“The artist must prophesy not in the sense that he foretells things to come, but in the sense that he tells his audience, at the risk of their displeasure, the secrets of their own hearts” by R. G. Collingwood.
It is with this mindset that we (arts practitioners/administrators) should know that we have failed not only ourselves, but the entire people of this nation – Nigeria. The degradation has existed for so long amongst the artists here in Nigeria despite constant cries that amongst other qualities that this sector naturally posses. And apart from the huge number of practitioners across the country helping to boost the economy unnoticed though, the arts sector is a potential machinery for employment generation. It is one of the means with which the economy can have a solid base, only if it is giving the due attention by government.
This however, is not entirely government’s fault as we have seen over the years. But of those who are representatives of the art/culture sector (both private and public) for their inability to proof to government that the business is lucrative and it can help a nation like Nigeria to re-engineer her decaying social structure. And this is apart from it being a worthy and rewarding career, hence government’s ignorance on matters of the sector particularly the arts, and consequently the offer for sale, the National Theatre. Or is it a misconception all along that we have an arts theatre?!
Now that the hullabaloo of “for sale” and “don’t sell” of the National Theatre is settling down, good reasoning is pervading through to help sieve the wheat from the chaff. So many artists who thronged the streets for a peaceful march protest against the purported sale or privatization of the edifice to one Infrastructica - a consortium, rarely know that they were protesting for a non-existent institution (an arts theatre). So ignorantly, they vent their anger through the street, marched from the National Theatre premises through MKO Abiola road to Costain bus-stop and back to the National Theatre.
If anger and vituperations or number of protest marches done were meant to solve problems in life, then that of the National Theatre arising from the last purported privatization exercise conducted by Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) near the end of 2007, would have been solved giving the number of speeches laced with anger and vituperations that were delivered after the protest march that same day at the National Theatre and thereafter.
However, the National Theatre is now on the list of PPP (Public and Private Partnership) a quasi-BPE as a potential “for sale” property in 2008. Therefore, the question one is left to ask in this regard is; what are we yet to do to safe the life of the National Theatre?
During the reign of late General Sanni Abacha, Jimmy Atte of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) was the General Manager of the National Theatre. Concerns were rife against the arbitrary hiring of the halls out for birthday parties, wedding ceremonies etc. by the then management of National Theatre as against cultural activities, particularly drama productions which was not in anyway yielding financial gains. And that argument prompted an interview which was conducted by a journalist (Mr. Bola Adewara, Weekend Times 1997) where Jimmy Atte asserted that the edifice is a National Theatre and not a National Arts theatre as argued by arts practitioners.
As simple or feeble as that may sound, it is mind bugging, especially that the man who made the assertion, Jimmy Atte is not in anyway a small man in the service of government. He had been in the service of government for close to 25 years if not more. Such statement from such an officer (GM) of government should not be mistaken for mere semantics or be ignored! Perhaps it’s the root of our ignorance; our inability to understand the import of that statement might have been our undoing in this regard – mistaken a Multi-purpose event venue for an Arts Theatre (?)
To buttress Jimmy Atte’s suspicious semantic, a look at the internal architectural design of the National Theatre would also reveal a lot more. The design favours a Multi-purpose event venue more than being an Arts Theatre. The 2 halls that are presently being used for stage productions or performances are originally meant for cinema shows hence its names (appellation), Cinema halls 1 & 2. One of the cinema halls was first manipulated for a stage performance of late Wale Ogunyemi’s “The divorce” when it was to be staged at the National Theatre and it was obvious that the Main-bowl auditorium which is the only original stage performance space in the entire design of the building is extremely too big for such dramas as The divorce. Apart from drama productions, the Main-bowl could also be used for sporting activities such as, boxing, wrestling, basketball, etc. the other spaces provided in the building are Exhibitions hall, Conference banquet hall, Art Gallery and other spaces for other events (not necessarily arts oriented)
With all the aforementioned, it is obvious that the idea of a National Theatre and FESTAC town came when Nigeria was to host the Festival of Arts and Culture in 1977 (FESTAC ‘77) just like the Nigerian government did with the 8th All Africa Games 2003 (COJA 2003). But in this regard, President Obasanjo who was also the military Head of States who hosted FESTAC ‘77 was wiser, so immediately after COJA 2003, he directed that the Games village in Abuja, the lush apartments that were built specifically for all athletes who participated in the games be sold to willing buyers. Obviously President Obasanjo had learnt from the decadence we have made of the National Theatre immediately after FESTAC. All these are a pointer to that salient fact that the National Theatre was not planned to carry-on as an Arts Theatre but money spinning Multi-purpose event venue as Jimmy Atte had tried to warn.
