LEAD City University, Ibadan, will, on Monday, December 12, confer an honourary doctorate on veteran filmmaker and culture advocate Tunde Kelani.
The academic award of Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) would be conferred during the institution’s 15th convocation ceremony.The nomination letter signed by the Registrar and Secretary General of Council to the university, Dr. (Mrs) Oyebola Ayeni, on behalf of the Chancellor, stated:
“This award is in consideration of your immense contributions to the arts, cultural documentation and the theatrical traditions of the Yoruba and African culture. It is also in recognition of your professional accomplishments as a photographer, media personnel, journalist, filmmaker, producer, and cinematographer of no mean repute.”
It added that its honourary degrees “are awarded to people of exceptional merit and character.”
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Reacting in a pre-award statement, 74-year-old Kelani said, “I associated with writers and academics from the beginning of my career, which gave my work a greater depth. I, therefore, appreciate the award from a reputable institution, Lead City University. I shall continue to do my best to justify this honour and the support of my colleagues, family, friends, benefactors and our audiences everywhere”.
The Abeokuta, Ogun State-born Kelani is the producer of ‘Tí Olúwa Nile’, ‘Ko s’egbe’, ‘O Leku’, ‘Thunderbolt’, ‘Saworo Ide’, ‘AgogoEewo’, ‘Narrow Path’, ‘Abeni’, ‘The Campus Queen’, ‘Maami’, ‘Arugba’, ‘Dazzling Mirage’, ‘Ayinla’ and the forthcoming ‘Cordelia’.