His interest and talent in theatre drama all begun at Mawuli School, Ho, where there is inter-house drama competition as a tradtion.

Efo Kodjo Mawugbe happened to be have begun very well at the inter-house level and therefore joined the school drama group. Right from secondary school form one, he played the role of Senchi in Efua Sutherland’s Edufa and by form three, he succeeded in writing a play for his house (TROST House) in the school.

He did not rest and through determination, and hardwork, he is now a role model in the profession.

Currently, he is the Deputy Executive Director (Artistic) of the National Theatre of Ghana.

Efo Kodjo was born on 21st April 1954 in Kumasi to Madam Comfort Tulasi, then a cook at Africa Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and the late Michael Ayivi Mawugbe who worked with the laundry department of the University.

He has a sister and three brothers on his mother’s side, but marry more on the father’s side.

Efo Kodjo is married and is blessed with six children, three males and three females.

He schooled at Mawuli School, where he obtained his General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary and Advance Levels.

Efo Kodjo then gained admission into the University of Ghana where he studied Theatre Arts, majoring in playwriting from 1975 to 1978.

Later in 1991, he did a certificate course in senior management development at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). He also studied at the Bauff Centre for Management Calgary Canada in 1995 and was also sent to the E. T. A Chicago, USA on a USIS-sponsored attachment programme in Theatre and Events Organisation.

Efo Kodjo further studied at the British Council, Glasgow and London, where he did a certificate programme in Theatre Management and Audience Development.

In December 2006, he did Theatre Arts (MFA- Playwriting).

Efo Kodjo Mawugbe also has a lot of teaching experience having taught in a number of secondary schools and universities. For instance between 1977 and 1978, he was a part-time tutor at the Ghana Empire Secondary School where he taught English Language and literature.

From 1979-1984, he served as a Senior Research Assistant-African Theatre at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Centre for Cultural Studies) where he helped students in the developing and production of plays. He also taught on part-time basis English language and Literature- Drama at the Technology Secondary School, KNUST, Kumasi.

Between 2001-2002, Efo Kodjo was a part-time Assistant Lecturer (Playwriting) at the Theatre Arts Department of the University of Ghana, where he supervised final year playwriting students. He was also the Literature in English tutor at the Methodist Secondary School, Sekondi.

In the year 2004, Efo Kodjo was a part-time lecturer in African Theatre (Theory and Practice) - Department of English.

Efo Kodjo Mawugbe who has since 2006 to date been the Deputy Executive Director (Artistic), National Theatre of Ghana, Accra, was in 2003 Festival Director-National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC 2003). NAFAC is a biennial Arts festival that brings artistic groups of excellence throughout Ghana for a ten-day celebration.

Earlier, thus between 2002 to 2006, he served as the Regional Director of Arts and Culture-Western Region. He was also the Director for Research, Information and Public Education of the National Commission on Culture from 2001 to 2002.

From 1997 to 2000, he was the Regional Director of Arts and Culture, Centre for National Culture. In this capacity, he was responsible for the overall administration of personnel and all arts/cultural issues in the region.

He carried out the planning, formulating and executing of cultural programmes.

As the Director of Programmes/International Relations, at the National Commission on Culture, he was responsible for planning and monitoring and co-ordinating and evaluating of national culture programmes of all the regional centres for culture.

He was also in charge of the Committee that reviews cultural agreements between Ghana and other countries or international bodies. Efo Kodjo carried out all protocol duties involving foreign dignitaries and cultural delegations to Ghana and acted as the interface between the commission and international agencies in Ghana among other duties.

Efo Kodjo was the first Director of Pan African Historical Theatre Festival (PANAFEST Project) from June 1991 to January 1992. He was responsible for the planning and execution and management of the Panafest in Ghana, and laid the solid foundation for the continuous celebration of the event.

He was appointed Acting Executive Director for the W. E. B DuBois Centre for Pan African Culture - Accra in October 1990. He served there till June 1991. He also served as the Regional Director of Art/Culture, Centre for National Culture for the Central Region and the Arts Council of Ghana, Eastern Region.

