May I start this by way of a vote of thanks or better still, as an appraisal of the entire scenario of the Nigerian theatre as practised and as ranked amongst the economical potentials of the Nigerian nation…? I think it would pay me more to dwell first on the latter then a vote of thanks would follow.
Often I hear people say the Nigerian home video has silenced the Nigerian theatre and I laugh but I never failed for once to tell them that it’s a mere transition which is crucial and necessary in every human evolution especially in a world where your economical status determines your grade as a nation, hence Nigeria’s third world country grade. This automatically translates that the nation must continue to prod on how she would improve on her economical gains. It behoves me to say then that theatre just like crude-oil, when it was discovered, had and still have potentials to improve the nation’s gains. From crude-oil, Nigeria refined petroleum, so much so from theatre, the nation’s practitioners stepped it up to tourism and film making. This has been the process because the theatre practice of a people borrows its strength from the people’s culture so it cannot die except that culture goes into extinction. If we as a developing nation failed to move to this next stage then we would have defied natural laws of human evolution
But presently, to be a veteran is not a worthy course here I must tell you, but it is a nature’s gift so, an option is not conferred. The potentials of the profession is so stunted by mediocrity in the governance of its produce and the people therein so much so that ideas abound but no competent structure upon which to practice them except for two performance halls in the 140 million certified habitable spaces called Nigeria.
It is with this hindsight that the position of our veterans today becomes relevant and fearful. To think that every practitioner of the trade will come to be veteran someday is enough impetus to gear everybody concerned, both government and private operators to finding a formidable structure for the running of the arts/entertainment industries in Nigeria so that those who have served the country genuinely with their arts would not be deprived of their pensionary status and all that accompanies it.
To annexe all of these ideas to develop the nation especially at this period that diversification of the nation’s revenue generation is crucial, it will be quite wise to tap the nature’s gifts from these veterans before they finally bow out.
I thank all of the veterans who have finally, like an apprentice after long years of serving his Master, the Master gleefully will call for the family of the apprentice then he’ll place his hand on the apprentice’s head and offered a prayer of success to the apprentice. From then on, the apprentice transits to master. I thank all of the veterans for being part of this play. For me, I have served them well.
Makinde Adeniran
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
REVAMPING THE CULTURAL SECTOR
THE ‘ANT’ PROJECT
The ANT project looks at the substance and relationships vis a vis functionality of all government cultural agencies across the country.
The government agencies to be considered are:
Arts Gallery
National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC)
National Theatre / National Troupe of Nigeria (NT / NTN)
National Museum
National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO)
Centre for Black African Arts Civilization (CBAAC)
Tourism
Brief: AS THEY ARE
The National Arts Gallery takes care predominantly of visual arts and other matters as related.
National Council for Arts and Culture articulates chiefly, all traditional cultures mainly for; (i) archival purpose (ii) performances / display} Arts. And other matter as related
National Theatre / National Troupe of Nigeria articulate and display through performances and all, the literature of the Nigerian people as a repository for cultural exchange and other matters as related.
National Museum archives for display mostly for historical relevance, natural / national cultural and traditional heritages and all other matters as related.
National Institute for Cultural Orientation is primarily a school which deals with orientating willing students about the cultural practices of Nigerian people, and all other matters as related.
Centre for Black African Arts Civilization is an archival agency that deals primarily with the information on picture (motion/still) and historical artifacts and all other matters as related.
Tourism Board is a major factor in the display of natural heritage mainly for revenue generation and all other matters as related.
Brief : WHAT WAS WRONG
National Arts Gallery adequate programming / policy / funding
· NCAC funds / policy / programming /staff incompetence
· NT / NTN policy /funding/ programming / staff incompetence
· National Museum funding / programming /policy (?)
· NICO non-merger / policy
· CBAAC non-merger / policy / funding
· Tourism programming / funding
PROPOSAL
To make this agencies function as they should for better result, this suggestions are to be considered:
National Arts Gallery should consider taking some of the responsibilities of CBAAC such as, picture archive (still / motion)
National Museum should consider taking over other responsibilities of CBAAC such as, archival of National artifacts.
