DR. CORNELIUS EZE ONYEKABA

TITLE (PROF/DR/): DR.

NAME: CORNELIUS EZE ONYEKABA

POSITION: SENIOR LECTURER         

Film Studies and Theatre Management          

EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with Bachelor’s degree or other initial professional education, such as nursing, include postdoctoral training and residency training if applicable. Add/delete rows as necessary.)

1. Personal Statement

I was a former college teacher, film production manager, and multiple-beat journalist and currently a senior lecturer of theatre and film studies and the former coordinator of the postgraduate programme of the Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos. I am also a bio-dramatist with the following plays to my credit; Sola Fosudo is Coming, Adefolahan: The Musical, Fela Son of Kuti and Fela and the Kalakuta Queens musicals. I am the curator and initiator of the University of Lagos Annual Carnival known as the Unilag-Africaribbean Carnival since 2005. In recent years, I have participated in several training and workshops with the British Council on festival management in Nigeria, Ghana and the United Kingdom. As a researcher, I have been a Research Assistant at the Ferguson Centre of the Open University of the UK from 2006-2007 on a research project that interrogated the Nigerian Film industry and the Nigerian Diasporas, Deputy-Editor of OISTA World Scenography Project-West Africa sub-region 2008 to 2015. I am currently a Co-Investigator in a federal government of Nigeria funded (TETFUND) interdisciplinary research on the role of social media in character formation among youths, and an international collaboration project funded by AHRC of the UK with King’s College, Southampton University of the UK and two other African based universities in Kenya and South Africa on Sustainable Creative Economy in Africa. I am a member of many professional bodies and a long-standing member of the College of Screeners of the African Movie Academy Awards. I have also recently worked with the Black Star Film Festival, Ghana and Kenya International Sports Film Festival. I was a former visiting scholar at Michigan State University and spent time in 2013 at The University of West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. I have held many departmental, Faculty and University responsibilities and also chaired and served in various committees.

1. Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honours

• Research Assistant “Nollywood Film Industry and the African Diaspora in the UK”. The Open University of the UK. 2006-2007.
• Co-investigator, “Engaging Social Media in Remodelling Character Through Arts and Culture” TETFUND National Research Fund 2020-2023.
• Co-Investigator of the Lagos Hub: “Arts and Humanities Research Council, UK. Research Grant, Follow-on Funding Impact & Eng”
• Coordinator of Faculty of Arts, Webinar on Grantsmanship/Postdoc
• Coordinator/Chairman, Creative Arts Departmental Postgraduate Board of Studies. 2020-29024
• Board Member, University of Lagos School of Postgraduate Studies.2021-2024.
• Member, University of Lagos Committee on Ethics and Culture.
• Chairman Culture and Tourism Committee FASU Games
• Initiator and coordinator of Unilag Carnival 2005 to present.

1. Selected Most Recent Publications /Contributions to Knowledge 
2.  

1. Onyekaba C.E. (2025) “Representation of Classic Calypsonians and Calypso Music in African Diaspora Drama: A Case Study of Rawle Gibbons A Calypso Trilogy” in Keynotes in African Music:African Musicology, Composition,and Pedagogy: Essays in Honour of Akin Euba, edited by Bode Omojola, Stephen Olusoji, and Omolara Loko. Obafemi Awolowo University Press. 506-527.
2. Nweke E, Onyekaba C.E. (2025) “Creativity and Dynamics in Performance: Is it a True Reflection of Formal Education? A Case Study of Bolanle Austen-Peters’ Waka the Musical” in Keynotes in African Music:African Musicology, Composition,and Pedagogy: Essays in Honour of Akin Euba, edited by Bode Omojola, Stephen Olusoji, and Omolara Loko. Obafemi Awolowo University Press. 494-505.
3. Comunian Roberta, , Hracs Brian J, JoffeAvril, KibuchiWaithira,

MadyibiVuyolwethu, Mosomi Ogake, Ogungbe Folakemi, Oni Duro, Onyekaba Cornelius

(2023) African Hub for Sustainable Creative Economies: collaborative activities and

shared learning. An Impact Report, published by King’s College London, London (UK)

ISBN: 978-1-908951-50-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18742/pub01-140

1. Onyekaba C.E. (2023) “Intergovernmental Relations and Public Governance the Role of the Media”  Intergovernmental Relations and Public Governance in Nigeria: Speeches and Thoughts of Senator (Dr) George Akume Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Published by Unilag Press and Bookshop Ltd. 179-188.
2. Onyekaba C. E (2023) “The Blame Game: Censorship Beyond Nollywood’s Money Ritual

      Fetishism and the Reality of Ritual Killings in Nigeria” in Regulating Nollywood in a Ritual Cultural

      Space (eds.) Liman R.A and Dugga S.V., Abuja: Publishers: NFVCB.  pp. 145-153.

1. Collaborators/ Networks (International inclusive) 

1. Emmanuel Adedun, Mountain Top University.
2. Comunian Roberta, King’s College, United Kingdom

• England Lauren, King’s College, United Kingdom

1. Ogungbe Folakemi, Pan Atlantic University, Lagos.
2.