Crescent Varsity VC Delivers Masterclass On Film, Drama To TAMPAN Students
The Vice Chancellor of Crescent University, Abeokuta, Prof. Ibraheem Gbajabiamila has been applauded for his presentation of masterclass to diploma students of Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN).
The lecture, hosted by the department of mass communication and themed " Film Narratives and Projection of Meaning in Yoruba Movies" was aimed at cross-fertilization of knowledge in different fields.
A professor of virology, Prof. Gbajabiamila explained that he was attracted to drama, films, music and cinematography as a research student and later an academic at the University of London when activities of African practitioners from Yoruba extraction, particularly, conferences on critique of "Orin Ketekete" by Ebenezer Obey, "Aye" by Ogunde and "Orun Mooru" by Moses Olaiya alias Baba Sala caught his attention.
Lauding the activities of Yoruba theatre film icons like the late Hubert Ogunde, Duro Ladipo, Kola Ogunmola, Moses Olaiya, Tunde Kelani, Ade Love, Ishola Ogunsola and many others, he said Yoruba film industry evolved from Egungun Alarinjo, Travelling Theatre Troupes, radio performance of plays, television performance of plays, celluloid film makers and video film makers.
In his SWOT analysis of Yoruba film industry, Prof. Gbajabiamila pointed out that "Yoruba is in the realm of endangered languages" and charged practitioners to start producing Yoruba films not laced with code-mixing.
Describing the Yoruba culture and language as "a serious enterprise", Prof. Gbajabiamila said he was fascinated that the Yoruba culture was widely studied and embraced by Europeans.
It is interesting to unveil that the vice chancellor has an impressive digital library of music and films and follows the activities of the Yoruba genre.
In his appreciation note, the Head, Department of Mass Communication, Dr Kola Adesina thanked the vice chancellor for delivery of "an engaging, informative and enriching masterclass and demonstrating his deep research interests in Yoruba music, history of Yoruba theatre and need for more professionalism in the Nollywood industry.
"Professor Gbajabiamila was able to simplify and analyse the highly cerebral works of Professors Chris Watterman, Karin Barber and David Crystal in language development and decline", Adesina has said