National Institution for Cultural Orientation should operate under NCAC
Brief: WHAT THEY OUGHT TO BE
National Arts Gallery through its programmes should be a repository and a custodian of the nation’s visual arts for purpose of history, commerce, research, residency and education. It should be autonomously run by experts but controlled by government
National Council for Arts and Culture through its programmes should be the nerve, the centre point between the government, other cultural institutions and the public through cultural information, training, cultural policies, education, residency and grants. It should be managed strictly by the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism. It should design a workable plan in which our traditional festivals can also be of touristic value (TT Agenda). The NICO merger would be the informal college that takes care of the education aspect of its programming.
National Theatre / National Troupe of Nigeria is a victim of bad policy therefore, if the policy review is done, the NT should only have National Theatre Company in which case, members will be the resident artistes. Its programmes should place the NT as the route that helps throw up new talents in our literary circle through performances, reading etc. It should help the education sector especially in literature and drama departments. It should publish books, it should help in juxtaposing our arts vis a vis our culture against that of the others for relevance and standardization in the global setting through performances and all. It should be autonomously run by a group of experts contracted but controlled by government.
National Museum should be upgraded to match international standard. It should be managed by government. Strong security arrangement is needed at the Museum because our history resides there.
The Tourism Board should work hand in hand with the NCAC for effectiveness in the discharge of its duty in the display of natural heritage mainly for revenue generation. It should be managed by government.
Brief: PROGRAMMING
· National Arts Gallery Visual Art Expo / Summer Arts Festival (SAFE)/ Workshops, Seminars / Exhibitions / Training / Residency / Visual Arts Museum… etc./ EXPERT PROGRAMMER IS NEEDED
· NCAC Re-designed NAFEST / Award Grants / Training / National Arts Fair / Seminars / Workshops / Collating arts event calendar / TT Agenda / Hall of Fame … etc / AN EXPERT PROGRAMMER IS NEEDED
· NT / NTN AN EXPERT PROGRAMMER IS NEEDED
·
· National Museum AN EXPERT PROGRAMMER IS NEEDED
·
· Tourism AN EXPERT PROGRAMMER IS NEEDED
Brief: FUNDING
· National Arts Gallery Government subvention / Funding Agencies / corporate finance
· NCAC Heavily funded by government / Funding Agencies
· NT / NTN Government subvention / Funding Agencies / Corporate finance
· National Museum Funded by government / Funding Agencies / Corporate finance
· Tourism Funded by government / Funding Agencies / Corporate finance
Brief: RECOMMENDATIONS
That the legislation for the restructuring of all these institutions should be pursued vigorously for adequate results in all their activities so that they can have positive bearing on Nigerians and the nation.
That a formidable Committee should be setup to articulate and discuss, to a logical conclusion the issues raised by this proposal. And to expand on programmes recommended.
That the NCAC should in whatever the conclusion of the Committee, institute a National Arts Endowment Funds (NAEF) to support the down stream sector (private arts companies) of the Art/Culture sector.
CONCLUSION
It is pertinent to know that this sector is a major factor in the economical re-engineering that the Nigerian government seeks. In terms of social conduct and preservation of the Nigerian identities which is important in nationhood, this sector plays a vital role. It is in this regard that I am pleading with the government to stop treating the sector with such levity as displayed in the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo led government.
Cultures, tradition and accepted standards 1
Akudaaya is a metaphysical phenomenon but socio-culturally relevant and real, not in the Yoruba world view alone but of the entire human race, fearful but awesome. Though, it is expressly contradictory to the real value of the cliché- ile aye laagbe (earth is the only habitual haven) Indeed, no one would in my thinking willingly chose to, with the little human beings are already exposed to about heaven, earth, hell, galaxies and stars etc, etc, live in heaven, not when they are not sure about the composition of that world, heaven, except for what is often heard from religious preachers or the folklore stories. Human beings will forever be comfortable with the earth-world because they know it inside out, they understand the manipulations here; be it good or bad, they are always comfortable with it hence the aphorism - No one wants to die!
Unmindfully of how, everybody wants to be comfortable, and this is often than not, the human albatross. In the quest for comfortability, some reach for the far end while some bring some quantum of ego into it, even with that, it’s a craving for another cadre of comfortability, maybe not in the general and more popularly known kind of comfort but a kind that makes you feel good in the innermost of your heart that whatever happens, your reputation is intact. In all, collectively or individually, human beings aim at being comfortable all the time. As the world turns over with years, standard of what is acceptable as comfortability increases therefore; human beings continually would crave for these acceptable standards, though some never get there until they are wiped off the surface of earth. Which brings to mind the question; what is a culturally accepted standard of comfort?
