The Theatre Arts Students of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State have once again proved their mettle in the Nigerian Universities Theatre Arts Festival held recently in Plateau State University, Bokkos.

With the theme: “Connecting Bridges”, NUTAF 2018 was aimed at cross-fertilizing ideas on theatre tradition amongst students and the society, the 2018 edition of NUTAF featured various exuberantly educative activities ranging from costume carnival, drama performance, drum ensemble, creative dance, spoken words, stand-up comedy to film exhibition. The students also had workshops on Film and Television production, dance and choreography, costume and makeup design, and dramatic criticism.




Among the Universities offering Theatre Arts in Nigeria, only twenty institutions qualified as ‘Participating Universities’ in NUTAF 2018 of which AE-FUNAI was one. The AE-FUNAI Theatre Arts contingent uniquely thrilled the audience with their play production titled “One Voice” which employed an eclectically directorial approach of folkism and Growtowski’s style of poor theatre to buttress the theme of the festival. The overwhelming success of their performance was a fulfillment of the statement of the organizers of the 2017 edition of NUTAF held in Benin who described AE-FUNAI as a group to watch out for in future.

In a theatre where punctuality and promptness is revered, AE-FUNAI contingent received a special recognition award as the Most Punctual University in NUTAF 2018. The University was also given a certificate of participation. A Merit Award on exemplary contribution to Nigerian Universities Theatre Arts Students Association (NUTASA) was given to Ugwu Anthony Echefunachukwu, the President of Association of Theatre Arts Students (ATAS) and a Vice President of NUTASA.




Adding to the festival, the students were privileged to visit some important places, and tourist centers in Jos and the Plateau State Government House where they were welcomed by the Governor, Simon Bako Lalong; Jos Museum and Zoological Garden, and Jos Wildlife Park where they saw all kinds of historical documents, wild animals and plants. This was made possible by the Plateau State University Administration in conjunction with Plateau State Government.




The success of AE-FUNAI contingent’s trip was made possible by the overwhelming support of the University Management, and the guardianship of individuals like Dr. Nnenna Nwosu, Head, Department of Languages, Linguistics, Literary Studies, and Theatre Arts; Professor Ameh Dennis Akoh, the Theatre Arts Programme Coordinator; Mr. Solomon Egbe, the coordinator of the contingent, and also the convivial involvement of the Association of Theatre Arts Students (ATAS), AE-FUNAI chapter. The spirit of theatricalism is indisputably gaining desired momentum in A-E FUNAI.