Honour for late professor of theatre arts, Adelugba

Dapo Adelugba, the revered late professor of theatre arts who died in November 2014, will be honoured on Monday, March 9, by his students, mentees, associates and admirers.

Popularly described as a father and mentor to many theatre art practitioners and scholars across different discipline in the humanities across the country, Adelugba was an alumnus of the University of Ibadan, where he also lectured until 2004. He had his last teaching years as an emeritus professor in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, from where he retired in 2014.

According to a press release, the post-humous seminar organised to honour Adelugba will be held at the Afe Babalola Auditorium, University of Lagos, and this would be coordinated by Dapo Adelugba Theatre group and UI theatre alumni, led by Duro Oni.

Duro Oni, deputy vice-chancellor, establishment, UNILAG; Sunday Ododo, president, Society of Nigeria Theatre Artists, SONTA; Tade Adekunle, former president, National Association of Nigeria Theatre Practitioners (NANTAP), among others, would be the eminent speakers to discuss the theme of the event, Dapo Adelugba: Remniscences on a distinguished life.

Born on March 9, 1939, Adelugba studied English at the University College, Ibadan. While at the university, apart from taking part in a lot of productions such as Wole Soyinka’s Swamp Dwellers, where he acted as the Blindman, he was president of University College, Ibadan Dramatic Society, where he adapted Moliere’s Les Fourberies de Scapin (The Trickeries of Scapin) to That Scoundrel Suberu.

In 1964, he submitted his Master’s degree dissertation at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he wrote on Nationalism and the Irish Theatre. He later joined the teaching services of the University of Ibadan, where he retired in 2004.

Adelugba died on November, 23, 2014, aged 75.