With culture comes tradition, and for every culture, tradition differs. While tradition stays stiff, every culture manipulate the world and her accepted standards so, it leaves every human being to few sets of choices especially the dos and don’ts because some traditional ideals, as horrible and simple as they seem, the cultures are yet to water them down to comfortability zone. The issue of adolescent pregnancy is to my mind, a global monster that trades its stock stiffly on tradition irrespective of the neutrality applied by every culture and our growing standards. Because she’s an adolescent still supposedly, tied to the family’s apron strings therefore, the reputation of the family comes before her comfort so she must protect it with every pint of blood in her, and where mistake occurs, she suffers it sometimes with her life; what a burden to bear!
Conflicting comforts zones have brought the world almost to her knees. Take the growing culture of a girl of fifteen years old having a boyfriend. Even though there are certain unwritten sets of rules of what they could do together at that age, moralistic though, but when their bodies hover and their eyes catches the glimpses of their images’ sights, their mouths are bound to water for the thirst of the devil’s apple, and in their own quietude and solitude, they’ll do the thing. And if par chance they become unlucky, the male semen will contract the ovary, and that is the beginning of the journey into the realm of, according to societal norm, unwanted pregnancy which is totally an upset to the world’s set standards. The first option for whichever family this happens to is, secrecy; it must not come to the public domain because it is considered shameful even though bearing children is a thing of joy.
If we take a look at the issue of adolescents unwanted pregnancy in Asia, China specifically, where even legally married husband and wife apply the Federal Republic’s constitution to have two children otherwise it is one child par family because China is the most populous nation on earth so the population has to be regulated. Or in the Americas where hypocritically, morality is an institution, transparency is the norm even though a whole lot is covered-up. Patriotism is a ritual that must, though lip-serviced, be performed daily by every American even if at the cost of lives. Or in the Europe where standards are peculiarly high, so high that even angels would fall foul of the constitution or set societal values par day. In Europe, a child still living in his parents’ home could enforce her right to the point that she could invite the police to arrest her parents for ‘over’ scolding her and if proven, the constitution will oblige a punishment to the parents because it’s a societal set standard. Or in the Middle-east where religion and war or civil unrest is so pervasive that you never could understand the peace value of religion anymore. Israel, Palestine and Saudi-Arabia are countries symbolizing religion so youths are supposed to be a direct preserve of the holy books; the Torah, Bible, Hadith, Koran, etc. which set standards on morals are applied by almost all cultures in the world yet, Saudi-Arabia is said to harbour the highest number of youthful sex workers in that region. Or in Africa, where inferiority complex has reduced our mentality to hoodwinking on neo-colonialist suppression; the set standards in Europe or America is the pedestal on which our youth ape their lives, and most of the time, it contradicts the African set values. So perpetually, the Africans live their lives in a state of ‘social confusion’. Yet the African cultures, so potent that it wrestles neo-colonialist tendencies everytime. But quite unfortunately, the children of this generation are born in the jet-age where the entire world has turned a global village operating on a single digit set of standards. Then abortion in this case; for an impregnated girl of fifteen, becomes a stained value no matter where in the world. And often than not, abortion for a teenager is done in secret, most of the time, to protect the family’s name.
Makinde Adeniran
Unmindfully of how, everybody wants to be comfortable, and this is often than not, the human albatross. In the quest for comfortability, some reach for the far end while some bring some quantum of ego into it, even with that, it’s a craving for another cadre of comfortability, maybe not in the general and more popularly known kind of comfort but a kind that makes you feel good in the innermost of your heart that whatever happens, your reputation is intact. In all, collectively or individually, human beings aim at being comfortable all the time. As the world turns over with years, standard of what is acceptable as comfortability increases therefore; human beings continually would crave for these acceptable standards, though some never get there until they are wiped off the surface of earth. Which brings to mind the question; what is a culturally accepted standard of comfort?
With culture comes tradition, and for every culture, tradition differs. While tradition stays stiff, every culture manipulate the world and her accepted standards so, it leaves every human being to few sets of choices especially the dos and don’ts because some traditional ideals, as horrible and simple as they seem, the cultures are yet to water them down to comfortability zone. The issue of adolescent pregnancy is to my mind, a global monster that trades its stock stiffly on tradition irrespective of the neutrality applied by every culture and our growing standards. Because she’s an adolescent still supposedly, tied to the family’s apron strings therefore, the reputation of the family comes before her comfort so she must protect it with every pint of blood in her, and where mistake occurs, she suffers it sometimes with her life; what a burden to bear!
