Muyiwa Peter Awodiya; Cultural crusader in Nigeria and Professor of Theatre Arts and Mass Communication at the University of Benin. Awodiya lamented the decay that has engulfed the country and eroded its cultural values in his treatise, Leadership Failure and Education, published in the 14 July 2009 edition of The Guardian Newspaper.
Born in 14 August 1947 to Chief James Esan Awodiya, the Odole of llesa, Awodiya attended the University of Ibadan, where he obtained a Diploma in Theatre Arts in 1976. He proceeded to the University of Georgia, USA, where he obtained an MFA in Arts Administration and Theatre Management three years later. A year after, Awodiya returned to University of Ibadan as a lecturer. In 1981, he moved to the University of Benin as a lecturer in the Theatre Arts Department. In 1996 he was appointed the General Manager of Musical Society of Nigeria, MUSON.
In November 2002, Awodiya bagged a Doctor of Philosophy in Arts Management from the University of Ibadan. A leading scholar and professional stage director who has directed over 17 major plays, essential books authored by Awodiya include Managing Arts Institutions in Nigeria and The Drama of Femi Osofisan: A Critical Perspective.
Married with three children, Awodiya, apart from publishing several books and plays, has contributed to major journals in the Arts field and presented papers both nationally and internationally.