Adedayo, Otoro, Aiyegbusi bag NANTAP Fellowship
Adedayo, Otoro, Aiyegbusi bag NANTAP Fellowship
The trio of Alhaji Adedayo Thomas, the Executive Director and CEO of the National Film and Video Censor’s Board; Patrick Omo Otoro, a veteran theatre maker and artistic director of Rivers of Water Productions; Kayode Aiyegbusi, Director, Art and Culture Department of the FCT Social Development Secretariat; and Ngozi Duru, Secretary, NANTAP Abuja chapter, are some of the carefully selected theatre makers bestowed with the highest honour of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners in Asaba recently (NANTAP).
The investiture ceremony was the highlight of the 2023 national Delegates Convention of the association, where about twenty theatre practitioners and scholars from across the country were decorated with the ‘Fellow of Theatre Art’ award, recognising their contribution to theatre practice in Nigeria.
Their investiture represents the highest number of Abuja-based practitioners conferred with this honour at a single event. Other distinguished fellows in Abuja currently include: Dr. Sam Agbi, Mr. Dotun Osunsanya, Mr. Tony Shittu, Ambassador Chukwuemeka Okereafor, and the sitting National Deputy President, Esther Onwuka, fta.
The honorees, who were decorated by the National President, Distinguished Thespian Israel Eboh, fta, the Chairman Borad of the Trustee of NANTAP, Distinguished Thespian Mahmoud Ali-Balogun, fta, and immediately welcomed into the Body of Fellows by the Chairman of that body, Prof. Duro Oni, fta, are now eligible to use the title of ‘Distinguished Thespian’, and of course the appendix, ‘fta’, which represents ‘Fellows of Theatre’.
While Patrick Otoro is renown for his exploits on the Abuja theatre scene, with one class production after another being churned out by his ROW Productions in Abuja, Sir Kay, as Kayode Aiyegbusi is popularly known, aside from his practice as an actor and director, cutting across radio, television, film, and stage, is the current Chairman of NANTAP Abuja, in addition to his role as the Director, Department of Arts and Culture in the FCT.
Alhaji Adedayo Thomas, on the other hand, boasts of a rich profile of practice before and during his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari as the Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board, which he has raised since assuming office. Alhaji Adedayo is currently finishing off his doctoral study at Benue State University, Makurdi.
