Draft:Oga Steve Abah
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Oga Steve Abah is a Nigerian professor, writer, and expert in theatre for development. He is best known for his contributions to participatory development communication and popular theatre in Nigeria and Africa. He has served in various academic and advisory roles and has published widely on the intersection of theatre, education, and social change.[1]
Oga Steve Abah | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 15, 1953 Otukpo, Benue State, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Alma mater | Ahmadu Bello University, University of Leeds |
| Occupation(s) | Academic, Theatre for Development Practitioner, Professor |
| Employer(s) | Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria |
| Known for | Theatre for Development in Africa |
| Awards | Pan-African Award (C-SET), Pillar of Development Communication (NSUK), ABU 70th Anniversary Honour |
Early Life and Education
[edit]Oga Steve Abah was born on 15 July 1953 in Onyuwei-Akpa, Otukpo Local Government Area, Benue State, Nigeria. He began his formal education at Wesley Primary School, Otobi, earning his First School Leaving Certificate in 1967. He proceeded to Government Secondary School, Katsina-Ala, and later Federal Government College, Warri.
Abah earned a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Drama (1978), a Master of Arts in Drama (1982)[2], and a Ph.D. in Theatre and Development (1987) from the University of Leeds as a Commonwealth Scholar.[3]
Career
[edit]Professor Abah began his academic career in 1979 at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. He served as Head of Department (1994–1996), Director of the Institute for Development Research (2006–2010)[4], and Director of the Directorate of University Advancement (2013–2015). From 2006 to 2023, he coordinated the MacArthur Foundation’s university support projects.
He co-founded the Nigerian Popular Theatre Alliance (NPTA) and contributed to the institutionalization of Theatre for Development (TFD) across Nigeria and Africa.
Internationally, he held academic positions at the University of Leeds, SOAS, Colorado College, and King Alfred’s College, Winchester.
Publications and Projects
[edit]His notable research includes "Returning to Roots: Traditionalism in the Plays of Efua Sutherland" (1978)[5], and the long-running initiative "Theatre, Culture and Development" (1989–present), which resulted in the book *Performing Life: Case Studies in the Practice of Theatre for Development*.
From 2001 to 2010, he coordinated the Nigerian research team for the IDS/Sussex-led "Citizenship, Participation and Accountability" project.[6]
He contributed to “Voices from the Margin: Beyond 2015” (from 2009), a global research campaign for post-MDGs inclusion, and took part in the DFID-backed "Scenarios of Citizenship" at Oxford.[7]
Abah worked with several international organizations including DFID, MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, UNICEF, and UNDP on community-based research in democracy, adolescent health, and education.
He has also served as an editor/advisor for Journal of African Cultural Studies, Research in Drama Education, Journal of Community Development (Oxford University Press), and PLA Notes (IIED, London).
Recognition
[edit]In April 2023, he received the Pillar of Development Communication Award from the Institute of Strategic and Development Communication, Nasarawa State University, Keffi.[8]
Later in 2023, he was honored at the International Conference on Applied Theatre in Africa hosted at ABU Zaria.[9]
In February 2025, he received the Pan-African Award: Chief Pedagogue of Theatre for Development Globally from the Centre for Socially Engaged Theatre (C-SET), Canada, in collaboration with the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, UK.[10]
He was also celebrated during ABU’s 70th anniversary.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ https://dailytrust.com/i-love-to-move-from-ideas-to-action-steve-abah/
- ^ Abah, O.S. (1982). Ochoocha, The Storytelling Performance of the Idoma: Its Place in a Changing Society. M.A. Dissertation, ABU Zaria.
- ^ Abah, O.S. (1987). Popular Theatre as a Strategy for Education and Development: The Example of Some African Countries. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Leeds.
- ^ https://institutes.abu.edu.ng/idr/public/directors.php
- ^ Abah, O.S. (1978). Returning to Roots: Traditionalism in the Plays of Efua Sutherland. B.A. Project, ABU Zaria.
- ^ https://archive.ids.ac.uk/drccitizen/pages/oga-steve-abah.html
- ^ Abah, O.S. (2005). “Scenarios of Citizenship: Problematizing Social Development in a Non-Justiciable Context.” DFID Retreat, Oxford, UK.
- ^ https://nationalupdate.ng/2023/04/24/development-communicators-gather-in-keffi-as-institute-honours-sule-lalong-ogbeche-others/
- ^ https://guardian.ng/news/c-set-sets-for-international-conference-on-applied-theatre-in-africa-at-benue-varsity/
- ^ https://cset.ca/international-conference-on-pan-african-applied-theatre/
- ^ https://intervention.ng/28875/