Wednesday , March 27 2024

Professional Ritual! Theatre Arts Students Association Initiates Freshers into Acting World

TASA Freshers during the initiation

 

Written by Emmanuel Ojiego

That is what they call it – initiation. This is ritual which marks the process of inducting new students of Department of Theatre Arts, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) into the world of acting. This event was organized on Tuesday, May 23 at the Igbariam campus of the University.

The event took place in an open arena as people gazed on while the process which was a bit scary went on. It looked like an fetish initiation into the traditional secret societies in town. But make no mistake, it was simply an academic exercise and everyone who participated is spiritually safe (as we were made to believe).

The students were made to kneel before a make-shift shrine made up of red clothes tied to a tree while people wearing red cloth, looking like chief priests initiated the freshers, a process that qualifies them to be called “Thepia”, a name that makes them full members of Theatre Arts Students Association (TASA). The students were involved in what looked like an oath-taking process and they were all made to drink wine from one cup as part of the initiation process. It was gathered that any student who does not pass through process will not be allowed to act on stage.

President of TASA, Daniel Okonkwo said in an interview, that this practice has been going on for ages and had nothing fetish in it.

The event looked colourful and frightening. But note that they said it was all about acting. Nothing fetish about it o.

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About Chinenye Nwabueze

Nwabueze is a writer with passion for cutting-edge news

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32 comments

  1. To me i will say it bad and also frightening but seems it to welcome the year student into the acting world it good and Nice because without this initiation the can be in this department and also so that it will help them in future.
    quiz no 57
    group no 15b

  2. Nwoye Chinaza Faustina

    Wow!!! This is serious and interesting. Good one Theatre Arts but in my own thinking, this is in form of taking an oath. Please Oo na my own I talk.

  3. To me the students are just doing it for fun because when I asked one of them she told that there is nothing serious about it that is part of the University life.(quiz no:60,group no:12)

  4. Since is for their academic life, let them continue because when I saw them yesterday I was not happy .And as their president said that it will help them to act on stage,more Greece to their elbow. quiz no: 59.group no:12

  5. Udogu Ogechi Victory

    This is amazing!!! must they be initiated into it. I know that any thing initiation has something backing it up. either good or bad but please i think they should stop doing it

  6. in my own view the event was so enjoying as it proves an evidence of technicalities, and there was no atom of fetish act in it,but Just for the induction of their new students
    (quiz No 49)
    (group Number 15B)

  7. This is good. But an initiation comes in two ways,its either positive or negative. Well i suppose this is for an academic purpose so it should be positive

  8. It is sad and worrisome that nowadays people trivialize and accept certain practices and doctrines without asking question about the origin.
    The question we should ask ourselves are ;
    A; What’s the origin of this unholy initiation /oath taking? because nobody picks up a lollipop from a gutter and eat because it’s unclean.
    B; Did the school authority approve of this so called “initiation or Ritual “?
    C;If yes, who are the people that overseas the process?
    D; What does a “make-shift shrine” and a red clothes that was tied to a tree symbolizes? and why must the people wear red clothes like a chief priests during the process?
    E; Why were the participants made to drink wine from one cup? And what’s the source of the wine?

    These are the issues the school authority must look into and have the whatever ” initiation / oath taking “process investigated to ensure that they are not breeding a new set of cultists that will become a menace to the society in our School. More worrisome is the fact that the initial process is mandatory for all theater arts students association (TASA).
    There’re other safe and unambiguous ways
    They can induct new students into the world of acting. like, dividing them into different groups and assign them different acting roles and watch them act on stage before other students.

    Quiz No.54
    Group No.12

    • Dont forget their motto is Creativity in Entertainment…dont you watch Movies are you saying that those horror movies you watch have some spiritual things attached to it…..

  9. to me its good because they are meant to act… buh dis initiation is what I CNT really say quiz no55

  10. Initiation may be of good or bad, depending on d occasion,but since they said it is to help them in the stage performance,all the best

  11. Congrate to those that was iniciated into TASA yesterday but they should try another method of iniciation,the world is advancing christainity have taken most of all this traditional lifestyle the idea of someone kneeling in front of an idol just in the name of iniciation into TASA is babaric and uncalled for.The officials should please do something about it now that nobody have been posses by an evil spirit during iniciating them into becoming a THEPIA.

  12. Ukaegbu Nkeonyere Ifunanya

    waooh this is supurising.but I don’t encourage that how do we no that the person is spiritually safe it might even affect that person in future.even is if its an academic exercise is their no other alternative to that other than that intiation.

    quiz no 62
    reg no 2015304008
    group no 12

  13. In my own idea or opinion I think that the initiation is the act of initiating,or the process of being initiated or introduced;as,initiation into their department (theatre act).Accepting the new student into their department,it is all about induction

  14. Spiritual safe indeed. I will not be initiated talk more of spiritual safe oo! I even thought is Sabbath people when I saw them yesterday, thought they are celebrating their passover. Na them sabi oo!! I greet una!

  15. Yea that’s true it is no fetish,because I saw dem yesterday, it was only an act and interesting, although it looks fetish but it is not,they are only expressing the real theatre they are.
    Quiz no: 9
    Group: 15A

  16. they actually made its look fetish..let them have its in minds that not all will believe that its a normal process that has been going on for ages…
    quizno158
    group 15

  17. Iwegbunam Blessing Ngozi

    It is a welcome development from the department of Theatre Arts. It is a sure boost for prospective actors/actresses as it will strengthen their confidence in big stages seeing that they were bold enough to parade round the school during the event.
    It will if kept up bring them to the limelight of which they have to abide with and must not take it beyond academic stage to ritual.
    Therefore, I recommend eagle eyes to be kept on them, because we students cannot be predicted. so as not to take it beyond borders. Tanx
    QUIZ NO: 50
    GROUP NO: 12

  18. This initiation isn’t impressive at all because that red and white cloth tied to a tree looks more like a deities shrine and can easily attract evil spirit in it during the initiation though TASA usually do that for fun and to welcome freshers in the world of acting… Their is always a spirit behind everything we do in life and this can affect some of them because initiating them into the world of acting can turn around being initiating them with one unknown spirit which they no nothing about, I don’t bide by this idea cos it’s looks fetishes and frightening.

  19. Iweorah ezinne Esther

    My God this is scary, the practice is a good one since there is nothing fetish in it. Quiz no 8 group 11 reg no 2016054034.

  20. It was really interesting, it was because I witnessed it, it was lavishing and colorful it’s a really good thing the way they welcome new fresher’s it makes it looks like a bond
    Quiz number:18 Group number:15 A

  21. Victoria Anikor

    Kind of scaring…….. i actually saw them & admired them, all the same i wish them all the best (TASA)
    quiz no:124
    group:14

  22. so bad this should not be encourage they should find another way of doing it

  23. Nnanyelugo karen

    giggles… that makes them complete student of theatre art students..

  24. Nwankwo onyinye grace

    This is very serious… People should be very careful so that things we don’t no won’t land us into trouble….Playful things can turn into another thing tomorrow all in the name of play… In everything we do in life there are always negative impact at the last… So we should be careful

  25. Nneka precious udekwe S1

    I can’t say it is bad or good but if it will help them den goodluck to all

  26. Umeh blessing Chinelo

    Well all I can say is welcome to the new students (s2)

  27. its creative and entertaining but creepy abeg

  28. its scary but if there is nothing fetish about it …then its ok

  29. Chidozie Chiazokam Jennifer

    wow this is interesting

  30. Smiles

    That makes them creative cause they are the THEATRE ARTS.

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