Ouagadougou: The 5th edition of the Nuit des Lompolo was held Friday evening under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo, represented by the Minister of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism, Pendwende Gilbert Ouedraogo. A total of 13 individual and 14 collective trophies were awarded to honor the talents of Burkinabe dramatic arts. Honorary prizes and special distinctions were also presented.
According to Burkina Information Agency, one of the main innovations of this edition lies in the opening of the competition to actors and companies from Mali and Niger, all members of the Confederation of Sahel States (CES). “This opening reflects our desire to make the dramatic arts a vector of integration and community cooperation in our regional space,” said the Minister in charge of Culture.
The minister also announced that circus and puppetry, which were previously included in collective awards, will now be the subject of individual distinctions. The sponsorship of this edition was provided by the Malian Minister in charge of Culture, represented by the Malian Ambassador to Burkina Faso. “I humbly appreciate the significance of this role and express my gratitude to the Burkinabe authorities for this mark of esteem which honors the entire Malian cultural community and that of the Alliance of Sahel States,” he emphasized.
He also praised the commitment of artists, actors, directors, storytellers, puppeteers, and playwrights who work behind the scenes to build a more humane, fairer, and more united world. The winner of this 5th edition, Ali Lompho, representing the Watinooma cultural troupe of Tenkodogo, explained that their work focused on theatrical awareness-raising around education in emergency situations in the Central and Nakambe regions.
Philemon Zongo, who won the Best Actor award for his work Aicha de Timbuktu, said he was honored and encouraged to continue his efforts. Launched in 2013, the Nuit des Lompolo aims to celebrate, encourage, and stimulate the creativity of dramatic artists, while contributing to the consolidation of a genuine cultural economy in Burkina Faso.