The Open Air Theatre, University of Jos
A Place Where Dreams Took Flight…
Looking back, nothing shaped the soul of our Thespians quite like the Open Air Theatre (O.A.T.) the sacred ground where art met passion and discipline met destiny.
It wasn’t just a stage; it was life itself, performed beneath the open skies. Here, dreams were born, nurtured, and unleashed.
Whether it was rehearsals that stretched late into the night, spontaneous dance sessions, drumbeats echoing through the air, or simply sitting in the audience, soaking up the magic the O.A.T. was alive, breathing, and unforgettable.
More Than Acting A School of Life .
In the O.A.T., lessons went beyond scripts and costumes. This was where character was forged and values were instilled. It was transformation in motion:
Discipline & Time Management Missing rehearsals was unthinkable; you showed up or you missed out.
Respect & Seniority A 100-level student wouldn’t dare interrupt a senior’s performance. Hierarchy wasn’t oppression; it was training in humility and honour.
Teamwork & Creativity Every show was a symphony of voices, bodies, lights, and energy proof that theatre was never a solo journey.
The Legends Who Lit the Stage
How could anyone forget the icons who made the O.A.T. legendary?
Yaki and his legendary drums that made rehearsals thunder with rhythm.
Aunty B’s vibrant dance sessions that turned bodies into poetry.
Prof. Illa “The Masquerade” himself whose genius reshaped storytelling.
Oga Lateef, Prof. Duga, Prof. TorVictor, Prof. Irene Salami, and so many others who poured their hearts into shaping young minds beyond academics.
They weren’t just lecturers; they were mentors, dream-makers, and destiny shapers.
The Famous Viva Brutal, Honest, Unforgettable
If you performed at the O.A.T., you remember the viva the intense post-mortem after every show.
It wasn’t for the faint-hearted. Every scene, every gesture, every line… dissected and debated. You left either humbled or elevated but always transformed.
More Than a Stage… A Preparation for Life
For the amazing Thespians who passed through these sacred grounds, the O.A.T. wasn’t punishment it was preparation:
Preparation for life.
Preparation for society.
Preparation for destiny.
Preparation for the global stage.
Here, you learnt that life itself is theatre a stage where every act, every role, and every audience matters.
The Open Air Theatre will forever remain a timeless monument of dreams, discipline, and destiny.
Forever the beloved O.A.T !
It does not matter what your discipline in UJ, the Open Air Theatre remained a gathering point of all. The eccentrics and out and out nut cases. It was a place of absolute comic relief and letting off tension. Day and night some wierd or wonderful is going on there. Some of us who were not Theatre Arts students sometimes also ended up joining in the hilarious theatrical madness of the OAT. Except for criminal acts or open abuse, there were no punches pulled in the expressions poured out in UJs OAT.
It makes one proud the see that the blossoming Nigerian film industry and theater couldnot have achieved its success without the core contribution of the OAT of UJ and the Theater Arts department of that great institution.
Greeaaat Josites !!!!!
Stay Connected
Let’s keep the memories alive and the community stronger:
Dr. Sunday Musa Onalo
Public Relations Officer
Unijos Alumni Association Global
