FULafia’s Jonathan Okewu wins big in DUT, South Africa

By Paulinus Auta

Jonathan Okewu, a lecturer in the Department of Visual and Creative Art, Faculty of Environmental Design, Federal University of Lafia (FULafia), has emerged winner of the Durban University of Technology (DUT) “Creative Output Of The Year” award.

Okewu, a conceptual ceramic artist, is currently a postdoctoral research fellow with the Faculty of Arts and Design at the Durban University of Technology.

The award was presented to Okewu, recently, during the DUT Institutional Night.

Okewu has also been nominated for the Emerging Scholars Award which will be presented to him at the 19th International Conference on the Arts in Society at the

Hanyang University Seoul, Korea Republic, in May 2024.

Okewu said he has dedicated the award to his wife, Deborah Jonathan, because of her support of his studies.

He expressed his gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Lafia, Prof. Shehu Abdul Rahman, for permitting him to embark on his postdoctoral research fellowship, saying: “I believe more are coming.”

He thanked his departments and faculties both in FULafia and DUT for their support to him.

Jonathan Okewu is an honorary research associate at the Faculty of Arts and Design, DUT.

He is the author of the book titled: “Clay iron fillings,” available on amazon.com.

He has won awards, prizes, residences and grants as a result of his active participation in research and art exhibitions.

He is a recipient of the originality prize, Life in My City Art Festival 2018.

Okewu is a member of many ceramics and art-based associations.