The Association of Theatre Arts Students (ATAS), Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State recently honoured a Nigerian movie icon, Chinwetalu Agu for his notable contributions to the development of the Nigerian movie industry. Agu who holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Dramatic Arts from Munchen College, Germany is remarkably the only actor to have acted in at least 950 video films.
The excellence award was presented to him during the just concluded 2018 edition of ATAS Week held at the university auditorium. ATAS WEEK is an annual event that engages students of Theatre Arts in extensive cross-fertilization of ideas bordering on the generation of performances from script to stage/screen. The event also features series of theatre performances and presentation of awards to deserving creative and committed students and staff of Theatre Arts as well as individuals who support in immense ways the activities of ATAS in AE-FUNAI.


The 2018 edition of the ATAS Week tagged “The Dawn of Theatre Culture in AE-FUNAI” which was approved, guided and supported by the Coordinator of Theater Arts Programme in the university, Professor Ameh Dennis Akoh and the Head, Department of Languages/Linguistics/Literary Studies/Theatre Arts, Dr. Nnenna Nwosu was held from Monday, 7th May to Sunday, 13th May, 2018.
Theatre Arts students (also known as ATASites) turned out in their numbers for the event. There were also various social and academic competitions, including a Playwriting competition conducted by the ATAS Staff Adviser, Mr. Rowland C. Amaefula to stoke the intellectual fire of the students. The winners of the Playwriting competition – Anthony Ugwu, first position; Ferdinand Victory and Akpaka Ruth Onyinyechi, second position; Anatune Mellisa, third position – received cash prizes endowed by a revered Professor of drama, Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Professor Ameh Dennis Akoh and Dr. Onyebuchi Nwosu.


At the grand finale of the event, Agu interacted with the students on the rudiments of theatre and film profession/practice. It was also marked with a solidarity visit by representatives of Theatre and Film Studies Students Association (TAFSSA), University of Nigeria, Nsukka who provided the Association with published play-texts and other gift items to deepen in AE-FUNAI ATASites the “theatre spirit” which emphasizes diligence in both theatre theory and practice.
A member of the Ebonyi State Council for Arts and Culture, Mr. Henry Adjeke who also attended the event provided the Association with dance costumes while Mr. Obinna Idam and his group gave ATAS AE-FUNAI a cash gift. Representatives of MTN and Dufil PLC (producers of Indomie noodles) were also present at the event, and gave students gift items and free lunch, respectively.
Rounding off the event, the ATAS pageantry contests were organized to select Miss ATAS and Mr. ATAS. At the end, Igwe Destiny (200 level) and Ezea Melody (100 level) were worthy winners of the competitions and were thus crowned ‘Face of ATAS’ and ‘Most Handsome ATASite’, respectively.