Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele alongside others on Saturday inspected the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.
The inspection came barely five days after Emefiele disclosed that the CBN and Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) would establish a creative industry park on the grounds of the Theatre and also give it a facelift.
Saturday’s assessment tour was in furtherance of the planned transformation of the 43-year-old national edifice.
Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe; Permanent Secretary, Lagos Lands Bureau, Bode Agoro; Principal Partner, ECAD Architects, Ade Laoye, CBN spokesman, Isaac Okoroafor and Chief Executive Officer of SANEF, Ronke Kuye were among those who accompanied Sanwo-Olu and Emefiele on the visit.
Speaking during the tour, Sanwo-Olu explained that, “What we have come to see is for us to be able to give the go ahead, working with all other stakeholders and our development partners, which is led by the Governor of the CBN, who are putting investments together to be able to do a first-of-its type entertainment, fashion, music, technology, movies and all around creative hub.”
Also speaking, Emefiele reiterated the commitment of the CBN and Banks to the transformation of the National Theatre and development of skills in the creative sector.
He said, “about three years ago, we were in Peru and if this facility is developed, it will be an asset that will be 10 times the kind if convention centre that we saw in Peru. That is the reason we said the youth need a chance. We need to give the youth of this country a chance. That is why under our Creative Industry Financing Initiative, we said for those who want to do fashion, those who are into movie, information technology and entertainment industry.
“We will build a hub around this theatre, an edifice to accommodate them so that they can develop their God-given gifts. I can imagine what this place will look like in two years’ time. Every weekend if there will be something happening, it will boost the tourism potential of Lagos State and Nigeria.”
Last Monday at the Creative Nigeria Summit in Lagos, Emefiele had disclosed that the CBN and DMBs would release N22 billion to the creative industry while the National Theatre is the pilot for the Creative Industries Park that would also be sited in Kano, Port Harcourt or Enugu.
He disclosed that, “Using the AGSMEIES fund through which the banks set aside on an annual basis five per cent of their profit after tax, our goal is to support start-ups and existing businesses in the creative industry space, as well as the development of a creative industry park across three major cities in Nigeria.
“With the kind support of the Federal and Lagos State Governments, the National Theatre, Iganmu in Lagos is expected to serve as the initial pilot for the Creative Industries Park. Our plan is to develop a 40- acre Creative Industry Park around the National Theatre including giving the Theatre itself tremendous facelift; thereby reopening the tourism potential the National Theatre offered during FESTAC 77.”
Inaugurated in 1976 ahead of the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC 77), the National Theatre bustled with creative activities until the 90s when it fell on hard times due to the failure of successive administrations to properly maintain it.