Conflicting comforts zones have brought the world almost to her knees. Take the growing culture of a girl of fifteen years old having a boyfriend. Even though there are certain unwritten sets of rules of what they could do together at that age, moralistic though, but when their bodies hover and their eyes catches the glimpses of their images’ sights, their mouths are bound to water for the thirst of the devil’s apple, and in their own quietude and solitude, they’ll do the thing. And if par chance they become unlucky, the male semen will contract the ovary, and that is the beginning of the journey into the realm of, according to societal norm, unwanted pregnancy which is totally an upset to the world’s set standards. The first option for whichever family this happens to is, secrecy; it must not come to the public domain because it is considered shameful even though bearing children is a thing of joy.
If we take a look at the issue of adolescents unwanted pregnancy in Asia, China specifically, where even legally married husband and wife apply the Federal Republic’s constitution to have two children otherwise it is one child par family because China is the most populous nation on earth so the population has to be regulated. Or in the Americas where hypocritically, morality is an institution, transparency is the norm even though a whole lot is covered-up. Patriotism is a ritual that must, though lip-serviced, be performed daily by every American even if at the cost of lives. Or in the Europe where standards are peculiarly high, so high that even angels would fall foul of the constitution or set societal values par day. In Europe, a child still living in his parents’ home could enforce her right to the point that she could invite the police to arrest her parents for ‘over’ scolding her and if proven, the constitution will oblige a punishment to the parents because it’s a societal set standard. Or in the Middle-east where religion and war or civil unrest is so pervasive that you never could understand the peace value of religion anymore. Israel, Palestine and Saudi-Arabia are countries symbolizing religion so youths are supposed to be a direct preserve of the holy books; the Torah, Bible, Hadith, Koran, etc. which set standards on morals are applied by almost all cultures in the world yet, Saudi-Arabia is said to harbour the highest number of youthful sex workers in that region. Or in Africa, where inferiority complex has reduced our mentality to hoodwinking on neo-colonialist suppression; the set standards in Europe or America is the pedestal on which our youth ape their lives, and most of the time, it contradicts the African set values. So perpetually, the Africans live their lives in a state of ‘social confusion’. Yet the African cultures, so potent that it wrestles neo-colonialist tendencies everytime. But quite unfortunately, the children of this generation are born in the jet-age where the entire world has turned a global village operating on a single digit set of standards. Then abortion in this case; for an impregnated girl of fifteen, becomes a stained value no matter where in the world. And often than not, abortion for a teenager is done in secret, most of the time, to protect the family’s name.
Makinde Adeniran
NATIONAL THEATRE: A land of the gods
The two gods in this matter are the government agency of privatization BPE (Bureau of Public Enterprises) and the Professionals cum the Culture workers. Consequently, they have turned the National theatre to the Colosseum for their ‘would be’ rugged battle.
The advent of theatre can be traced back to the ‘Before Christ’ era, Greek traditional festivals, rituals, myths et al therefore, it is easier to associate the practice of theatre to the worship of some sort of gods. Anyway, over the centuries, theatre practices have grown to serve other purposes in nation building rather than an avenue for mere jamboree. Gone are the days when theatre practice bestowed on practitioners an automatic title of ‘dregs of society’, now, countries build their economical survival on it.
Even the Roman colosseum (an amphitheatre) of the AD 69 century is still standing till date, as a touristic relic though but the government is still ensuring its usefulness economically and culturally. It is mind bugging then when a two fighting situation has been created between the practitioners cum workers in the culture sector and the government over this same Theatre relevance and its non-relevance especially in this golden age. What comes to mind immediately is “what is the cause of this imbroglio?”
The Nigerian government is saying via the BPE that the theatre (practice and Building) can only make meaning to the economy of the nation by outright selling or by concession. Well, the government claims further that their investment in the theatre is almost becoming a waste because they spend on it and never get returns. Looking at this argument critically, the government being the custodian of all the nation’s heritage is fair or quite right on this issue, that is, if the government is sure that this is the real motive or right argument for declaring the National Theatre as a FOR SALE property.
