A new lease of life is being injected into the once moribund National Arts Theatre as ongoing rehabilitation would end in November. IDACHABA SUNNY ELEOJO writes on the economic implications of this refurbished national monument.
It has been a story of many rough years in the attempts towards reinvigorating the imposing, but moribund National Theatre Art located at Iganmu area of Lagos.
This national edifice has been in a state of disrepair for years following neglect and tantrums arising from management crisis and maintenance until contract for its refurbishment was awarded in 2021.
The cheering news
But while paying a visit to the complex recently to access the level of repair works going on the complex, the minister of information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, was full of excitement when he gleefully said that the ongoing renovation would be completed in a few months while it would be inaugurated before the end of the year. His comment gave relief to many Nigerians who were worried that it was disservice to the country to confine that architectural masterpiece to one of the white elephant projects that dot the length and breadth of the country.
The minister used that opportunity to commend the Bankers Committee for providing the needed fund for rehabilitation.
“From what we have seen, a lot of work has been undertaken here since our last visit in December 2021.
“We are satisfied with the progress that has been made. We are hopeful and we have crossed the rubicon.
“By the time we come back in two months time, we would all see that a lot of work has been buried under,” he said.
On his part, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele, who spearheaded the involvement of Bankers Committee said that by the last estimates, the project costs the committee about 100 million dollars.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this project is costing the bankers committee, by last estimates, about $100 million. More will be invested in this project, but it is going to be business where the monies would be realised again.
“I’m happy that foreign investors are already showing interests and I want to place it on record that we have received enquiries from the United States investors who have said that they are interested in taking a look at not just 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,” the CBN boss noted.
It is expected that over 16,000 direct and indirect jobs would be created during and after renovation of the complex. For instance, Lagos state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said that the project would not only help to deepen the state’s GDP, but that of the country in general, saying he was excited and grateful to the Bankers Committee for the rare investment.
According to Sanwo Olu, the new National Theatre, when fully operational, would enable Nigeria to export her talents in the areas of fashion, arts, ICT, entertainment among others, to Africa and the rest of the world.
He said, “On behalf of my entire millions of youths that are in Lagos, I want to sincerely, through the CBN governor, thank the Bankers Committee and its leadership.
While giving further insight into the economic benefits of the remodelled complex, Emefiele said, “I am getting excited because we are hoping that by the end of this year, there would be some programmes and global activities which would be hosted in this complex.
“We would be talking to arts gallery and hopefully by this year, we can bring the arts exhibition into this complex because we know that by November, this place will be ready.
“So, in November, we can begin to bring this place back to us again and then put life into the tourism sector in Nigeria and particularly in Lagos state.”
Also speaking, the minister of sports, Sunday Dare, commended the initiative which he said would be of immense benefits to the youths of this country as the greatest beneficiaries.
In February 15, 2021, the Bankers Committee signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cappa & D’Alberto Limited as the main contractors, Nairda Limited as the electrical sub-contractor and VACC Limited as the mechanical sub-contractor for the project.
Shortly thereafter, a firm, TopWide Consortium took a swipe at the concession to Bankers Committee to refurbish the complex as according to the project manager of the firm, Chris Ogan, “When the news broke out, we filed a motion for an interlocutory injunction with the subject of the suit through our lawyer and the suit is pending before the court.”
All these and many encumbrances not withstanding, the project continued until the federal government made it clear that the national edifice would be ready for commissioning and use by November 2022.
Change of name
In the meantime, the federal government says the National Theatre when fully completed would henceforth be known as Lagos Creative and Entertainment Centre.
This is according to the information minister. He disclosed this recently in Spain while signing an agreement on Nigeria’s hosting of the first Global Conference on Cultural Tourism and Creative Industry.
According to Mohammed, the global conference which would hold from November 14 to 17 would be the first event to be staged at the newly refurbished edifice.
“Nigeria would be hosting the event at the National Theatre in Lagos which is currently being renovated at a cost of 100 million dollars under a partnership between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Bankers Committee/Central Bank of Nigeria. It is the first of such renovation of the iconic edifice in over four decades.
“In addition to the renovation, new hubs are being constructed within the premises of the National Theatre for fashion, Information Technology, film and music.
“With that, the National Theatre is now known as the Lagos Creative and Entertainment Centre.
“In addition, the Lagos surface rail system to serve the National Theatre would be commissioned ahead of the global conference,” he announced.
He, therefore tasked the contractors handling the project to ensure its prompt delivery for the global event.
According to the general manager of the centre, Mr Sunday Ododo, the refurbished National Arts Theatre would offer the best standard of service delivery and compete for international events when its ongoing rehabilitation is completed. He was speaking recently at a one-day theatre technology workshop in Lagos.
According to him, the ongoing revamp of the national monument would certainly make the edifice more beautiful while requiring skillful staff to deliver quality services to customers.
“The new National Theatre would be having a customer base that is international and to the best standards of service delivery.
“We would be competing internationally for events like World Trade Conferences, United Nations meetings, AU conferences and others,” Ododo said.
He said the workshop became necessary to equip the staff mentally in order to function at an international level while assuring that he would strive to actualise what he called the dream of a new national theatre that would effectively deliver services and rank among the best public theatres globally.
“As the theatre building is undergoing much-needed revamping, renovation and repairs, it is pertinent to equip those who would run the operations of the new structure when fully completed,” he said.
While bemoaning the sordid state of the complex before it renovation, a tourism consultant, Frank Meke had said the story behind the politics of getting rid of the complex was a long one.
“It was a sad commentary of how not to manage our cultural and tourism edifices in Nigeria and a critical study of how top government officials and greedy business men work hard to reap where they did not sow.
“That the complex is still standing today as a pride of Nigeria’s strength and hope in tomorrow’s cultural and tourism industry, the credit goes to the dogged industry stakeholders and the Nigeria media who stoutly stood in opposition to its sale and total striping. The bad news that tailed everyday uncertainty about the complex forced the entertainment, culture and tourism players to drop the location as their veritable address, with consequent drop in volume of trade, contact and new businesses heralding its gradual extinct. “In the absence of any meaningful growth and visible contribution to the emerging narratives on open theatre, exhibition, convention, music concerts, film shows and workshops, giant reptiles and sea weeds took over the place, rendering it a ground zero,” he had said.
