Players in the culture community have hailed the appointment of Professor Sunday Enessi Ododo as the General Manager of the National Theatre. They are hopeful he would turn its fortunes around.
Ododo, a Professor of Performance Aesthetics and Theatre Technology in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, University of Maiduguri, was appointed on Wednesday by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In separate comments to TCN, players in the culture sector noted that given his rich theatre pedigree as a scholar and artist, Ododo is a right fit for the job.
President, National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Israel Eboh, said: “I am excited at the appointment of Prof. Ododo as the General Manager of National Theatre. We are happy that a core practitioner is being saddled with this responsibility. As the government embarks on renovating the National Theatre, I do not doubt that he will bring his experience both from practice and as a teacher of Theatre to bear on restoring the National Theatre to once again becoming the theatre of choice for theatrical presentations.”
Artist and former chairman, NANTAP, Lagos State, Mufu Onifade said: “Though a scholar, Prof. Sunnie Ododo is also a thespian who is grounded in the practice, management and administration of theatre. His appointment as the new General Manager/CEO of the National Theatre is an untainted example of a round peg in a round hole. I worked directly with him in 2010 when I was Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners. I saw in him a hardworking man and thoroughbred professional who would not give in to pressure.
“Indeed, Sunnie Ododo has an excellent character and personality; he is affable and amiable. Those character traits make him a good manager of human resources. He knows that the stakeholders in the theatre industry will look up to him for meaningful development of the industry, especially from the stable of government. I do not doubt that he will bring all these attributes and qualities to bear in his new calling as GM of the National Theatre.”
Artist and founder of the Crown Troupe of Africa, Segun Adefila was of the same view. He said, “Most people I know in the arts community were jubilant at the mention of his name when the announcement got to us. A lot of confidence is reposed in Professor Sunny Ododo. You know that kind of round peg in a round hole kind of relief and confidence. We believe our hopes will not be dashed. I expect him to live up to his good reputation. As they say it, the ball is back in our court; it’s time to prove our mettle. The programming that will emerge from the National Theatre should be that type that would turn the famous Abe Igi to a place where post artistic experiences are discussed after a good feast of theatre and/or other artistic engagements. The National Theatre should have as much as, if not even more patronage than Abe Igi.”
Media entrepreneur and film producer, Fidelis Duker also hailed Ododo’s appointment. “It is a welcome development considering that the respected Prof is not only a practising thespian but a teacher. It is instructive to say we will like to see how he will marry the interest of practitioners and the recent concession of the National Theatre to the Bankers’ Committee. It is one important area most of us will be waiting to hear how the marriage will work. However, I am not in doubt Prof ododo will perform. I can only wish him a very successful tenure,” he said
The new GM expected to resume this week, attended the Universities of Ilorin and Ibadan, where he gained his B.A, M.A and PhD, in Performing and Theatre Arts between 1986 and 2004. He is a former president of the Society of Nigeria Theatre Artists (SONTA) a member of bodies including the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Reading Association of Nigeria (RAN) and Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). He was ANA’s national vice president from 2009 to 2011.
