Media Mentoring Initiative Launches Documentary Fellowship For Students

The Media Mentoring Initiative (MMI) has announced the launch of its Documentary Fellowship for Students (DFS), themed “Promoting the Yoruba Identity through Documentaries.” 

This immersive, three-month program, which kicked off in January, is designed for final-year students from public universities passionate about documentary filmmaking and the rich culture of Yorubaland.

The fellowship aims to deepen the fellows’ understanding of Yoruba philosophies, governance, and way of life.

It also seeks to address the critical issue of cultural and linguistic preservation in Nigeria.  By focusing on the Yoruba language and culture, MMI hopes to instill cultural pride and encourage generational socialization.

The 10 student fellows were picked from a pool of entries, after the MMI faculty reviewed their pitch documentary ideas, which themes included Yoruba fashion, festivals and cuisine.

“I was struck by how articulate the students were and how deeply concerned they were about issues like the state of Yoruba names, the loathing of Oriki, the alienation of our youth from their roots by preventing them from going to the hinterlands to fraternize, the celebration of Yoruba fashion and clothing, and the desire to elevate our food and meals, among other themes,” the fellowship convener Anikeade Funke Treasure said, in her welcome remarks on 24 January,

Tunde Kelani, CEO of Mainframe Productions, a globally renowned Yoruba filmmaker, keynoted the opening ceremony.

Kelani’s work, Treasure added, embodies the spirit of the fellowship, which is to inspire the next generation of documentary filmmakers.

In his keynote address, Kelani noted that “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.”

The Media Mentoring Initiative appreciates its seed donor, the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism, and the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies (FCMS) at Lagos State University for hosting the fellowship.