Varsity don advocates entertainment art for social engineering

A professor of choreography and performance aesthetics at the Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Rasaki Bakare has advocated performative art as vehicle for social engineering.

Bakare state this Thursday while delivering an inaugural lecture on the topic The Healing Properties of the Performative Trinity for a Troubled Society at the university, stating that the three components of entertainment could also be used as socio-economic re-engineering strategy for the country.

The don said the deployment and effective use of music, dance and drama  can go a long way in solving myriads of problems confronting the country.

He  said that the  three instruments of entertainment had, in the past, proven as veritable source of succour and meaningful engagement that invariably make people, especially youths happy in other climes with similar challenges.

Bakare described music, dance and drama as critical mobilising factors capable of healing the wounds in the hearts of the nation and its people.

He stated that he has composed well over 400 songs as well as written quite a number of musical works, including choreographing a total of 200 dance works, as part of his contributions to academics and entertainment since becoming a university lecturer over two decades ago.

The explained that music in particular has been acknowledged as a therapy which artistes use to make sick patients get rid of their health problems.

The renowned dance specialist recalled that at a time in Nigerian history, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in response to negative publicity and global diplomatic setbacks experienced by Nigeria then, adopted cultural diplomacy as our image building mechanism which eventually worked for the nation.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof Kayode Soremekun commended Prof Bakare for his well structured lecture, describing him as one of the leading lights of the institution.

 Other guests at the occasion included the state deputy governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, wife of the state governor, Mrs Bisi Fayemi, theatre gurus from across the country and host of others.

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