altThe Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, has advocated for inclusion of Film production, as part of entries for the newly-repackaged Nigerian Universities Theatre Arts Festival (NUTAF), organised by the Nigerian Universities Theatre Arts Students Association (NUTASA).

Ayakoroma, who stated this at the Roundtable discussion organized by the Society of Nigeria Theatre Artists (SONTA), in its 26th Annual Conference at Benue State University, Makurdi, said such inclusion will not only help boost film production in Nigeria, but will help bring filmmaking closer to the academic environment.

According to him, it will build the students and the university community, as invaluable stakeholders in the Nigerian Film Industry, Nollywood, and help build the confidence of theatre arts students in the area of directing, acting, costume and make up, editing and other technicalities involved in filmmaking, positing that NUTAF should be seen as an avenue for the cultivation of professionalism in Nigerian theatre practice.   It will be recalled that Ayakoroma had recently inaugurated a 100-man Planning Committee set up for NUTAF 2013 at the Department of Theatre and Cultural Studies, Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), on behalf of the Head of Department, Professor Emmanuel Dandaura.   

As a former member of Nigerian Universities Theatre Arts Association (NUTASA), who had been part of NUTAF, as a student and Lecturer, in addition to being a member of the Hall of Fame of Society of Nigeria Theatre Artists (SONTA), Ayakoroma, during the inauguration, told members of the Committee to be committed towards NUTAF, in order to sustain the success it was known for since it started in 1981.   The festival, which has been fixed 12th-17th August, 2013, is to be hosted by Nasarawa State University, Keffi, with about 16 Universities having registered and three foreign Institutions applying as observers.

Nwagbo Pat Obi
Corporate Affairs