Three distinguished theatre scholars, among others, have been honoured with Lifetime Achievement Awards by the Society of Nigeria Theatre Artists (SONTA) during the organisation’s 38th International Conference and 39th Annual General Meeting, currently taking place at Lagos State University, LASU Ojo Campus, from September 2nd to 6th, 2025.
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The recipients – Dr. Olagoke Olorunleke Ifatimehin of Bayero University Kano, Dr. Emmanuel Tsadu Gana of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Dr. Azubuike Erinugha of Nasarawa State University, among others – represent diverse approaches to theatre scholarship and practice across Nigeria’s academic landscape.
Dr. Olagoke Olorunleke Ifatimehin: Multifaceted Theatre Practice
Born in Jimeta-Yola on April 1, 1981, Dr. Ifatimehin from Bayero University Kano brings over a decade of professional work spanning academia, directing, acting, and cultural administration. He obtained all his degrees from Ahmadu Bello University School of Drama, Zaria, earning his B.A in 2006, M.A in 2011, and Ph.D in 2017.
Beginning his career as a Performing Arts Officer I at the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) in 2012, he joined Bayero University Kano’s Department of Theatre and Performing Arts as a pioneer staff member in 2014, serving as Head of Department from 2018 to 2022.
His scholarly contributions include serving as the inaugural editor of SARARI: Bayero Journal of Theatre and Performing Arts from 2020 to 2022, and his recent edited work, “Beyond Theory Essays and Criticism on Emmy I.U. Idegu’s Experiential Testimonial Creativity” (2025). As a theatre practitioner, he co-directed the 2018 Black History Month production of “A Raisin in the Sun” for the US Embassy in Nigeria and directed the 2020 Independence Play “Cataclysm.”
Currently serving as Executive Director of Tropes and Icons Ltd., an international theatre troupe based in Kano, Dr. Ifatimehin conducts experimental research in acting, directing, and performance studies while maintaining active involvement in Nigeria’s cultural and artistic development.
Dr. Emmanuel Tsadu Gana: Digital Theatre and Development Communication
Born December 3, 1983, in Minna, Niger State, Dr. Gana serves as Head of Department, Theatre and Performing Arts at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He describes himself as a “pracademic,” focusing on the intersection of digital futures, intermediality, directing, Theatre for Development, and performance aesthetics in Africa.
Having completed his entire university education at ABU Zaria (Bachelor’s 2006, Master’s 2011, Ph.D. 2016), Dr. Gana has risen from Assistant Lecturer in 2011 to his current rank of Reader. His scholarship engages digital epistemologies as they relate to theatre studies, youth activism, and cultural politics in contemporary Nigerian societies.
Dr. Gana has authored multiple books and serves as lead editor of “The Creative Arts in Socially Responsive Environment” (2020) and “Intercultural Encounters in African Literature, Performance and Criticism” (2022). He currently edits Mukabala: Journal of Performing Arts and Culture and co-directs the Theatre for Inclusive-Community, Research and Development (THIRD) Initiative.
Since 2018, he has directed the annual Black History Month Stage Performances sponsored by the United States Embassy in Nigeria, while maintaining roles as Deputy Director of ABU’s Directorate of Academic Planning and Monitoring.
Dr. Azubuike Erinugha: Cinema as Social Change
Dr. Erinugha, a scholar from the Institute of Strategic and Development Communication (ISDEVCOM) at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, has distinguished himself by using film as an instrument of social change beyond traditional entertainment. Through the Framework for Advocacy and Development Initiative, he has equipped young people with filmmaking skills to address community issues.
His community-based projects include “The Light That Must Come” in Angwan Jaba, Keffi, and “Involved” in Tammah, Nasarawa, which have transformed towns and campuses into creative empowerment hubs while providing platforms for local voices and talent development.
The filmmaker’s impact extends internationally through Nollywood Europe, where he has produced works distributed across Germany, Belgium, India, and other countries. His films include “Champion Sportsman” and the award-winning “Angela,” which focus on themes of resilience and shared humanity. His documentary “Debt of Death” examined the realities of sex trafficking between Nigeria and Belgium, demonstrating cinema’s potential as a tool for social consciousness and advocacy.
Recognition of Excellence
According to Dr. Onchono Franco Emmanuel, who provided commentary on Dr. Erinugha’s award, the recognition represents the intersection of scholarship and practical action in inspiring social change.
The SONTA Lifetime Achievement Awards recognise what organisers described as careers of “extraordinary reach,” spanning cinema to community service and from national projects to international collaborations.
The honours collectively bring national attention to the contributing institutions – Bayero University Kano’s Department of Theatre and Performing Arts, Ahmadu Bello University’s Department of Theatre and Performing Arts and Nasarawa State University’s ISDEVCOM – pinpointing their roles in producing scholars who combine academic excellence with practical community impact.
All three recipients demonstrate how contemporary Nigerian theatre scholars are positioning their disciplines not merely as entertainment but as forces for justice, social transformation, and development, using storytelling and performance to address urgent community issues across Nigeria and beyond.
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