The practitioners cum workers too are claiming that the government has consistently short-changed the sector in the effective running of the institution thereby affecting the output and practice of the profession generally. Can the people ever be right over government in an issue such as this, especially that they are not the one wearing the shoes, so, they may not know where it pinches? Yet they (the practitioners/workers) are adamant that it’s their tax money after all so, they demand to have a say! Even though they are less powerful on this issue, they seem ready to make a fight and quite right too. That is, if they knew all there are to the institution’s ineffectiveness culturally and financially.
A perusal of the two contending facts as argued above show that there are couples of central factors militating against the two factions (govt. and practitioners/workers). On this issue, there have been enough write-ups to proof “who is wrong” and “who is right” but none has touched on the crux of the matter; the act of law that established the National Theatre and its consequent functionality.
I am not conversant with the law though, but I do know that no Theatre in the world operates under a civil service code of which the Nigerian National Theatre is operating now. So, it simply proves that from the very start, the government got it all wrong or had another agenda for the venue apart from what the general public think or know of it. So, the question of budgetary allocation, shortchanging as vividly enumerated by CORA (Committee for Relevant Arts) in one of its write-ups, or the cultural heritage syndrome as protested by professionals and the culture workers would not come to play yet.
To really establish a National ARTS Theatre that would bear positively on the socio-cultural status of a nation, it requires administrative and operational structures that are devoid of contradictions. The NT should be a gauge for our literary output, that which should automatically have positive bearing on our educational standards especially in the area of literature and also to serve as an archive for preserving and updating our cultural practices by way of performances, workshops, training through artistes Residency, symposiums, publishing, play reading, conferences, cultural orientation, exhibitions, libraries, cultural exchange programmes, regulatory organ within the practice and so many more. The government, especially in a democratic setup like Nigeria should be the least of the NT’s sponsors (only by way of subventions) in other to avoid political appointees as the head of the institution. The NT is purely a professionals’ world! Rather, the NT as a government establishment, should source for funding with its well articulated programmes from funding agencies, corporate organizations and influential individuals around the world as it’s the practice all over.
Dr. Ahmed Yerima, the current Director General of the National Theatre / National Troupe of Nigeria (NT/NTN) can only ‘TRY’ as he’s doing right now. The mess the NT is today (in function then shape) has been for almost 30 years so, it definitely wont be easy for a true professional of which Dr. Yerima is on one side and a civil servant on the other, to do more than he has done within the short period he was appointed. It is obvious that he’s battling to do the right things where the laws do not permit it.
Unfortunately, all meaningful professional associations within the system that should do the battle had been run aground. Even some of the professionals (individuals) who are clamouring on either side are doing so for ulterior motives, and the cultural workers are perceived as just fighting to retain their jobs within the civil service. So, it becomes very hard for the protest to have a meaningful breakthrough.
The NT is to the economy culturally what a Central Bank is to the economy financially: a country’s heart. The NT should therefore, not be a financial profit making institution but a “cultural orientation profit making” institution, but the NT is returning none of these ‘profit’ at the moment. In the Guardian newspaper of Sunday 22nd of July 2007, an article was published, written by one Mr. Carl Orji, a consultant to the consortium that won the BPE bidding of the NT; Infrastructica. In that article, the intentions of Infrastructica were enumerated clearly and so fascinating too, I must confess. And it will, as insinuated by the plan, generate enough profit for the consortium and government. Would it then be right for us to say that the government is wrong in her concession of the NT, especially that the government is operating within the policy that NT is presently operating on (profit generation)? Certainly NO, even if the deal may have been perceived as been a shoddy arrangement meant to favour some “unknown” privileged few.
Though what the government is failing to understand is this: Infrastructica as presently constituted is of high standards and will operate as such whereas, the practice here is of the lowest of all low because of lack of support and sponsorship, the government policy is not even in favour of the practitioners and the professional associations are almost moribund therefore, Infrastructica will be a western phenomenon which would not, 90% of the time, find its customers directly amongst the practitioners here because of pricing and in some cases, quality of work. It is obvious then that the consortium will be detached from its intended purpose. Whereas a nationally established National Theatre will help to articulate and flourish our cultural identities, the consortium will exchange it for western cultures in other to make returns on profit to government as all private entertainment companies do, then, our cultural identities as Nigerians, one of the reasons for which a National Theatre is established would have been eroded.
The protesting professionals and the culture workers who are also agitating for the wrong reasons, that the government should not have made the concession of the NT to the consortium rather, the government should give them the NT to manage and hold in trust for government. This position is not any different from what the government has done with the consortium, but all these would not do any good as long as the laws on which the NT is operating is still as it is. Therefore, our best option on both ends of the “Colosseum battle of the gods” will be the hallow chambers of law: House of Representatives and the Senate.
