Bennett Oghifo
The Street Project Foundation recently successfully staged the seventh edition of the Do What U Love (DWUL) Festival in Lagos.
Themed ‘The Creator’s Market’, the festival brought together creatives, storytellers, entrepreneurs and young dreamers for a day of pitch competitions, poetry slams, stage performances, masterclasses, panel discussions and the presentation of the Wole Oguntokun Legacy Award (WOLA).
In keeping with its theme, Emerald Hall was transformed into a vibrant marketplace of ideas and talent, with a full programme that included a Creative Pitch Competition, Poetry Slam, stage play, masterclasses, panel discussion, live performances, creative showcases, film screening, games and networking opportunities.
The festival, which was free to participants, was supported by sponsors such as Wema Bank and ALAT.
The panel discussion, moderated by Godsdelight Agu, featured Chekwube Isaac, Elizabeth Adams, Roddie Law and Emy Josephs, who shared insights into creativity, purpose and the challenges of building sustainable careers around one’s passion.
A major highlight of the festival was the presentation of the Wole Oguntokun Legacy Award, which recognises young Nigerians aged 18 to 35 who have made notable contributions to theatre, storytelling and social advocacy.
This year’s award went to Oluchi Odii, who was recognised for a two-decade career as a singer, songwriter, actor and producer, as well as her commitment to storytelling, mentorship and social transformation through the arts.
A Fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative West Africa (ALIWA), Odii has used her artistic platform to raise critical consciousness among young people across the continent.
She trained at the Identity School of Acting in London and is LAMDA-certified with distinction. Her work has taken Nigerian theatre to stages in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Ghana, Liberia and other countries. Among her notable performances was a production of Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman in Sheffield.
Her advocacy has also featured prominently in her artistic work. She starred in It Is Well, a play that addresses gender-based violence in Lagos communities, while her screen credits include Netflix’s Smart Money Woman and the AMAA- and AFRIFF-award-winning Lady Buckit and the Motley Mobsters. On stage, she has featured in Hear Word and Legends the Musical.
Through OTO Entertainment, the company she founded to develop and tell original stories, Odii has spent more than a decade combining artistic expression with advocacy.
Announcing her as the recipient, the Street Project Foundation said, “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! History continues to be made.”
The Creative Pitch Competition also produced three winners, with Oyedeji Obanijesu Caleb emerging in first position, Sunmola Abigail Oluwaferanmi of Sup-Alive Enterprise taking second place, and Damseth Enterprise finishing third.
The Poetry Slam was won by AbdulQuadri Ajeniya, whose performance impressed both the audience and the judges.
The winners in the various categories received cash prizes and recognition, while gaining further visibility and encouragement to pursue their creative and entrepreneurial ambitions.