Ifeoma Fáfúnwá is a Nigerian theatre director, playwright, artist, and activist, known for using performance art as a tool for social change. She is the founder and creative director of iOpenEye Africa Foundation, a Lagos-based non-profit organization that focuses on empowering women, youth, and girls through creative activism.
Biography
Ifeoma was born in Lagos, Nigeria, to Carol Obianwu, a physics teacher and vice principal at St. Gregory’s College, and Walter Obianwu, an internationally competitive tennis player.
She attended St. Mary’s Primary School, Lagos, and Holy Child College, Obalende, before moving to the United States at age 17 for university studies.
Education:
- B.A., University of Massachusetts at Amherst (1987)
- Took courses at Dorsey Studios for the Performing Arts and University of Southern California
- Fellowships:
- Harvard University’s Radcliffe Institute
- Aspen Institute Global Leadership Fellow
- MIT Media Lab Director’s Fellow
After working in Atlanta as an interior architecture designer and as a creative director in Denver, Colorado, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue opportunities in film, theatre, and television.
She married Tani Fáfúnwá, son of Aliyu Babátúndé Fáfúnwá, in 2001. They returned to Nigeria in 2003 and have four children.
Art and Work
Ifeoma is a social-impact theatre maker and creative activist. She writes, directs, and produces socially transformative plays and offers pro bono acting and storytelling workshops. She serves as Chief Creative Officer at iOpenEye Africa Foundation.
Notable Work:
- HEAR WORD! (debuted 2004)
A globally acclaimed collection of monologues based on real stories of Nigerian women.
- Performed in English, Nigerian English, Pidgin, and local languages
- Staged at American Repertory Theatre and Edinburgh International Festival
- Praised by The Boston Globe, New York Times, and Sahara Reporters
Other Works: - Eggs & Fleas (Blue Sphere Alliance) - Bigger & Better and The Engagement (Sefi Atta) - Digging for Gold (Lufodo) - 100 Million Vagabonds - Love & Recession - Directed a Nigerian cultural submission for London 2012 Olympics - Featured at Lagos Theater Festival, Tate Modern, and LIFT Festival (London)
iOpenEye Africa Foundation
Founded in 2014 as a Nigerian production company producing socially conscious theatre.
In 2019, iOpenEye Africa Foundation was established to focus on impact work, dialogue facilitation, and free acting training.
Awards and Recognition
- 2023 – Cultures of Resistance Honoree
- 2020 – McNulty Foundation Catalyst Prize
- 2019 – 12 Artists Who Changed the World
- 2019 – MIT Media Lab Director’s Fellow
- 2018 – Access Bank - 100 Most Influential Women in Nigeria
- 2017 – Harvard Radcliffe Fellow
- 2014 – Aspen Institute Global Leadership Fellow
- 2013 – Africa Leadership Initiative West Africa Fellow
Featured In
- MrsF – Award-winning documentary film aired on Al Jazeera