Waiting for the Revived National Theatre

Dike Onwuamaeze writes that the ongoing renovation of the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, which has reached advanced stage will no doubt deliver a landmark creative and entertainment city capable of attracting massive investment inflows into Nigeria’s creative industry and ultimately support the federal government’s economic diversification drive.

With few months to the completion of the renovation of the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, there are high expectations that the facility would help to attack more investments into the nation’s creative sector and by extension, support the federal government’s drive to improve the country’s non-oil revenue.

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele and members of the Bankers’ Committee have been upbeat about the ongoing transformation of the facility owing to its immense benefits to the larger economy when it comes back to life.

Nigeria is a country with over 250 ethnic groups, which showcase in diverse ways, the country’s rich cultural heritage. Through music, movies, writing, food, fashion, dancing among other genres of arts, the country’s cultural treasure is being continuously showcased to the world. 

The Nigerian music industry had been estimated to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 13.4 per cent by 2021, estimated at about $73 million.

However, one of the factors that have hindered the growth of the sector is the poor state of infrastructure. For instance, the National Arts Theatre reputed to be the primary centre for the performing arts in Nigeria, has lost its glory and potential as a means of non-oil revenue generation for the country.

This national asset, built in 1976 as one of the four main venues of the historic Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) that took place in 1977, popularly known as ‘FESTAC 1977’, has completely lost its splendour.

Just like the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, this facility had been turned into a meeting point for town unions and indigenes from other tribes resident in Lagos State. 

One rarely hear of any cultural event taking place at this edifice that once hosted all Nigerian state government functions and musical extravaganzas such as the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti and Roy Ayers, Skyy, Shalamar, Whispers, Third world and Dynasty; stage events like Wole Soyinka’s adaptation of D.O Fagunwa’s Langbodo and even Stevie Wonder, who received one of his numerous Grammy Awards at the National Theatre.

The sorry state of this national monument and the desire to aggressively ramp up activities in the non-oil sector forced the Bankers’ Committee, in collaboration with the CBN to intervene in the National Theatre and the creative sector at large.

Under the intervention, the project would be funded through the Creative Industry Funds Initiative (CIFI) of the Bankers’ Committee. The CBN and other members of the Bankers’ Committee had set up the Creative Industries and Financing Initiative through which banks are expected to set aside, on an annual basis, five percent of their profit after tax (PAT).

However, as a reflection of the level of work done at the facility, last week, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, embarked on a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, ahead of the maiden United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Global Conference on Tourism, Culture and the Creative Industries, to be hosted at the Art Theatre between November 14 and 16, 2022.

The minister said the conference would mark the fifth time the UNWTO and its member states demonstrated confidence in Nigeria by giving the country the hosting right of major international events. 

Mohammed said the choice of the National Theatre was most appropriate for the conference, because the monument remained the hub of arts and entertainment in the country, and would return the edifice to its role.

He said, “The conference provides socio-economic benefits among other opportunities, where we will showcase Nigeria’s tourism, culture and creative assets, project the country’s image as a safe and desirable destination for leisure and business, and consolidate on our relationship with the UNWTO and its member states.

 “The conference will also generate foreign exchange and create direct and indirect jobs, while highlighting the restart of travel and tourism in a safe and seamless manner after the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a near-collapse of the sector. 

“There will be interaction and exchange of ideas and best practices with key industry players, while creating opportunities for the training of public and private sector tourism officials.”

Emefiele had said the exercise by the Bankers’ Committee was a, “a total rejuvenation of the National Theatre by really redeveloping this masterpiece right at the centre of Lagos that will be linked with the rail to ensure this project works.

“For the avoidance of doubt, this project is costing the Bankers’ Committee, by the last estimate, about $100 million, and I must say that, yes, $100 million or more will be invested in this project, but it is going to be business where the monies will be realised again.

“I am happy that foreign investors are already showing interest and I want to place it on record that we have received inquiries from investors in the United States, who have said that they are interested in taking a look at not just the National Arts Theatre, but also the creative opportunities that we are developing around here. So, I must say that this is exciting for us at the Bankers Committee and also at the Central Bank of Nigeria,”

Speaking on the completion of the project, Emefiele noted: “Our target is that by the special grace of God, Mr. President will commission the new National Arts Theatre by November. And we are hoping also on the day he commissions the new National Art Theatre; he is also going to lay the foundation for the four verticals – the music, the movie, IT as well as the fashion hub.”

He added, “By the time the  president is about bowing out by May next year, he would come again and now re-commission not just the national asset, but the entire edifice comprising the four vertical hubs so that there will be immense business opportunities, enough of tourism, enough of creative sector businesses that will be generated, not just for Nigeria but particularly for our youths who have shown a lot of creative talents, and we think we need to use this opportunity to harness it.

“I’m getting excited because we are hoping that sometime by the end of this year, there will be some programmes and global activities will be hosted in this complex. We would be talking to ArtX gallery and hopefully, by this year, we can bring the ArtX exhibition into this complex because we know that by November, this place will be ready, so that we can begin to bring this place back to us again and then put life into the tourism life in Nigeria and particularly in Lagos State.”

Mohammed had also promised that the National Theatre would be inaugurated by President Buhari in November to open the venue for reputable international events, guaranteeing that the full completion would happen before the president’s tenure elapses.

“It seems very hopeful now that the new National Theatre will host the United Nations, World Health Organisation sometime in November this year and also some other global events. From what you see, you may not appreciate half of what has gone on. I think we have crossed the Rubicon and by the time we come back in two months we will all see that a lot of work had been buried under,” he added.

On his part, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, had said he was, “excited about this and we look forward to November when it will be completed.”

Sanwo-Olu promised that the state would be extending its warmest hospitality to visitors that would be attending the UNWTO event across the world while giving assurance of Lagos’ readiness to collaborate with the federal government to use the event to create lasting positive impression for the country.

 The Lagos State Governor had previously said the renovation of the National Theatre was all about creating an enabling environment for investors.

The federal government and the CBN as well as banks under the aegis of the Bankers’ Committee had previously signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to formally commence the renovation of the National Arts Theatre.

Also, the Bankers’ Committee and Cappa and D’Alberto Limited, the contractor handling the project had signed an agreement to commence the first phase of the renovation, which was expected to end in 15 months’ time.

Additionally, in order to ensure that the National Theatre and the adjoining entertainment hubs retain their ambience upon completion, the Ministry of Information and the CBN/ Bankers’ Committee had also signed an MoU with a facility manager to manage the building complex.

While Cappa & D’Alberto Limited is the main contractor, the Electrical sub-contractor is Nairda Limited while the mechanical sub-contractor is VACC Limited.

According to the promoters, when completed, the National Theatre would be the number one event centre in Africa. There would also be the development of clusters to support the creative industry.