National Theatre returning to life as Bankers’ C’ttee announces 95% completion of restoration

The new-look National Theatre, when operational, will create jobs, generate income, and grow foreign exchange earnings, thereby becoming a creative and entertainment hub providing much-needed community spaces for Nigerian youth to explore and thrive

WEDNESDAY August 28 was a day the true meaning of “hope restored” perhaps registered more meaningfully with a select group of senior media and culture workers, and other guests privileged to experience a tour of the National Theatre of Nigeria, Iganmu. The shocks and surprises were expressed in different tones and hues as they moved from one section to the other of the theatre complex, which has been under renovation since 2021.

The tour was at the instance of the Bankers’ Committee which had approached the Buhari administration with a proposal to take over the restoration of the long-depressed 47-year-old complex. The plan had seen the former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele leading the Bankers’ Committee to sign an MOU with the federal, and Lagos State governments, to kick off the restoration efforts.

Last Wednesday threw brighter light on what many in the culture sector had been grumbling appeared an opaque proposal, especially as sources within the committee and the governments bandied about various humongous Naira figures, thus suggesting some possible underhand dealings.

At the kick-off of the project then, Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed, representing the Federal government, had said the entire project, a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) tagged the ‘Lagos Creative and Entertainment Centre Project’, would cost about N25-billion, and would be executed in two phases — Phase 1 being the restoration and upgrade of the National Theatre building at N7 billion, and Phase II, development of the adjoining fallow land N18 billion. The figures in circulation was later put at N28 billion, and at one point jumped to N78 billion and more.

Abubakar Suleiman, Managing Director/CEO Sterling Bank Group who represented the Bankers’ Committee during the tour on Wednesday could not name a particular figure too, but assured that the project had gulped quite a hefty sum no thanks to worsened inflationary trend and unstable exchange rate. A gangling Suleiman was, however, generous in his capturing of the lofty dream that led to the bankers stepping up to help rescue what was becoming a sitting-dead elephant; a national embarrassment symptomatic of the wanton culture of wastage and project abandonment the country is known for.

Pointedly, Suleiman said the intention of the usually mercantilist bank men/women was “not to make money” from the venture.

“When we approached the government for this opportunity, we had no idea how we were going to make money,” he said, and added, in the same breath: “It wasn’t about making money. This was about a national monument that had been left abandoned, and we thought anything and everything that needed to be done should be done to restore this to its glory,” stated Sulaiman.

“We were shocked at the scale of the work that needed to be done, but we were also impressed by the possibility that it represented. As you’ve seen, this is one of the largest-scale projects of this type anywhere on the continent. The standard to which it has been restored is global,” he added.

“The National Theatre, which represents one of our highest points in terms of ambition, was in the state of disrepair. We are committed to bringing it back to world-class standards. This would arguably be one of the most complex and most successful projects of that nature. This is putting culture back on the map in a big way,” Suleiman continued, noting:

“It’s not just the theatre; this is one of the biggest and most complex event centres you can have in this country. We will bring it to the public very soon.”

Recalling the beginning of the project, Suleiman disclosed: “We were shocked at the scale of the work that needed to be done, but we were also impressed by the possibilities that it represented. This is one of the largest scaled projects of its kind anywhere on the continent.”

Ade Laoye, Principal Partner at ECAD Architects, who led the project’s architectural rework, said the principle behind the project was 3Rs – reconstruction, renovation, and restoration…
“As we speak I can say we are 95 percent done with the project, the rest work is about completing the fittings in the various sections of the building.”

Laoye, who conducted the tour, disclosed that refurbishing the complex has seen extensive works done on its 5,000-seater main bowl, over 2,500-seater banquet hall, two exhibition halls, three cinemas, VIP spaces, actors’ changing rooms, industrial kitchen, over 300 new toilet cubicles, clinic, fire station, lobbies within the four National Theatre entrances and extensive roof repairs.

The architect said the various facilities have been upgraded to “match with the best standards” of its kind anywhere in the world.

The upgrading includes, in Laoye’s explanation, the replacement of the entire Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, upgrade of the fire safety standards, power, replacement of the water supply and sewage systems, upgrading of interior design with the installations of Audio Video Lighting (AVL), world stage engineering system, 17 passenger lifts, solar power, new furniture for spaces and restoration of artworks including those on the internal wall panels and the building façade.

External works supporting the National Theatre were also carried out in the refurbishment of the three entrance gatehouses, construction of four themed landscapes, car park block (250 cars), the ring road, and installation of external street lighting and CCTV cameras.

Also representing the Bankers’ Committee, Mrs Kafilat Araoye, Managing Director Lotus Bank Ltd, described the renovation as a “rebirth of a national treasure and a restoration of our culture and heritage… We are very excited about the completion of the renovation and upgrade of facilities of the National Theatre, we are indeed very proud of the work we have done here.”

Early July, the Theatre complex was named Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to honour the contribution of Africa’s first Nobel laureate, Soyinka on the occasion of his 90th birthday anniversary.

Also in July during a tour, Chair of the Bankers’ Committee, Segun Agbaje, Group CEO Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc. (GTCo), had said,“I don’t think there are many countries in Africa that have the talent that we have in entertainment and the arts.  All you can do when you have talented people, is to give them a platform to showcase their best. We will try to give a platform, where Nigerians who are in my opinion the best, have a chance to show the world that they are the best….”  

In a post-tour chat with the media on Wednesday, Suleiman reiterated that the Bankers’ Committee embarked on the restoration to unlock the immense potential in the creative sector for the teeming population of Nigerian youth.

“The new-look National Theatre, when operational, will create jobs, generate income, and grow foreign exchange earnings, thereby becoming a creative and entertainment hub providing much-needed community spaces for Nigerian youth to explore and thrive.”

In an earlier tour two weeks ago, Governor Babajide Sanwoolu of Lagos, had said, “Upon completion, the Wole Soyinka Center for Culture and the Creative Arts (National Theatre) will not only be for arts, tourism, and culture but will also provide a venue for the international community to convene for conferences and enjoy world-class performances.”

Added  Suleiman, “The renovation of the National Theatre by the Bankers’ Committee showcases what is possible with the power of patriotism and collective responsibility on the part of the private sector in partnering with the federal and Lagos State governments, to reignite hope and revive some of our national monuments and assets.”

And addressing the fear by some of the guests on the usual poor maintenance issues Nigerian infrastructure usually suffers, Suleiman said the complex and its facilities would not be managed by either the government or the Bankers’ Committee but would be given to “competent managers with global best practice.”

“As you’ve seen, this is one of the largest-scale projects of this type anywhere on the continent. The standard to which it has been restored is global, and we will ensure the maintenance is also of global standard,” Suleiman noted after the almost two-hour tour.

The project prototype on display at Entrance A of the Theatre showed the details of the plan, which reveals its vast landscape populated by other tourism and recreational facilities. Responding to a question on what the gross plans are for the landmass, Laoye said that would be in the next phase of the development of the entire theatre complex area.

January 2021, at the signing of the MOU between the three collaborating entities, Minister  Mohammed had revealed that highlights of the first phase would include “the upgrade of the theatres (the 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 lighting, as well as replacement of the air conditioning, lighting, and plumbing.

“Phase II will involve the development of purpose-built clusters to provide world-class facilities for Nigeria’s Creative Industry, with the clusters having four hubs: Fashion, Music, Film, and Information and Technology (IT) hubs.”

The National Arts Theatre was constructed by the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon and completed in 1976 by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, in readiness for Nigeria’s hosting the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC 77) in February 1977.

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