Dr. Chinyere Lilian Okam

MBBS (Sydney), FRACS (Paediatric Surgery)

Dr Chinyere Lilian Okam was born in Oguta, Imo State, Nigeria. She is a product of Girls' Primary School, Oguta, and Nigerian Model High School, Alakara-Lagos State. She started her tertiary education at the University of Calabar (Nigeria), where she obtained a Bachelor's degree in Theatre Arts in 2001, before proceeding to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where she bagged an M.A. degree in Development Communication in 2007. She is also a holder of a Ph.D. degree in Theatre and Performing Arts awarded by the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 2014. Dr. Okam also has a certificate in Directing /Make-up and effects from the University of Port-Harcourt, after completing the UNIPORT/Nollywood Film Workshop in May 2019. She is a fellow of the 12th UNESCO/Janusz Korczak Chair International School. Dr. Chinyere Okam served the Mothers' Welfare Group, Kaduna, as a Drama Coordinator for the Niger State field (Kuta/Shiroro). She coordinated the Memory Book Development for Orphan and Vulnerable Children and some baseline studies on HIV/Aids. She equally worked as a Social Mobilisation Consultant, UNICEF CFO (Ikara-Kaduna State) from 2011-2013. She assisted in teaching English and Communication Skills at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria during her postgraduate years. Dr. Chinyere Lilian Okam joined the services of the University of Calabar as a Lecturer 1 in the Department Theatre and Media Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Calabar, in September 2015. She has been teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels as well as researching her fields of specialization and interest that include developmental and pedagogical theatre, participatory action research, development communication, social pedagogy, and Cultural studies. She has attended many local and international conferences, where she presented papers and made useful contributions in her fields. Dr. Okam has successfully published many articles in both local and foreign peer-reviewed journals. Currently, she is the Editor of the Ndunode: Calabar Journal of the Humanities. She is also serving as a reviewer to many journals. Dr. Okam is an active member of many professional bodies including the African Theatre Association, Society of Nigerian Theatre Artists, International Sociological Association, (RC25, Madrid Spain), and is the Secretary-General, ASSITEJ-Nigeria, Chinyere has lent her voice towards the development of a curriculum for Theatre Arts Discipline in Nigeria. .