In the best interest of all concerned especially the nation, the Houses should peruse and scrutinize the conditions of concession, and if not worthy enough, the Houses should help honourably, to adjust the conditions to suit practitioners/culture workers so that the nation can maximally benefit from the concession especially in the areas of employment generation and training.
And as for the second type of “concession” as proposed to the government by the professionals/culture workers through the protest recently organized by “Coalition of Artistes”, the Houses should debate thoroughly and honourably on the issue of the nation having a National ARTS Theatre with all the required appurtenances (practice conduct, support structure, benefit structure) of such an institution with standard practice. And if government in its wisdom would want to convert the present civil service arts and culture parastatal – National Theatre to a NATIONAL ARTS THEATRE proper, then that would take a proper re-composition through policy adjustment of organs of operation (staff, administrative structure, code of conduct and professional etiquette) in the NT as it is presently operating.
the diversification in economy gains that the nation seek would wear a new look and optimism if the cultural orientation of the people change, and one of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to understand who we are as a people, our limitations and our collective desired goals through our original and adapted histories which would help to properly define the nation’s identity. A National ARTS Theatre is one of the answers to this regeneration that the nation seeks.
Makinde Adeniran.
Playwright, Director, Arts/Culture Consultant
08023355244
makindeadeniran@gmail.com
The advent of theatre can be traced back to the ‘Before Christ’ era, Greek traditional festivals, rituals, myths et al therefore, it is easier to associate the practice of theatre to the worship of some sort of gods. Anyway, over the centuries, theatre practices have grown to serve other purposes in nation building rather than an avenue for mere jamboree. Gone are the days when theatre practice bestowed on practitioners an automatic title of ‘dregs of society’, now, countries build their economical survival on it.
Even the Roman colosseum (an amphitheatre) of the AD 69 century is still standing till date, as a touristic relic though but the government is still ensuring its usefulness economically and culturally. It is mind bugging then when a two fighting situation has been created between the practitioners cum workers in the culture sector and the government over this same Theatre relevance and its non-relevance especially in this golden age. What comes to mind immediately is “what is the cause of this imbroglio?”
The Nigerian government is saying via the BPE that the theatre (practice and Building) can only make meaning to the economy of the nation by outright selling or by concession. Well, the government claims further that their investment in the theatre is almost becoming a waste because they spend on it and never get returns. Looking at this argument critically, the government being the custodian of all the nation’s heritage is fair or quite right on this issue, that is, if the government is sure that this is the real motive or right argument for declaring the National Theatre as a FOR SALE property.
The practitioners cum workers too are claiming that the government has consistently short-changed the sector in the effective running of the institution thereby affecting the output and practice of the profession generally. Can the people ever be right over government in an issue such as this, especially that they are not the one wearing the shoes, so, they may not know where it pinches? Yet they (the practitioners/workers) are adamant that it’s their tax money after all so, they demand to have a say! Even though they are less powerful on this issue, they seem ready to make a fight and quite right too. That is, if they knew all there are to the institution’s ineffectiveness culturally and financially.
A perusal of the two contending facts as argued above show that there are couples of central factors militating against the two factions (govt. and practitioners/workers). On this issue, there have been enough write-ups to proof “who is wrong” and “who is right” but none has touched on the crux of the matter; the act of law that established the National Theatre and its consequent functionality.
I am not conversant with the law though, but I do know that no Theatre in the world operates under a civil service code of which the Nigerian National Theatre is operating now. So, it simply proves that from the very start, the government got it all wrong or had another agenda for the venue apart from what the general public think or know of it. So, the question of budgetary allocation, shortchanging as vividly enumerated by CORA (Committee for Relevant Arts) in one of its write-ups, or the cultural heritage syndrome as protested by professionals and the culture workers would not come to play yet.
To really establish a National ARTS Theatre that would bear positively on the socio-cultural status of a nation, it requires administrative and operational structures that are devoid of contradictions. The NT should be a gauge for our literary output, that which should automatically have positive bearing on our educational standards especially in the area of literature and also to serve as an archive for preserving and updating our cultural practices by way of performances, workshops, training through artistes Residency, symposiums, publishing, play reading, conferences, cultural orientation, exhibitions, libraries, cultural exchange programmes, regulatory organ within the practice and so many more. The government, especially in a democratic setup like Nigeria should be the least of the NT’s sponsors (only by way of subventions) in other to avoid political appointees as the head of the institution. The NT is purely a professionals’ world! Rather, the NT as a government establishment, should source for funding with its well articulated programmes from funding agencies, corporate organizations and influential individuals around the world as it’s the practice all over.
