By Editor
The 38th edition of the Society of Nigeria Theatre Artists (SONTA) conference kicked off Wednesday at the expansive Buba Marwa Auditorium on the Ojo main campus of the Lagos State University (LASU).
The fully packed hall played a coliseum of intellectually equipped, traditionally bestowed, culturally tuned and creatively blessed academic and professional giants who graced and are still gracing the Conference and Annual General Meeting.
The associated glamour and flavour of the occasion was so glaringly impressive that Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, the visibly elated Voice Chancellor of the host varsity could not help declaring her excitement at hosting the 38th edition of the elitist gathering.
Just before she declared the conference open, Madam VC excitedly stated, “It is with great pleasure and a deep sense of pride that I welcome you all to Lagos State University, the most preferred, most digitally advanced and best state university in Nigeria. I am excited that for the very first time in almost 40 years, the prestigious SONTA Conference is being hosted on our beautiful campus, here in Ojo”.
“This is a momentous occasion for us at LASU, and particularly for the Department of Theatre and Cultural Studies, whose dedication and vision have made this historic gathering possible. “We are honored to open our doors to the vibrant community of theatre artists, academics, and cultural advocates who continue to shape the narrative of performance in Nigeria and beyond.”; the multiple title-holding academic and administrative Amazon exuded.
She noted that the theme of this year’s conference “Technology, Intercultural Dialogue and the Future of the Performing Arts”, was both timely and thought-provoking.
According to her, the conference and indeed the theme were a call for a reflecton how evolving technologies “are transforming the way we create, share, and experience performance”
The VC added that the occasion was a challenge for all concerned to embrace intercultural dialogue as a tool for unity, empathy, and innovation; particularly imagining a future where the culture and the performing arts remain a powerful force for social change, cultural preservation, and global connection.
“As Vice-Chancellor, I am deeply committed to fostering a university culture that celebrates creativity, scholarship, and community impact. “That is why we established the School of Tourism, Films, Performing Arts and Cultural Studies now known as the School of Creativity, Culture and Tourism Studies, the first in the country, in 2023.
” The school was created to bring all the creative industry disciplines under one roof to train the manpower that will develop the sector. This bold step aligns with the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda of the Visitor and Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make arts, culture and tourism sector flourish and contribute more to the growth and development of our nation.
“Therefore, hosting SONTA here at LASU affirms our university as a centre of excellence, and it reinforces our belief that the performing arts are not just means of entertainment, they are instruments of education, empowerment, and transformation.”; the VC showcased.
Prof Gowon AMA DOKI, the SONTA President, in his welcome address, commended the intellectuals and industry practitioners for having kept the society strongly on and for it to have its Convention/Annual General Meeting for an unbroken stretch of 25 years.
He noted that “In most elite organizations, one thing or the other occasionally threatens the unity, cohesion, and continued existence of such organizations.
“However, in SONTA, we have continued to march on with strength and elegance. This UBUNTU spirit must be commended, and I so congratulate each one of us for remaining resolutely committed.”
Prof Doki also expressed his delight at the congregational swell of SONTA over the time.
“As we may have seen on our SONTA platform, over 200 members have registered for SONTA 2025. This is unprecedented in the history of SONTA.
“We may attribute this to several reasons, but the fact is that this is some record to beat.”! he humbly boasted.
He, therefore, charged the members to work harder and ensure that they leverage the gains of the record to achieve sustained and robust membership participation.
“Whatever the reason for this surge in attendance, deliberate efforts must be made to encourage members to continue participating actively at conferences.
“This way, we are sure to continue to cross-fertilize ideas, re-examine approaches, and build collaborations that will institutionalize enduring frameworks for the practice of our profession.”; Doki enjoined his colleagues.
He also noted that the theme of this year’s conference, “Technology, Intercultural Dialogue And The Future The Performing Arts was not only apt but also strategic as “technology today is no longer a side chick but the main wife”.
If we are to remain relevant in this fast-changing world driven by AI, then efforts must be intensified to reconcile practice with the fundamental principles of Artificial Intelligence. For any profound transformation to take place in the 21st century, technology must be involved, and we should make sustained efforts at embracing and integrating technology as the future of theatre practice, the veteran academic thespian tutored.
“This conference has evoked acute nostalgia for me, as I recall SONTA 2021 at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, where I was elected President.
” Beyond the euphoria of being elected came the palpable anxiety to create an impact. Whether or not I have, I am thankful to God that I have come to the end of my tenure successfully. I am particularly pleased that we successfully hosted our annual conferences, published and transformed the Nigerian Theatre Journal into a high-impact, globally recognized journal, and established strategic partnerships that would be leveraged later.
“We also grew our membership profile to substantial percentages and have continued to identify, support, recognize, and appreciate deserving members. I pray that my successor would leverage all these to grow the society to greater heights.”; he relished.
Putting on a garment of nationalistic patriotism in his address, Prof Doki noted that “Nigeria is currently grappling with several challenges that require well-thought-out approaches to navigate, and we must be at the forefront of this as creative minds.
” I believe that the theatre Artist who can relax nerves while analyzing and interpreting issues is the most qualified to guide Nigeria to success at this time.
A large percentage of the citizens are demotivated, and many are disillusioned, just as a good number are frustrated with the system, and we must seek to galvanize a more positive and patriotic populace with our profession. It is only through this that we can stay relevant as a profession”; he posited.
This was even as he recollected that the theatre had, over the time, helped shape Nigerian history and society through its artistic representations of the unique, multicultural nature and nationalist aspirations of Nigeria’s various regions.
“For over four decades, SONTA has continued to play this role at conferences through multiple themes and sub-themes.
“At LASU, over 200 well-researched papers are slated for presentation, where profound recommendations are sure to be made towards reshaping the tech, culture, and theatre profiles.”; the seasoned theatrist said.
Wrapping up his exhaustively comprehensive keynote address titled: The Citizen Performer And The Present Future: Technology And Transformation In Performing Arts, Prof Rasaki Ojo noted that the integration of technology and AI in the performing Arts was inevitable.
He, therefore, charged that practitioners, teachers, trainers and students of the performing arts who want to be part of the present and own the future must embrace the new tools and possibilities.
“What needs to be put in place are proper regulations, ethical guidelines and balanced human-AI collaboration that are crucial to ensuring that technology enhances, rather than diminishes artistic expression.
“The future of performing arts will likely be defined by the continued evolution of AI, virtual and augmented reality and blockchain technology.”; he predicted.
Ojo further noted that:
“These innovations are revolutionising artistic expression and audience engagement so much that non-compliance could be professionally suicidal. With AI reshaping the performing arts in profound ways, from drama, to dance, music and film to real-time performance analytics, its future applications promise even greater advancements in interactivity and accessibility. As it continues to evolve, its role in the performing arts will likely expand, pushing the boundaries of creativity and artistic innovation, thereby condemning non-compliant performing artistes to, at best, the fringe of practice.”
Numerous SONTA members in the academia and the industry as well as other stakeholders, including Prof Olatunji-Bello, the host Vice Chancellor, were honoured with plaques and certificates of life time awards.
