Prof. Esekong Hutton Andrew-Essien

MBBS (Sydney), FRACS (Paediatric Surgery)

Prof. Esekong Andrew-Essien is a pragmatic and erudite scholar who joined the services of the University of Calabar in 2000 as an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts (now Department of Theatre, Film and Carnival Studies). He rose through the ranks and was promoted Professor of Theatre Scenography and Carnival Arts in 2015. Prof. Andrew-Essien holds a B.A. (Hons) degree in Fine Arts, University of Cross River State, (now University of Uyo), 1990; M.A. and Ph.D degrees in Theatre Design & Technology, University of Calabar, Nigeria. Prof. Andrew-Essien has received many significant awards and honours. He got the award for the Best Graduating Painting Student, University of Cross River State, Uyo, Nigeria in 1990; the NYSC National (Presidential) Honours Award, presented by President Ibrahim Babangida at Abuja in 1991; the National Universities Commission NUDTAS Award for Best Doctoral Thesis in the Arts and Humanities (2006). He is also a Brown International Advanced Research Institute (BIARI) alumnus, Critical Global Humanities, Brown University, RI, United States, 2010. Prof. Andrew-Essien has been consistent in teaching and research at the University of Calabar. Over the years, he has taught several courses. Beyond teaching, Prof. Andrew-Essien has mentored many students academically, supervising 5 Ph.D students, 8 Masters students and Post-Graduate Diploma students as at 2020. Many more post-graduate supervisions are underway. Prof. Andrew-Essien, has presented guest lectures and lead papers in conferences and workshops. He was a major resource person, at CARNIRIV Pre-Carnival Forum in Port Harcourt, October, 2012. He was also the lead speaker at the Cross River State Carnival Commission Capacity Building Workshop, December, 2013 and the Cross River State Carnival Commission Refresher Workshop on Cultural Parade Presentation and Logistics, in December, 2014. Prof. Andrew-Essien was the 3rd guest lecturer at Akwa Ibom State University, Faculty of Arts Distinguished Lecture Series where he presented a paper entitled “Flexible Theories, Dynamic Practice: Extensions and Convergences of the Performing Arts in the 3rd Millennium” in October, 2018. He presented one of the lead papers: “Art as a Dependable Driving Force in New Age Marketing” at the New Age Marketing Conference, University of Calabar, 2019. Prof. Andrew-Essien attends conferences, seminars, symposia and technical workshops regularly within and outside Nigeria, (specifically in Ghana, Switzerland, Germany and the United States of America) to deliver papers, learn from other academic traditions and gain cultural exposure. As Head of Department of Theatre and Media Studies, he organized the maiden International Conference of Theatre and Media at the University of Calabar, 2015. Prof. Andrew-Essien’s research resources are drawn from both performative and visual cultures. Quite often, he integrates multiple media in practical productions to heighten aesthetic impact and intensify communication. While some of his works examine theories, others critically interrogate contemporary realities. There is a special interest in assessing conformity to aesthetic values, reviewing production processes and evaluating the utilitarian essence of productions. His scholarship, essentially underlines the need for effective communication in visual and performative media to create change. He is currently a collaborator in the Red Clay Advisor project to develop documentary resources on art, tourism and the carnival experience in Calabar. Prof. Andrew-Essien is a distinguished member of professional associations, including the Society of Nigerian Theatre Artists, Society of Nigerian Artist, International Visualization Society, Nollywood Foundation and African Theatre Alliance. So far, Prof. Andrew-Essien has published 2 books as sole author (one in Theatre Design and the other in Research Methods); he has co-edited 4 other books in Theatre Studies and Research Methods. He has more than 33 publications in reputable peer-reviewed international and local journals and books. Prof. Andrew-Essien is married to Prof. Elizabeth Andrew-Essien, a Professor of Environmental Resource Management in the University of Calabar and they are blessed with 3 lovely children. .