Efua Sutherland

A Ghanaian playwright and cultural activist who redefined African theater and preserved Akan storytelling traditions.

Efua Theodora Sutherland (1924–1996) was a visionary figure in post-colonial African arts. She founded the Ghana Drama Studio in 1962, blending Western theatrical techniques with Akan folklore to create a uniquely Ghanaian theater. Her play Edufa (1967), an adaptation of Euripides’ Alcestis, critiqued materialism in modern Africa while reviving ancient myths.

Sutherland also established the Kodzidan (Story House) in Ekumfi-Atwia, a community space for storytelling and education. Her work influenced the Pan-African Cultural Manifesto, emphasizing art’s role in decolonization. She mentored writers like Ama Ata Aidoo and collaborated with W.E.B. Du Bois on educational projects.

Her advocacy for children’s literature led to the founding of the Ghana Association of Writers, and her anthology Playtime in Africa highlighted indigenous games. Though less known globally, Sutherland’s fusion of tradition and innovation cemented her as a difference-maker in African cultural revival.