Dr. Ahmed Yerima, the current Director General of the National Theatre / National Troupe of Nigeria (NT/NTN) can only ‘TRY’ as he’s doing right now. The mess the NT is today (in function then shape) has been for almost 30 years so, it definitely wont be easy for a true professional of which Dr. Yerima is on one side and a civil servant on the other, to do more than he has done within the short period he was appointed. It is obvious that he’s battling to do the right things where the laws do not permit it.
Unfortunately, all meaningful professional associations within the system that should do the battle had been run aground. Even some of the professionals (individuals) who are clamouring on either side are doing so for ulterior motives, and the cultural workers are perceived as just fighting to retain their jobs within the civil service. So, it becomes very hard for the protest to have a meaningful breakthrough.
The NT is to the economy culturally what a Central Bank is to the economy financially: a country’s heart. The NT should therefore, not be a financial profit making institution but a “cultural orientation profit making” institution, but the NT is returning none of these ‘profit’ at the moment. In the Guardian newspaper of Sunday 22nd of July 2007, an article was published, written by one Mr. Carl Orji, a consultant to the consortium that won the BPE bidding of the NT; Infrastructica. In that article, the intentions of Infrastructica were enumerated clearly and so fascinating too, I must confess. And it will, as insinuated by the plan, generate enough profit for the consortium and government. Would it then be right for us to say that the government is wrong in her concession of the NT, especially that the government is operating within the policy that NT is presently operating on (profit generation)? Certainly NO, even if the deal may have been perceived as been a shoddy arrangement meant to favour some “unknown” privileged few.
Though what the government is failing to understand is this: Infrastructica as presently constituted is of high standards and will operate as such whereas, the practice here is of the lowest of all low because of lack of support and sponsorship, the government policy is not even in favour of the practitioners and the professional associations are almost moribund therefore, Infrastructica will be a western phenomenon which would not, 90% of the time, find its customers directly amongst the practitioners here because of pricing and in some cases, quality of work. It is obvious then that the consortium will be detached from its intended purpose. Whereas a nationally established National Theatre will help to articulate and flourish our cultural identities, the consortium will exchange it for western cultures in other to make returns on profit to government as all private entertainment companies do, then, our cultural identities as Nigerians, one of the reasons for which a National Theatre is established would have been eroded.
The protesting professionals and the culture workers who are also agitating for the wrong reasons, that the government should not have made the concession of the NT to the consortium rather, the government should give them the NT to manage and hold in trust for government. This position is not any different from what the government has done with the consortium, but all these would not do any good as long as the laws on which the NT is operating is still as it is. Therefore, our best option on both ends of the “Colosseum battle of the gods” will be the hallow chambers of law: House of Representatives and the Senate.
In the best interest of all concerned especially the nation, the Houses should peruse and scrutinize the conditions of concession, and if not worthy enough, the Houses should help honourably, to adjust the conditions to suit practitioners/culture workers so that the nation can maximally benefit from the concession especially in the areas of employment generation and training.
And as for the second type of “concession” as proposed to the government by the professionals/culture workers through the protest recently organized by “Coalition of Artistes”, the Houses should debate thoroughly and honourably on the issue of the nation having a National ARTS Theatre with all the required appurtenances (practice conduct, support structure, benefit structure) of such an institution with standard practice. And if government in its wisdom would want to convert the present civil service arts and culture parastatal – National Theatre to a NATIONAL ARTS THEATRE proper, then that would take a proper re-composition through policy adjustment of organs of operation (staff, administrative structure, code of conduct and professional etiquette) in the NT as it is presently operating.
the diversification in economy gains that the nation seek would wear a new look and optimism if the cultural orientation of the people change, and one of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to understand who we are as a people, our limitations and our collective desired goals through our original and adapted histories which would help to properly define the nation’s identity. A National ARTS Theatre is one of the answers to this regeneration that the nation seeks.
Makinde Adeniran.
Playwright, Director, Arts/Culture Consultant
08023355244
makindeadeniran@gmail.com
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