The Media Mentoring Initiative’s Documentary Fellowship for Students promotes Yoruba identity through filmmaking, fostering cultural preservation
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Media Mentoring Initiative (MMI) has launched the Documentary Fellowship for Students (DFS), a programme dedicated to promoting Yoruba heritage through documentary filmmaking.
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The three-month fellowship, which commenced in January, is tailored for final-year students from public universities with a passion for storytelling and a deep interest in Yoruba culture.
The initiative aims to provide fellows with an in-depth understanding of Yoruba philosophies, governance, and traditions while addressing the pressing issue of cultural and linguistic preservation in Nigeria.
By focusing on the Yoruba language and way of life, MMI seeks to instil cultural pride and encourage intergenerational engagement with Yoruba heritage.
Ten student fellows were selected through a rigorous application process in which MMI faculty reviewed their documentary pitch ideas.
The themes explored in these pitches included Yoruba fashion, festivals, and cuisine, reflecting the fellows’ commitment to showcasing different facets of Yoruba identity.
In her welcome remarks on 24 January, fellowship convener Anikeade Funke Treasure praised the participants’ dedication and insight.
“I was struck by how articulate the students were and how deeply concerned they were about issues like the state of Yoruba names, the diminishing appreciation of Oriki, the disconnection of our youth from their roots by preventing them from engaging with rural communities, the celebration of Yoruba fashion, and the elevation of our traditional meals,” she stated.
The event featured a keynote address by Tunde Kelani, CEO of Mainframe Productions and an internationally acclaimed Yoruba filmmaker. Treasure highlighted Kelani’s work as embodying the essence of the fellowship, which seeks to inspire a new generation of documentary filmmakers dedicated to cultural preservation.
Kelani underscored the importance of the initiative in safeguarding Yoruba heritage.
“The Yoruba people are known worldwide for their rich culture, profound history, and timeless traditions. Yoruba identity is a treasure that has stood the test of time. However, with globalisation and the increasing influence of modern trends, many aspects of this heritage risk being forgotten or misunderstood,” he remarked.
The Media Mentoring Initiative expressed its gratitude to the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism for serving as the seed donor and to the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies (FCMS) at Lagos State University for hosting the fellowship.
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The DFS programme promises to play a crucial role in equipping young filmmakers with the tools to document, celebrate, and preserve Yoruba culture for future generations.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator and a recipient of the D9112 Superstar Icon Award, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
