Osunsanya, Onwuka, Duru Named in NANTAP FCT’s State Advisory Council
Awwal Umar
In a major move to institutionalise leadership continuity and strengthen internal governance, the Federal Capital Territory Chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP) has announced the composition of its State Advisory Council.
The announcement was made at the association’s monthly congress held in Abuja, where the Chairman of the NANTAP FCT Chapter, Om’Oba Jerry Adesewo, described the council as a “guiding pillar” that will provide strategic direction, institutional memory, and mentorship to the chapter’s leadership and membership.
Topping the list of council members is Distinguished Thespian Dotun Osunsanya, fta, a highly respected figure in Nigeria’s theatre community known for his decades of service to the performing arts.
Also named to the council is Distinguished Thespian Esther Onwuka, fta, an accomplished dancer and choreographer, theatre scholar, and immediate past Deputy President of NANTAP; and Thespian Francis Duru, a veteran stage and screen actor with a longstanding commitment to theatre advocacy.
Other appointees include, Distinguished Thespian Lantana Ahmed, fta, a theatre scholar, former Nasarawa State Commissioner for Arts and Culture, and revered matriarch of the performing arts scene.
Distinguished Thespian Kayode Aiyegbusi, fta, the immediate past Chairman of the FCT Chapter, completed the statutory 5-member State Advisory Council (SAC).
According to the Chairman, the selection reflects a deliberate effort to bring together “a constellation of wisdom, experience, and institutional loyalty” to guide the newly elected executive council and deepen the association’s impact across the FCT.
“We believe that our growth as a chapter must be rooted in the legacy of those who built the foundation. The Advisory Council is a bridge between experience and ambition, tradition and innovation,” Adesewo said.
The Advisory Council is expected to serve as a consultative body, offering counsel on critical issues such as policy development, institutional partnerships, member welfare, and long-term programming.
This move comes as part of broader reforms by the newly inaugurated executive, which also includes plans for the Maiden Abuja Performing Arts Summit (APAS), slated for September 2025.
NANTAP, the umbrella body for theatre and performing arts professionals in Nigeria, continues to play a leading role in shaping the national cultural narrative through advocacy, education, and professional development.
With this development, the FCT Chapter appears poised to further assert its leadership in arts governance and cultural advancement within the nation’s capital.
