The Lagos State Government has handed over the management of the iconic Glover Memorial Hall to Lufodo Productions, a theatre and film producing company founded by the celebrated couple in Nigeria’s performing arts, Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva.
Built in 1887, the Glover Memorial Hall (GMH) is a heritage building for theatre and performing arts in Lagos.
After a rigorous bidding process for the concession to manage the iconic GMH, Lufodo won and on Thursday, the Commissioner of Tourism, Arts & Culture, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, along with the Permanent Secretary, Princess Adenike Adedoyin-Ajayi and Director of Theatre Mr. Odusote, handed over the management of the Hall to Lufodo on Thursday January 6, 2022.
Lufodo in partnership with Ciuci Consulting – a leading consulting and operations management firm will be managing GMH for the next 5 years. This partnership will have both Joke Silva and Ifeoma Monye as co-CEOs with the former overseeing artistic direction while the latter handles operations.
Also announced on Thursday is the new board which has Mr. Gbenga Oyebode as the Chairman. Other board members include Chief (Mrs.) Taiwo Taiwo, Ms. Joke Silva, Dr. Tony Rapu, Mr. Soji Jacobs, Mrs Ifeoma Monye and Dr. (Mrs.) Amina Abubakar Bello.
Speaking during the event, Joke Silva, who served as a member of the now dissolved Board of the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, thanked the Lagos State government for their trust in Lufodo and assured that their trust has not and will not be misplaced.
In her remarks Ifeoma Monye a partner at Ciuci Consulting said, “This handover is symbolic and shows that Lagos State is interested in the development of the performing arts industry. With more Public-Private Partnerships, there is no limit to the growth that the great state and nation will experience.”
The idea of the renovation of the Glover Memorial Hall was conveived by former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode who also awarded the contract for its renovation in 2018.
Joke Silva, it was gathered, had shown keen interest in managing the edifice from the onset and was part of the initial supervision of works there during renovation.
It’s no surprise therefore that she won the bid ahead of others who had also fought fiercely to win the management right to run the place where the first film screening took place in Nigeria in 1903.