· Creative industry experts paint glowing image of new Theatre
There are indications that stakeholders in the remodelling of the National Theatre are set to meet the deadline for delivery of the first phase of the project and ultimately open the new theatre for public use before end of this year. The actual target delivery time is November 2022.
Vanguard learnt that the project being promoted by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in association with the Bankers Committee at an initial cost of N21 billion is planning to host its first art exhibition in December, 2022.
Earlier last month CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, in company of some members of the Committee and other stakeholders, had said, “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 will all see that a lot of work has been executed.”
A visit to the project site shows that the banquet halls and exhibition spaces as well as the two 500-seater cinema halls have been stripped out, with new walls, floor and ceiling finishings being installed.
The entire heating, ventilation, air conditioning system, power, water supply and sewage systems are currently being replaced while fire safety standards are being significantly upgraded.
The nearly 3000sqm roof terrace, which had been a major source of leakages, is also currently undergoing repair, while the floors, walls, panels, and ceilings have been stripped back as part of a plan to ensure that all underlying structures can support new finishes.
In the 4000-seater main bowl, the new stage infrastructure will deliver future-fit performing arts spaces, for dance, theatre, music, and multimedia, with adjustable acoustics and advanced technical systems, adaptable to the requirements of audiences, artists, and sponsors.
Already an environmental remediation exercise, along with the Lagos State Government, was also on course with the recently concluded Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Review led by the Federal Ministry of Environment on the 44Ha site.
Also the mitigation plans had been put in place to support the preservation of the natural ecosystem and manage all potential impacts, in line with the project sponsors’ commitment to ensuring the legacy of sound environmental principles.
The sand filling has commenced having identified the areas that will generate the least impact on the environment through site studies (topographical, bathymetric, geotechnical, hydraulic and hydrology) conducted over 12 months.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the renovation would be in two phases. The first phase which is about to be completed, involves the revamping of the deplorable state of the infrastructure, while the second phase will consist of the expansion of the theatre.
At the kick-start of the project mid-last year, Mohammed had stated: “The first phase of the renovation is expected to be completed in 15 months. The work in the first phase includes an upgrade of main halls and cinema halls, conference and banquet halls, press hall and the bar; installation of new seats, upgrade of the sanitary facilities, installation of lifts, acoustics and specialist lightings; and air conditioning, lighting, other power-related and plumbing work to international standards.
“The second phase of the project will involve the creation and implementation of a detailed master plan for the 134 hectares of adjoining land to the Theatre. The works include the development of purpose-built clusters to provide world-class facilities for Nigeria’s Creative Industry. All these growth channels have already been factored into the Creative Industry Funding Initiative.”
To test run the Lagos Creative and Entertainment Centre (LC&EC), the culture Ministry is planning to host the first Global Conference on Cultural Tourism and Creative Industry, a global conference, at the centre from November 14-17, 2022, after the commissioning by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Already, the Ministry has signed an agreement on Nigeria’s hosting of this year’s global conference with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) at the organisation’s headquarters in Madrid, Spain, to set the ball rolling for an enterprising and self-sufficient Lagos Creative and Entertainment Centre.
Vanguard gathered from some of the stakeholders that what matters most for creative industry stakeholders is having easy access, affordability and availability of sustainable platforms at the renovated theatre to help hone, showcase talents and also help in creating jobs, wealth and impacting the nation’s GDP.
Speaking on the project during a visit last month Emefiele said foreign investors have also expressed interest.
He had stated: “For 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 a business where the monies will be realised again.
“I’m happy that foreign investors are already showing interest. I want to place it on record that we have received enquiries from the United States from investors 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.
“I am getting excited because we are hoping that by the end of this year, there will be some programmes and global activities which will be hosted in this complex,” he said.
In July 2020, the federal government handed over the facility to the CBN and the Bankers’ Committee.
The over N40 billion investments committed to the project by the Bankers’ Committee is expected to deliver far-reaching benefits to the Nigerian economy and support the initiatives of the Muhammadu Buhari administration to grow the creative industry and provide jobs to Nigeria’s youth population.
The CBN projects that apart from the 25,000 employees that will be engaged in different sections of the monument when the ‘Signature Cluster’ of the building is completed, construction work during the upgrade of the theatre will create a minimum of 10,000 direct and indirect jobs. The Signature Cluster of the building is planned to consist of a building each for music, film, fashion and information technology verticals.
According to Emefiele, “the revamp of the National Theatre to a world-class creative hub would position it to attract local hospitality and international tourism prospects, and thereby, boost the sector’s GDP contribution. A growing revenue from the arts, entertainment and recreation sector might also relax the government’s over-dependence on the oil and gas sector.”
There is the exhibition hall, two cinema halls, the banquet hall, the VIP hall, and the 5,000-seater main bowl. No other venue in Nigeria has this capacity. The main bowl also has a revolving stage, which is rare to come by in most event centres, and this stage has not been used in the past 30 years.
