The Department of the Performing Arts of the University of Ilorin was shed in 1981 with a student strength of 16 and 3 pioneering academic staff The poneering academic staff was made up of Professor A. A. Mensah, Dr. Aka Nasiru (now Professor) and Mr Yulisa Amadu Maddy. Professah, Dr. Mensah was the pioneering Head of Department. 12 other direct entry students uter joined the 16 students the following year. In 1983, Dr. (Mrs.) Zulu Sefols (ter Profesor and now late) who joined the Department from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria became the Head of Department until 1988 when Professor Akanji Nasiru alternated with Professor Zulu Sofola as Acting Head of Department between 1988 and 1998. This phase of stability in the development of the Performing Arts marked the enlistment of Mrs. Bunmi Babarinde-Hall from USA. to teach Dance in 1983. Others such as Dr. Ayo Akinwale (now Professor) and Dr. Bode Omojola joined the Department in 1985. Professor Ayo Akinwale was Acting Head of Department from 1998 to 1999 while Dr. Bode Omojola took over from him in 1999 to 2001. Mrs Lavinia Thornton-Odejimi from USA. was employed to teach Music between 1987 and 1988. Mr. Segun Oyesore (now Dr. Segun Oyewo) joined the Department in 1988 while Mr. Sam Amusan came on board in 1989.
Of significance, however, was the employment of former students who graduated from the Department as academic staff in the Department. Mr. S. E. Ododo (who left the Department as a Ph.D. holder and Senior Lecturer and, now Professor) came on board of the academic staff in 1993 as the first ex-student of the Department to become a staff. He was the Ag. Head of Department from 2001 to 2003, and the first to obtain a Ph. D. in the Department in 2004. In 1993. two other members of staff were appointed. They are Mr. Taiye Adeola and Mr. Felix Akinsipe to teach Music and Dance respectively. Miss Gladys Akunna alsc taught Dance briefly in the Department between 1997 and 2000 before resigning Mr. R. A. Musa (now a Ph. D. holder and name changed to Abdul Rasheed A Adeoye) who joined the Department in 1999 was the last staff employed in the 1990s. At least, thirteen members of the academic staff graduated from the Department although most of them, like some of those listed above also studied in other reputable universities in Nigeria. The first staff who joined the Department in 2001 is Mr. J.O. Ojuade (now a Ph. D. holder). Others who joined the Department in the same year 2001 are Mr. S.O. Ikibe (now a Ph. D. holder), Mr. Austin Emielu (now a Ph.D. holder) and Mr. Felix Emoruwa (now a Ph. D. holder). Dr. Felix Emoruwa has, however, resigned from the Department. Mr. A. G. Adegbite and Mrs. S. O.O Shuaib joined the Department in 2002. Dr. Ekata Isibor lectured in the Department between 2003 and 2006 while the newly recruited staff in 2011 includes Mr. A. A. Amali, Mr. Kehinde Olalusi and Mr. Taiwo Olalusi. Mr. Rufai-Ahmad Kazeem, Dr. T. S. Arinde and Dr. Oludolapo Ojediran joined the Department in year 2013 and have since been contributing to its development greatly.
Today, the Department can boast of competent, brilliant and committed academic staff that are contributing to the development of the Department and striving hard to sustain, and build on the vision of the pioneering members. The Department has internationally acclaimed Professors. Senior Lecturers, and other scholars who are responsible for mentoring, teaching and supervising students at the Undergraduate level and in the Postgraduate Programmes.
The vision and philosophy of the Department blossomed and crystallised during the headship of Professor Zulu Sofola. The Department also witnessed remarkable developments during the tenure of Professors Akanji Nasiru, Ayo Akinwale and E. O. Kofoworola. The Philosophy of the Department is to teach Music, Dance and Drama being the three areas of the Performing Arts to our students.
Before the demise of Professor Zulu Sofola in 1995, she initiated a Postgraduate Programme for the Department which had additional input from subsequent Heads of Department before it was approved in 2002. This was the year that Professor E. O. Kofoworola joined the Department as a contract staff after his sojourn in the United States of America. He was Head of Department from 2006 to 2009 while Professor Ayo Akinwale was again, Head of Department from 2009 to 2012. Suffice to mention that Professor E.O. Kofoworola was the first Departmental PG Programme Coordinator. Professors Ayo Akinwale, S. E. Ododo, Abdul Rasheed A. Adeoye, Dr. Solomon Ikibe and Dr. Austin Emielu were former PG Programme Coordinators while Dr. Segun Oyewo is the current PG Programme Coordinator.
Since its establishment in 1981, the Department had graduated many she who are painfully employed in several spheres of life – Culture sed Creative Industries. Education, Military, Journalism, Banking, Advertisement Public Relations and Commerce. Others are also working in national, international and non-Governmental organisations.