INSIDE STORY OF A DRAMA PROFESSOR
His pleasant persona places him on a plane unrivalled. Understated in looks, he possesses the charm that eludes a galaxy of star actors and actresses. In the sometimes surreal, effervescent world of drama and arts, his illustrious credentials shimmer and tower above many others. But his effusion is found in humility and simplicity. Were he a rock star, he’d be one of the world’s finest. Had he ventured into Hollywood, Idris Elba would grow green with envy watch him act. Prof.
He adds, “My parents met in Minna and got married there. My mother’s parents also lived in Minna and ran their own businesses . “I also had a bicycle that I could ride to school. My maternal grandfather was also said to have been the first person to own a car in Minna! My parents and grandparents all owned houses in Minna. Because of the nature of our school and the close-knit community in Minna, we spoke English, Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo in school and at home.”
“We had weekly appearances on radio and television and we were paid three pounds per episode, which was a lot of money then. I also participated in the British Council Drama workshops in Kaduna. The workshops were for professionals but my involvement was considered sufficiently high to have been invited. I never wanted to be anything else, but a dramatist.”
A little digression: Oni may want to hide. The truth, however, is as a youngster he was very brilliant and studying hard was second nature to He was also the pioneer director of the Confucius Institute, from 2008 to 2009; the director of the Centre for Cultural Studies from 1992 to 1997. In a career spanning more than 40 years at the University of Lagos, Prof. Oni initiated and developed two programmes at the Bachelor’s, Master’s, M.Phil. and PhD levels and a Bachelor’s degree in Chinese Studies.
“I, therefore, initiated and chaired a committee to fashion out a degree programme in Creative Arts with the three arms of Theatre Arts, Visual Arts and Music. The department was approved eventually and took off in 1998. Four years after the establishment, I also chaired the committee for the programme to be extended to postgraduate studies for the Master’s, M.Phil and PhD. Since then, we have graduated thousands of first degree, hundreds of Master’s and some 40 PhDs.
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