By danivert
Copyright thesun
From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Professor Esekong Andrew-Essien, a distinguished scholar of Theatre and Media Scenography in the University of Calabar, UNICAL, has called on the government to leverage visual and performing arts to drive development communication, stimulate economic growth, and foster social transformation.
Delivering UNICAL’s 143rd Inaugural Lecture, Andrew-Essien highlighted the potential of combining visual, performative, and electronic media strategies to enhance communication impact.
He introduced the Compacted Multi-Media Model (CM3), designed to integrate these elements for greater effectiveness.
The professor emphasized the importance of building capacity in the arts, revamping training curricula, and adopting a human-centered approach.
He noted that art can transcend language and culture, making it a powerful tool for communication and social change.
Prof. Andrew-Essien also expressed concern over the National Universities Commission’s directive to transfer Fine and Applied Arts departments from the Faculty of Arts to the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, calling for its reversal.
The 43rd Inaugural lecture was titled “Creative Convergence: Leveraging the Intersections of Visual and Performing Arts for Development Communication and Social Change”.
