A student of Performing Arts Department at the Ajayi Crowther University (ACU), Eyitayo Akinwale, has won the best actress award at the 2023 edition of Theatre Students Awards (TSA) ceremony held in Lagos on Sunday.
The 400-level student won the award at the second try, having lost out in the first attempt in 2022 edition.
Her performance in a play titled ‘Circus of the Freedom Square’ won the highest number of votes from judges.
During presentation of the award to the Vice Chancellor of ACU, Professor Timothy Adebayo, the VC said the university will not relent in its efforts to hone students’ skills and improve their academic performance.
He said: “We are always confident that our students will always come top in every competitive event because we offer them the best academic and skill improvement activities. I congratulate Akinwale for being a good ambassador of the school.”
Akinwale won from a pool of finalists which included Kikiope Gbadeyan from Lagos State University (LASU); Esther Sunday from University of Ilorin (UNILORIN); Omowunmi Taiwo from Federal University, Lokoja (FULOKOJA); Angela Eze from University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN); Nkiruka Nwosu from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojuku University (COOU); Perculiar Odogwu from Delta State University (DELSU); and Favour Omamode from Adekunle Ajasin University (AAU).
While thanking the organisers and judges for deeming her performance good enough for the award, Akinwale commended her lecturers at the Performing Arts department of ACU for perfecting her acting skill.
She said: “I felt bad losing the award last year but I was not discouraged. For this year’s edition, I sent a video of my performance in a stage play titled Circus of the Freedom Square. I played the character of Iyalode in the play.
She added, “The play is about a king who was not in tune with his people so they branded him a wicked leader. In the play, Iyalode portrays the character of a woman of tradition. She persuaded the king to offer youthful blood as sacrifice to solve the situation.
“But the king was able to restore the trust in him after he found out those who were building and spreading false and hatred about him. The land knew peace afterwards.”
The award winner said she started acting in primary school and was encouraged by an uncle to study performing arts since she already possesses the natural talent.
“I almost forgot about acting in secondary school until I was admitted to study Performing Arts at Ajayi Crowther University. Actually, my late uncle encouraged me to pick the course.
“I have acted in several plays and after my study, I want to focus on voice acting because of my good voice, body acting because of my expressive facial gift and script writing because I draw inspiration from every event around me,” Akinwale said.