Yes, the expected redundancy of the National Theatre may have helped in the springing up of a government committee on cultural policy which was drawn after FESTAC. An arts practice of a people is the expertise fragment of their culture therefore the cultural policy does not necessarily translate to an arts theatre policy, it only helps to create an avenue for us to begin to agitate for an arts theatre institution within the stipulations of the cultural policy. With obvious reasons, one national arts theatre will definitely translate to so many because competent practitioners abound.
The only attempt ever at having a theatre arts institution to be professionally run and to be supported by government was the “Ososa Experiment” organized by late Hubert Adedeji Ogunde which end result was going to be a physical structure for the practice of theatre arts and its appurtenances, but was only able to transit to what is today known as the National Troupe of Nigeria because Ogunde died when it was least expected. As soon as Ogunde died in 1990, the beginning of the killing of the idea of a National Arts Theatre began. Because some of those appointed by government to takeover the job could not understand, or they chose to kill the dream deliberately or ignorantly for selfish reasons and unnecessary sentiments. For this set of top government workers, they have confused the National Theatre for a National Arts Theatre, and they have led the battle against an institutional arts theatre in Nigeria ever since for only one purpose, self aggrandizements.
So, now that the common practitioners have been brought into the fracas between the government and its administrators when the former declared its intention to privatize the National Theatre, the practitioners should be careful and be intuitive if it must take sides. Because if there is any group that has been shortchanged or fooled in this matter, it has largely been the arts practitioners. Therefore, the practitioners should resist incitement by these administrators and its agents in whatever guise because it is only government and these administrators that knows the rules under which they have been operating over the years. Rather, the practitioners should seek to know, as written in the books, the real purpose for which the National Theatre was built apart from what we were made to believe and the reason why the National Troupe of Nigeria was created again knowing that there existed a National Theatre, if truly it’s a National Arts Theatre, which one of its very concern should be to create a national troupe rather than it being a separate parastatal under the same Ministry (attempt is on though to merge the two parastatal, National Theatre / National Troupe of Nigeria). It is only when all this questions are answered adequately that we would know in what direction to go.
Surrealist Joan Miro once asserted that “You don't gain even a centimeter of freedom from art that's governed by cold formulas. You only get your freedom by sweating for it, by an inner struggle”.
This is where the Arts associations as proliferated, would come in. These associations in my view are supposed to be an appendage to, even though informally, the federal legislative committees on culture/arts matters. It is their duty therefore, to put into force its internal machinery that would ensure that proper theatre arts policy for institutional practice is forwarded for legislation so that it would enhance the practice of theatre arts and consequently help to invigorate the study of dramatic arts or its equivalent in the universities. For any country to make provision for a course of study in her universities, that is a pointer to the fact that that government is ready to cater for that course of study professionally and it is this point that is germane in this case.
Therefore, taking practical steps (proper legislation and execution) that are devoid of sentiments would help a great deal in resolving the quagmire. Whereas the proper legislation would boost the level of private and corporate support in the down-stream sector and improve level of competitiveness amongst practitioners, the status quo or the Infrastructica idea would keep them, as it is now, in the trashcan. This is the reason the government administrators could manipulate the parastatal the way they do and consequently, the live theatre’s fortunes and other arts businesses are dwindling by the minutes.
Good legislation is security for good investors/investments. Investors will naturally come forward when there is good legislation on ground. One of the key points of such legislation is the complete autonomy of the National Theatre if it is eventually going to be converted to a National Arts Theatre, though to be regulated by government. So ultimately, the institution would need investors.
Then the logic. To annex the potentials of a good legislation in any giving arrangement, application of logic is essential. Logic in this sense would amount to how the new legislation, when or if done, could have bearing on the operational standards in the running of the National Arts Theatre. Eating your cake and having it is not an essential for compromise. Therefore, all present staff of the National Theatre should re-apply for their jobs. This automatically would cater for a more efficient work-force, and a reorganization of all the departments for effective operation.
It is important to mention therefore, that a strong and unbiased selection of members into committee should be organized to draw-up a good bill for legislation. This group of people should be thoroughly and independently researched by the government, and ensured that they are competent for the assignment and the selection should transcend all cadres in the industry.
It is with such commitment that we stand to benefit as a nation from having a National Arts Theatre that would truly preserve and display the cultural identities of the Nigerian people.
Makinde Adeniran.
Playwright, Director, Arts/Culture Consultant
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