regina to my professor. Although my research received approval from the ethics boards, the Black students who had previously shared their experiences with me declined to have their voices recorded, despite my assurances of confidentiality. This shift led me to focus on credible online materials as primary data.

As a playwright, my goal in this play has been to present unfiltered truths through monologues, staying faithful to the lived experiences shared online. As a director, I’ve ensured these narratives remain authentic, without being overshadowed by theatrical embellishments. While I understand and respect the decision my Black peers at the UofR to withdraw from interviews, I believe that they will reach a point of critical awareness, which would make them understand their reality and when they become submerged in them, granting interviews or personally doing something about it will no longer feel as daunting. Personally, Canada has provided me with limitless opportunities, and I would like to thank those who have made it possible such as On Cue Performance Hub, my professors and people too numerous to mention.

I now invite you to engage with this performance openly and without bias. If the play moves you to react audibly, feel free to do so. Interactions with the actors is encouraged, and please note that the second act after the intermission relies on audience participation. If you feel courageous, we welcome you to follow the prompt on the board after the intermission. As you leave the theatre, remember the words of Paolo Freire “to affirm that men and women are persons and as person should be free and yet to do nothing tangible to make this affirmation a reality is a farce”

Finally, as a Black settler on Treaty Four, I am aware of the harm done to the Indigenous Peoples, which resonates deeply to what my ancestors faced with the transatlantic slave trade. The history of genocide, continuous displacement and settler colonialism of the Indigenous Peoples informs my understanding of the land, and my relationship to it. I acknowledge that the land on which I live, and work is the traditional lands of the Cree, Saulteaux, Dakota, Nakota, and Lakota peoples. By acknowledging my positionality as a settler, I benefit from this colonization, and I understand that my liberation as a Black person is intricately tied to the liberation of the Indigenous Peoples, and I will continually use my art and research, as a tool to confront the evils of the ongoing racism, discrimination, and settler colonialism.

Ibukun

MEET THE CAST OF OFF GUARD

IBUKUN-OLUWA FASUNHAN

WRITER & DIRECTOR
Ibukun is a playwright, director, stage manager, producer, and researcher. With his works performed in theaters across five countries on three continents, he has made significant contributions to musical theater, site-specific performances, and children’s theater, among other genres. His directing portfolio includes acclaimed productions such as Rites of Passage, Death and the King’s Horseman, OMG The Musical, Home, Annie the Musical, Many Colours Make the Thunder-King, and Maybe Tomorrow. Since 2007, Ibukun has stage-managed over 50 productions, totaling more than 600 performances. Notable works include Fela and the Kalakuta Queens, Wakaa the Musical, Saro the Musical, Orlando, Fela Arrest the Music, Make We Waka, Heartbeat the Musical, and Trials of Brother Jero. His expertise extends to film and television, where he has served as a production manager on projects such as Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Collision Course, and Open Secret.
In 2022, Ibukun was selected for the Saskatchewan Playwright Centre’s “Write Like You Mean It” program. His play, “Beertanglement,” earned second runner-up honors at the 4th Beeta International Playwright Competition in 2021. In 2023, he received a Canada Council for the Arts grant to direct and produce “Rites of Passage” as part of On Cue Performance Hub’s Riser Regina program. Additionally, he served as the producer for the British Council’s Lagos Theatre Festival in 2019. As a theatre artist and scholar, Ibukun focuses on anti-racism, site-specific performance, spectatorship, and socially engaged works. He is the Southern Artistic Director at Common Weal Community Arts and is currently pursuing a doctoral program in the Faculty of Media Art and Performance at the University of Regina, Canada. He is also a UNESCO Janusz Korczak Chair Research Fellow. He also has a couple of articles and books to his credits which bothers on Settler Colonialism, Site-Specific Performance, and African theatre.
ERIC GABRIEL

ACTOR, WRITER, POET
"With a unique poetry style described by many as celestial, Eric Gabriel, also known by his pseudonym; Gabriel 'ArchAngel' Ehijie, is a Pan-African writer, spoken-word poet, screenwriter, copywriter, and aspiring filmmaker who has graced platforms such as: ‘WS80’; 2014, ‘Association of Nigerian Authors’ convention; 2016, ‘Lagos Theater Festival'; 2018, ‘Nigerian Institute of Architects Fellowship Investiture & Dinner’; 2019, 'BBC Media Action'; 2021, 'SaskArts: Arts of Celebration'; 2024, amongst others. Longlisted for the Economic Commission for Africa's SDG Decade of Action Short Story Prize in 2021, he also won the best written poem in the Institute of Afrikology Resource Centre's 'Heritage Month Poetry Competition' held the same year. He is the co-author of the collective novel ‘Isles’, and the script writer of the dystopian sci-fi short film 'Shikari', produced by the prestigious Ebony Life Creative Academy in their 7th intake. The interdisciplinary artist is currently a student at the UoR, where he is taking a program in the M.A.P faculty."
RITA OMODIA

ACTOR, JOURNALIST, PODCASTER
RITA OMODIA is a Broadcast Journalist with over 8 years of professional experience in Television and Radio production, serving as a News anchor, producer and reporter. As a creative artist, she holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Theatre Arts, and has performed in stage plays such as Wole Soyinka's Death and the King's Horseman, Oliver Godsmith's She Stoops to Conquer, and Ola Rotimi's If, amongst others. Rita is passionate about Global affairs, politics, women empowerment, youth engagement and Entertainment. She currently anchors "The Naija Show" on CJTR 91.3fm and hosts a podcast dedicated to issues affecting women. In her spare time, she loves to learn about different cultures, watch movies, and listen to music.
BABATUNDE ONIKOYI

ACTOR, FILMMAKER, PHD CANDIDATE
Babatunde Onikoyi is a seasoned performer with credits in film and theatre productions in Nigeria and Canada. His notable performances include Death and the King's Horseman, Kongi's Harvest, Onion Skin, A Raisin in the Sun, Amaniba, and Rites of Passage. He is the Director of the African International Film Festival in Regina and the Lead Mentor for the Emerging Filmmakers Fellowship, the educational arm of the Regina International Film Festival Academy (RIFFA) Foundation Inc. Currently, Babatunde is a doctoral candidate and sessional lecturer in the Department of Film at the University of Regina.
MOJISOLA AYOMIKUN KADIRI

ACTOR, SONGWRITER, POET & PARENT
MOJISOLA AYOMIKUN KADIRI is a multi-talented artist excelling in singing, songwriting, poetry, and acting for both stage and screen. A passionate performer since her teenage years, she first garnered national attention on The Voice Nigeria in 2016. Recently, Mojisola was featured as a poet in Toronto’s Curated by Oke art exhibition, showcasing her literary voice in a celebration of Black artistry.
Throughout her career, Mojisola has collaborated with renowned production companies like Bolanle Austen-Peters Productions, Duke of Shomolu, and The House of Oduduwa Foundation. Her stage credits include acclaimed musicals such as KAKADU the Musical, Queen Moremi the Musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Awo the Musical, as well as classics like Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman.
With over two years of experience in customer service management, and a background in Global Business Management, Mojisola seamlessly blends her artistic pursuits with her professional acumen. She is also a devoted wife and mother, known for her resilience, as she navigates life as an immigrant while gracefully addressing mental health challenges. Mojisola continues to grow and share her artistry, leaving a lasting impact on the communities she serves.