It was estimated that for most part of that 30 years when the National Theatre was grossly underutilized, government lost over N300 billion. The 5,000-capacity main bowl has not been put to use since 1992 due to structural errors. The other halls run skeletal services at best, with most of them as non-cultural or artistic events.
The management of the Theatre seem more excited at the prospect of a robust creative industry enterprise centre after the modernisation.
‘‘More than 16,000 jobs would be created during and after the ongoing renovation of the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, Sunday Ododo, General Manager of the 44-year-old complex, said.
Ododo told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) that most of the jobs would come from the fields of music, movies, fashion, and information technology.
“Some of the jobs will be direct. Others will be indirect. The National Theatre will definitely be a hub for lots of activities,” he said.
According to him, he was particularly excited at the prospects of many youths securing jobs at all stages of the renovation.
“The jobs will come directly and indirectly through the ongoing radical restoration, revamping, and renovation of the edifice. When completed, the complex, which is 44 years old, will be a huge business centre.
“It will be the place to be. Food sellers and other petty businesses will not be left out. Those coming for events will be served.
“If, for instance, we had a maintenance support of a billion naira or even half a billion annually, we will not get to this point where so much is required to fix the edifice.
“That is why we are glad to inform Nigerians that with the new arrangement, there’s a component that says that once the work is finished, a company will be engaged to maintain the facility every day for the next five years.
“If its work is good, it will be re-engaged; if otherwise, another company will be brought on board.’’
Emefiele and some creative industry experts have created a glorious image of the emerging National Theatre stating that the N21 billion investment will go into recreating the iconic edifice, installing world-class facilities, and providing funding and platforms that will enable creative talents to hone their craft, help in creating wealth and engage the global audiences better.
“Our goal for the National Theatre is to create an environment where startups and existing businesses are rewarded for their creativity.
“These Nigerians will be empowered with funds at single digits interest rate, high level training using state-of-the-art tools, and networks that will enable them to turn their ideas into a reality”, Emefiele said.
Also, a station of the Lagos rail is expected to complement other world-class facilities expected at the theatre complex later including; a five-star hotel, ultramodern car park, leisure park, artists’ village among others.
Looking at the impact of the renovation, the Bankers’ Committee explained that the revamping of the theatre is necessary considering that Nigeria has the potential to earn over $20 billion annually from the creative industry.
For the CBN governor, the renovation would lift the Nigerian youths, the creative industry, and the country from the high level of unemployment, amid huge impact on GDP.
“The National Theatre when fully renovated will be able to support skills acquisition and job creation for over 1 million Nigerians over the next five years”, Emefiele said.
Speaking in the same vein, Ayo Sadare, CEO, Inspiro Productions, organiser of Lagos Jazz Festival, said the creative industry is a key source of growth for the economy and investing in the sector would unlock the creative talents of hundreds of thousands of Nigerian youths across all the genres in the sector.
He thinks that the renovation will boost creative business in Lagos mainland as many events that hitherto hold on Lagos Island for lack of facilities in mainland will now shift to the revamped theatre.
Peju Oladapo, a stage director and playwright, is excited that the renovation will result in the rebound of theatre culture, patronage of stage artists, and business for performing art, visual arts and other creative genres.
“I was at the National Theatre this Easter to see a play by Crown Troupe of Africa and I did not like the poor turnout that graced the enthralling play by Segun Adefila. That is discouraging because theatre should be able to pay by itself. So, if the theatre is alive, fresh with new amenities and more relaxing, more people will come and live theatre will peak again with more money in the pockets of the cast and crew members”, Oladapo said.
But he fears that the operators of the revamped theatre might raise fees that would scare art practitioners, event organisers and even the public from patronizing the place as is usually the case with facilities that the government handed over to the private sector to remodel and operate.
“I hope the artist community, creative talents and other related stakeholders who the renovation is meant to help would not be the losers at the end, especially if the operators hike fees for using the facilities above the reach of the creative industry practitioners”, he noted with keen concern.
The government through the minister of Information and Culture, the CBN governor and the Bankers’ Committee, key partners in the project, have earlier allayed the fear saying that such will run against the objective of the renovation and government’s plan to create over 1 million jobs for Nigerians in the next five years in the creative industry, as well as denying Nigeria earnings from the creative industry, which has potential to earn over $20 billion annual revenue for the country.
Riding on the assurances, Tony Okuyeme, a performance artist, Raphael Ogini, a spoken word artist, Imadi Ocheme, a dramatist, Segun Adefila, owner of a stage production company, look forward to better days for the creative industry, starting from this November when the renovated theatre will be opened.
However, after the renovation, the complex will cease to be called the National Theatre and will be renamed the Lagos Creative and Entertainment Centre (LC&EC), in line with the expanded offerings and focus, according to Lai Mohammed, minister of Information and Culture.
More also, to ensure sustainable business and world-class operation of the theatre after the renovation, the minister noted that a special vehicle that would be created by the Bankers’ Committee would be in charge of the operations.
He assured further that the operation would be void of government interference, while the operators would apply world’s best practice and proven business models in their operations.
Vanguard