Earlier from January 1979 to May 1984, as a Senior Research Assistant he carried out research into African Theatre and worked with students on theatre projects at the University of Science and Technology (Centre for Cultural Studies).

Efo Kodjo has won himself fellowships, honours and awards. These include VALCO Literary Awards (1979), Playwright of the year (ECRAG Award) in 1984, and Japan Foundation Award - Eminent Cultural Personalities from Africa - Short-Term Visit (1990).

In 1995, he was also Awardee-Chicago Artists International Programme and BBC Africa Playwright contest 3rd Prize Winner.

He has membership in some professional organisations. He is the organising secretary of the I.T.I (International Theatre Institute) and was a board member of the I.T.I Playwright Committee from 1991 to 1995. He was an executive member of the Ghana Association of Writers from 1979 to 1986, Artistic Director, Kozi-Kozi Theatre, Accra (1992-1993), Artistic Director -Kilomanjaro, CYCC, Board Member, National Drama Company (National Theatre (1997-2000) and Artistic Director-West-Coast Productions House (Takoradi) from 2004 to date.

He has to his credit nineteen publications (Drama). These include: "A Calabash of Blood" - Radio Drama- GBC in 1978, "Aluta Continua" - drama - produced for radio, stage and T.V. distributed in Africa by URTNA (1979) and in 1980, "The Unbending Branch" - Radio Drama (GBC).

He has also published "In the chest of a woman-drama - produced for stage (1984), ‘Constable No Rank’ - drama- produced by BBC, London Africa Service and for stage (1986), and In 1989 "You play me play - comedy for Radio."

His other works are "Take me to the Altar’ - a play on society’s responsibility to keep marriage sacred (1990), ‘Tata Amu,’ a play on the biography of Dr Ephraim Amu (1991), "The Royals’ - a play produced by Talents Theatre company for NAFAC ‘ 92 (1992) ‘G-Yard People’ - a play on the appalling conditions under which our people work to sustain the economy (1994) and in 1995 he came out with ‘check point Charlie’ - Radio Sitcon.

From 1995 to date he has also published "Queen Zarita of Zarita - a play for stage on the importance of protecting individuals liberties in a free community, ‘Mock- parliamentary debate on rape (produced for Kiddafest) and Upstairs and Downstairs (for his Masters Degree in Fine Art - thesis).

The rest are A.P.T. S. (Acquired Prison Traumatic Syndrome), Ananse-Kweku-Ananse, an experimental project aimed at making traditional African folktales very contemporary to our times, SITSOFE - a feature film script on the attitude of society towards the speech and hearing impaired children.

Just last year he came out with Free Juice For All (Radio Drama), a collaborative work for BBC world service as part of Ghana 50th independence anniversary.

He also has to his credit a number of non-dramatic presentations. Efo Kodjo is a consultant, and has worked on a number of projects, especially in the country, some of which are still on-going.

Efo Kodjo is a Christian. He fellowship with the Assemblies of God Church, Power House, Banana Inn.

He likes swimming, admiring nature and reading.

For his meals, he likes red-red, and Banku with tilapia.

Touching on challenges in the profession, Efo Kodjo told "The Spectator" in an interview, that the challenges were many and complex. He said, "We lack facilities for theatre practitioners to showcase their works.

"None of the theatres of the institutions of higher learning have facilities up to the standard of the National Theatre. Theatre Drama as a subject is not taught in our secondary schools, so it’s only people who have the interest who get into it. In the past we had radio drama theatre competition which was used to unearth new talents, but currently such avenues are just not there. In fact, basic space and equipment are not just available for rehearsals and showcasing of works. Most of the community centres which were hitherto used, have also been turned into other uses."

Efo Kodjo had these words of advice for people in the profession and those who want to join.

"For those already in the profession, they can only sustain themselves, if they are on waving in their determination, success in this area does not come easy, it requires a lot of hard work and sacrifice.

"For the incoming, my advise to them is that there are no short cuts. One just has to be prepared to learn from those who already have the skills."

Efo Kodjo said the present state of Theatre Art in the country looks quite glooming, but was hopeful that from August this year it is going to stir itself up.