Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia has appointed Dr. Shadrach Teryila Ukuma as the new Director-General (DG) of Arts, Culture and Tourism for Benue State.
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A lecturer at Benue State University‘s Theatre Arts Department since 2013, Dr. Ukuma combines academic excellence with practical expertise in cultural development and festival management. His appointment is expected to strengthen the state’s position in Nigeria’s growing creative economy sector.
International Academic Background
The new DG holds a unique dual PhD in Cultural Sustainability from a joint programme between the University of Hildesheim in Germany and the University of Maiduguri in Nigeria, focusing on cultural performances and trauma management among displaced communities.
His doctoral thesis, “Cultural Performances: A Study on Managing Collective Trauma amongst Displaced Persons in Daudu Community of Benue State, Nigeria,” was published by Peter Lang International Academic Publishers in 2021, demonstrating his deep understanding of local cultural dynamics.
Dr. Ukuma has also co-edited “Recentring Cultural Performance and Orange Economy in Postcolonial Africa: Policy, Soft Power and Sustainability,” published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2022, establishing his expertise in cultural economics.
Extensive International Training
His qualifications include certification from The Festival Academy of the European Festival Association as a Festival and Cultural Manager in 2022. The DAAD Graduate School Alumni Network further enhanced his expertise through intensive workshops in Ghana, Germany, and Uganda on “Co-creating Avenues for Culture and Sustainable Development.”
In 2021, Dr. Ukuma was awarded the prestigious Reinholdt Würth Foundation Global South Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cultural Management, teaching International Cultural Management at Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences in Germany.
Most recently, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation selected him as one of only twelve global Fellows for a 2024 Berlin residency programme addressing knowledge system imbalances between Global North and South.
Festival Leadership Experience
Since 2015, Dr. Ukuma has served as pioneer Director of the Kyegh Sha Shwa Cultural Festival, an annual multidisciplinary celebration he co-founded that has become a significant cultural event in the region. The festival demonstrates his ability to translate academic knowledge into successful cultural programming.
His practical involvement in Benue State’s creative industries spans filmmaking, festival management, entertainment design, mentorship, and cultural promotion, providing valuable hands-on experience for his new role.
Academic and Research Profile
Dr. Ukuma has delivered invited lectures at prestigious institutions including the University of Warwick in the UK, and the Universities of Bielefeld and Hildesheim in Germany. He served as Researcher in Residence for Pengo International Academy Lab during the 2023 Hildesheimer Wallungen Festival.
His research interests encompass Cultural Performance and Aesthetics, Cultural Management, Transculturality, Cultural Sustainability, Theatre, Tourism, and Creative Peacebuilding – areas directly relevant to his new administrative responsibilities.
With participation in over 30 conferences and workshops internationally, Dr. Ukuma brings a global perspective to local cultural development challenges.
Strategic Implications
The appointment signals Benue State’s commitment to professionalising its cultural sector management and leveraging international best practices in tourism and creative industries development. Dr. Ukuma’s combination of academic rigour, international training, and local cultural knowledge positions him to advance the state’s cultural and tourism agenda.
Governor Alia’s selection of an internationally trained academic reflects growing recognition of culture and tourism as significant economic sectors requiring specialised expertise.
Dr. Ukuma is married to Mrs. Mnena Nelly Ukuma and they have a son, Master Simon Tor-er Ukuma.
The appointment takes effect immediately.
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