The AfroCreatives WikiProject and film 2025 for OAU was held on Thursday, October 9, at the Students’ Union Building Television Room (SUB TV room) on campus. The event featured a collaboration between OAU Wikimedia Fan Club, the Dramatic Arts Students’ Association, and the Ife Film Community. The session brought together students from various departments who were there to learn how Wikipedia, as a platform, can effectively tell African stories.
In his speech, the President of the Club at OAU, Praise Adetoro, expounded on how Wikimedia is a subset of the world’s largest encyclopedia, Wikipedia, which boasts the highest article count. He spoke in detail about the club’s activities since its inception on campus. He also talked about the various chapters of the Fan Clubs and network across universities, which include the University of Lagos (UNILAG), the University of Ibadan (UI), and Adekunle Ajasin University, among others. He also highlighted their travel escapades to various locations, including the Ooni’s palace, as well as collaborations with the College of Health Sciences to discuss health-related issues, and the promotion of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Wikipedia. Some of the projects include Edit-a-thons, GLAMs, Wikipedia Education Programs, and related initiatives that aim to promote Wikimedia projects within and outside the institution.
A keynote presentation titled ‘African Storytelling Through Film: Preserving Our Creative Identity in the Digital Age’ was delivered by the former president of the Dramatic Arts Students’ Association (DASA), Testimony Jesutofunmi. He took the attendees down memory lane to the communal lifestyle of Africa and its cultures in contrast to the individualism prevalent in foreign cultures. This was illustrated by the call-and-response style of storytelling, where the storyteller says ‘Aroni o’ and the audience replies ‘o’, or ‘Aloo oo?’ with the response ‘Aloo.’ Using the story of ‘Anikulapo,’ a 2020 movie that generated significant attention worldwide, he discussed how Africans have been led to believe that the ‘Akalamagbo’ only eats carcasses.
However, in ‘Anikulapo,’ the bird represents a symbol of life rather than death. He critiques how foreigners take our stories, claim to have discovered them, and narrate them to suit their own narratives. He urged the audience by stating, ‘My central point this morning is to explore how African storytelling through film is working to preserve our creative identity in this digital age. This is a call to filmmakers to take up this mantle and push these stories that reflect our communal roots and keep our heritage alive.’
Additionally, a panel session was held, featuring speakers from the Department of Dramatic Arts who spoke to the audience about ‘African Storytelling in the Digital Age: Challenges and Opportunities.’ They discussed various challenges facing African creative industries, particularly the competitive mindset and individualism among Africans, which should not prevail. The panellists included the current president of DASA, Oyebade Ademide; Adeniji Tioluwanimi; and Victor Olaoluwa, recent graduates from the Department of Dramatic Arts.
Offering solutions to the challenges, Olaoluwa emphasised that determination is his driving force in overcoming these obstacles, as his focus is set on the ultimate prize. Tioluwanimi elaborated on how she, as a filmmaker, wants to give a voice to the untold stories of Africans and intends to achieve this by collaborating with experts in the film industry. The president of DASA, Ademide, promised that his administration has many initiatives planned for the students, aiming to change their nonchalant attitude towards activities within the department.
Although an Edit-a-thon session was scheduled, it could not take place due to time constraints. The programme concluded with a group photograph of the attendees and organisers, who demonstrated the Wikipedia sign with their hands.