To round off an eventful year, the Terra Academy for the Arts TAFTA has successfully hosted the maiden edition of ÀRÌRÀ, an alumni homecoming designed to strengthen creative connections and celebrate the achievements of its growing community.
The event took place on Friday, December 5, 2025, at Terra Kulture in Victoria Island, Lagos, and brought together alumni from multiple cohorts across Lagos, Ogun and Kano.
Obviously a concept that signifies and celebrates togetherness, ARIRAWA or ÀRÌRÀ for short delivered an engaging cultural experience that highlighted creativity, collaboration and community spirit.
The gathering featured performances, storytelling, food, competitions and an atmosphere of shared purpose. One of the standout moments of the evening was a spoken word performance by Divinefavour Udechukwu, a TAFTA alumna whose delivery captured the essence of resilience and artistic expression.
A major highlight of the event was the official launch of the TAFTA Young Women Advisory Group YWAG. The initiative is designed to elevate young women within the academy’s network by providing mentorship, leadership training and structured support to help them thrive in the creative marketplace. The launch was met with excitement from alumni who described it as an important step toward building a more inclusive and empowered creative community.
The evening also featured a friendly inter cohort competition that brought participants together in a display of talent, teamwork and creativity. Alumni representing different years showcased their energy and skills in a series of performances that added vibrancy to the event and strengthened the sense of belonging within the TAFTA community.
Speaking on the success of the event, JO Umoibom, Academy Lead at TAFTA, expressed pride in the continued growth of the alumni network. He said, “ÀRÌRÀ has become a reminder of why TAFTA exists. We are not only training young creatives, we are building a community that continues to support one another long after the classroom experience. The energy, creativity and camaraderie we witnessed tonight reflect the strength of this network and the potential it holds for the future.”
Chinedu Isagbah, Programs Manager for Lagos State, also emphasized the importance of alumni engagement. He said, “The creative economy grows stronger when communities stay connected. ÀRÌRÀ reinforces the importance of continuous learning, mentorship and collaboration. I am excited to see how this gathering contributes to the professional and cultural ecosystem TAFTA has worked hard to create.”
With over 57,000 young creatives trained across its three locations and more than 32,000 already employed in various creative fields, TAFTA continues to position itself as a catalyst for transformative skills development and industry empowerment. ÀRÌRÀ served as both a celebration of alumni achievements and a reaffirmation of the academy’s commitment to sustaining a vibrant and supportive alumni network.
