Theatre, films, will foster national integration —UNICAL VC

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Cross River State, Professor Zana Akpagu, has said the interpretation of plays and films will promote national unity and integration in Nigeria.

Akpagu made this known during the 2nd Calabar International Conference of Theatre and Media 2019, holding at the Chinua Achebe Arts Theatre in the University of Calabar.

The Vice-Chancellor, who was represented by Professor Uche Amalu, Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, said that theatre performances could enhance the unity in diversity, thereby encouraging oneness among Nigerians.

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He said that theme of this year’s conference, “Theatre Media and National Integration in a Globalised World’’ is apt as it is borne out of the need to foster national integration.

The vice-chancellor expressed satisfaction with the activities and performances of the Theatre, Film and Carnival Studies Department, saying it had harnessed the potential of different cultural values through stage performances.

“I am very confident that the papers that will be presented at this conference will no doubt espouse ways to re-engineer, restructure and reposition our great country, Nigeria for greater heights,’’ he said.

Professor Emmy Unuja-Idegu, Head of Theatre, Film and Carnival Studies Department, said that through the instrumentality of entertainment, theatre could enhance societal development.

Unuja-Idegu said that theatre could deliver a serious message with great impact through music, plays, songs and dance.

“The role of the Nigerian home movies in trying to unite the country through different plays is highly commendable.

“The cultural and ambassadorial role that Nollywood is playing is exceptional and that is only an arm of theatre that we are talking about.

“Government should realise the potency of media and theatre and begin to invest massively in it to promote their image laundry,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that there were various stage plays by students of the department to showcase Nigeria’s unity in diversity.