The Theatre Arts Department of the Federal University Lokoja , Kogi State inducted her first set of students to the rites of passage marking their entrance and acceptance into the role of thespians.
The induction of the over 300 students of the institution, being the maiden edition signified the students’ exposure to the rules and regulations guiding theatre and creative arts.
While declaring open the historic event , Prof Gbenga Ibileye: the Head of Theatre Arts department Federal University Lokoja described the ceremony as a dream come true, saying, “History is made today as our students can now gladly call themselves thespians because they have been inducted into the arts of the theatre and their performance today was so realistic.”
According to him, theatre is life and without theatre in any institution, there is no life on such campus.
He commended the institutions management for their support to the department thus far
The induction ceremony was done by Baba Ojonugwa J.F.O; a popular Nigerian theatre practitioner and former national vice president of the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN) alongside Alhaji Etsu Muazu a senior thespian with the National Youth Service Corp.
Speaking on the experience as the students had a procession from outside campus to their induction venue; Adeola Dorcas Babatunde the President of the Association of Theatre Arts Students Federal University Lokoja said “this has created a forum for the meeting of the town and the gown which has truly occured with this maiden induction as professional thespian practitioners from the town are all part of this historic event.”.
“Like our chief priest Baba Ojonugwa J.F.O who is from the town and we the students and lecturers are the gown. We even go on industrial attachment to institutions in town and we are mixing well. We are more into theories while they are into the practice, so we mix together the theory and practice to become complete thespians.”
A visiting lecturer from the Lagos State University, Prof Komolafe described theatre as an imitation of life, society within society, and a reflection of the world we live in.
“I wish the inductees success as they come to the real world of the theatre and all others, beauty and glee of the theatre. We are here to bring the reality of life on your doorstep, re-enacting and reproducing culture and history beyond documentation.”
Immediately after the induction all the departmental lecturers congratulated the young inductees, with almost all wishing they would become professional performing artists, even though they have just officially begun their formal academic and professional training in the theatre ate department .
The chief priest and inductor of the over 300 students; Baba Ojonugwa J.F.O while admitting them to the international thespian oath emphasized & enjoined the students to show more commitment to their studies knowing fully well that the induction programme just initiated them into serious academic and practical studies.
He added that they must therefore give all that is required to become world-class celebrated scholars and practitioners of the arts.