He was a Nigerian playwright, poet, short story writer, actor, theatre director, film producer and academic.

In 1993/94, as a Commonwealth academic staff fellow, he also researched and taught at the School of English Workshop Theatre of the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom.

[5][6] Ukala's published plays include The Slave Wife, The Log in Your Eye, Akpakaland (winner of the 1989 ANA/British Council Prize for Drama), Break a Boil and Placenta of Death.

He felt the play deserved a production in Africa and, eventually, Sam Ukala did create a version at Edo State University in Ekpoma.

'Folkism' grew from his belief in the necessity of decolonization in theatre, and the desire to explore African traditional standards of beauty and dramatic balance.