Assitant Professor
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He went to study Fine Arts at Ahmadu Bello University but switched to Theatre Arts in 1975. His working career started with the Performing Arts Company of the Centre for Nigerian Cultural Studies and Ahmadu Bello University as a Senior Cultural Officer, Graduate Assistant, and Assistant Lecturer. After his Masters's degree in 1983, he moved to The Nigerian Television Authority before traveling to the UK to study Film and Television professionally at the National Film and Television School of Britain which is the top professional Film school in the UK and arguably worldwide. He is the first black African to have graduated from the School. In the UK, He also worked as a part-time journalist for the old Concord and West Africa Magazines. He is an award-winning filmmaker. His fiction feature film titled ‘Kasarmu Ce’ (This Land is Ours) has been seen in over 20 countries worldwide and has won awards in Italy, the UK, and Nigeria. He now makes documentary films for clients who include ONSA (Office of the National Security Adviser).
Balewa was a pioneer Lecturer at the National Film Institute in Jos and for the last decade was a contract senior Lecturer in Film & Media, Department of Theatre and Performing Arts at Ahmadu Bello University. He has done consultancy for many government agencies and private companies including the Federal Ministry of Information & Culture and the Nigerian Film Corporation. He serves and has served on the boards of many organizations including the National Film Institute, the Director’s Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Abuja Film Village Project and Motion Pictures Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN). He has also served on committees such as the National Council on Privatization (NCP) and the Film Development Fund. He also chaired a Federal Ministry of Information (FMICO) committee that investigated the function of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) and the National Censors Board (NFVCB). For his national service, he was awarded the national honors of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR). These days, he specializes in documentary film and his recent credits include ‘Twisted Narratives’, a documentary on Boko Haram, and ‘The General’ a historical documentary series on General Murtala Muhammad. He joined AUN in April 2021.
Balewa Saddik with Brian Crow and Steve Abah (1982). "Soyinka and the voice of Vision", Journal of Commonwealth Literature, Vol. XVII, No. 1, pp,107-22
Balewa, Saddik [1999]. "The Media, Democracy and Good Government" 1999 [paper presented to the EU in Brussels] for the EU Steering Committee on Nigeria EU/NIGERIA Forum Vol. X, pp 212-34
Balewa, Saddik [2001]. "Directing the Cine Film" in "Making The Transition From Video To Celluloid" eds. H. Ekwuazi, J. Sokoumba, O. Mgbejume, National Film Institute pp 112-125
Rishante J. S., Ali Y. & Ahima E. (2011). A Corporate Community Relation Model of State owned Universities in Nigeria. TSU Journal of Arts and Social Sciences. 1, No. 1, pp 40-54
Member, Academic Board, National Film Institute, 1996 – 2000
Resource person, Directing and Writing National Film Institute, 1996-2004
Member, Board of Governors, Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria [ITPAN] 1998 –
Member COJA Creative Task Force and Head of Film Department For Organizing the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 8th All Africa Games [COJA], 2001-3
Member, Board of Trustees, Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nig [MOPPAN], 1997 – 2010
Member, Governing Board, Directors Guild of Nigeria [DGN], 1998 –
Member, Board, Film Rights Society of Nigeria [FRS], 2002 – 8
Chairman, Federal Ministry of Information & National Orientation [FMINO] Committee to Review Functions of Nigerian Film Corporation [NFC] and National Film & Video Censors Board [NFVCB] -2004
Member, Media Mobilization committee of the National Council on Privatization [NCP], 2004 -2006
Member, Board of Nollywood Film Academy, 2007 – 2010
Board Member, Abuja Film Village International [AFVI], 2011 -