NANTAP condemns Plateau killings, Commiserates with Victims of Lagos inferno

NANTAP Condemns Plateau Killings, Commiserate with Victims of Lagos Inferno

Nigerian theatre and allied arts practitioners, under the auspices of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), has condemned the recent attack on 11 Plateau villages which reportedly resulted in the death of well over 200 persons.

In a statement signed by the National President of NANTAP, Mr. Israel Eboh on behalf of the association and other practitioners in the allied art industry including the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Guild of Nigerian Dancers (GOND), Screenwriters Guild of Nigeria (SGN) and the Director’s Guild of Nigeria (DGN), the associations stated that the spate of killings around the country, which has become almost a norm, should no longer be tolerated. Eboh who in the statement described the killing in Jos as  ‘’one killing too many’’ called on the Federal Government to rise up to the occasion by putting a halt to the wanton waste of innocent lives. ‘’The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammudu Buhari, as the Chief Security Officer of the nation must live up to his promise to ensure security of lives and properties of all Nigerian citizens’’ the NANTAP President said.

“The farmers-herders crisis is an avoidable crisis if handled with objectivity and sense of purpose, unfortunately, this crisis is already making Nigeria a laughing stock in the committee of nations. We must bring the perpetrators of this evil acts to book before the entire nation is engulfed in uncontrollable crisis as a result of bad handling” Mr. Eboh added.

Also, he said “on behalf of our associations, we send our heartfelt condolences to the people of Plateau State, the governor and families of the victims of the June 23 massacre and pray for the repose of the soul of the departed. While also commiserating with Mr. President as the father of the nation, we wish to commend him for the prompt manner in which the government has responded to the Plateau killings, with the visit to the affected villages by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo; followed by the President’s visit the very next day. This is encouraging and it shows the seriousness the FG attached to this security breach.”

The association also extended condolences to the Lagos State Government, people and families of victims of the Otedola bridge inferno of which left scores of death in its trail.  “This is an avoidable incident and one which brings to fore the age-long debate about banishing petrol tankers and other heavy duty lorries to ply the roads only in the night. It is a simple case of lawlessness and one which must be brought to book” he lamented.

The NANTAP President then urged practitioners and government to continue to use theatre and entertainment as a catalyst for peace, unity and economic prosperity.


Israel Eboh fta.
President NANTAP.

NIGERIA'S THEATRE- We stayed too long on the dung heap!

The buzzing of flies recklessly pervading the air, spitting and stinging, distracting the squatting anuses whose bowels need to offload excreta have become deafening! These singsongs are coalition of rumors in the culture ministry and among practitioners. These rumors are becoming potent and reasonable. These rumors are obviously becoming a source of concern to all associations involved with the ministry, particularly the theatre related ones.

How do I approach this? Okay, let me first relay some of the rumors going round in the sector, then we shall attempt to make meaning out of it regarding some actions taken or non of it by authorities involved. This I believe would in turn help our analysis in juxtaposition to the supposed growth in the entertainment industry. Let me warn though, that this write-up is not an attempt to cast aspersions on anybody or institution(s), be it government or private individual(s). This is just to intuitively ascertain what could be going wrong with the sector in order to tackle the seemingly stubborn stains of shame that has become the National Theatre's lot anytime leadership appointments are made or to be made.

Shortly before Mr. Kabiru Yar'Adua, the immediate former General Manager (or Director General?) retired, rumors had it that he was having issues with the then Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, High Chief Edem Duke over the alleged proposed sale of the edifice. That both men were struggling over who should have the right to bring the customer(s)... Well, like I warned earlier, it was a rumor. Anyway, some of us believed that was what stalled the proposed sale of the National Theatre and not the protests against it. Because the deal to sell it off as one of the biggest malls to come into Africa was signed and sealed in Dubai according to some newspaper/online (Castles lifestyle 2015 etc) reports.

Finally Kabir retired, and according to the rules in the civil service, he handed over to the most senior officer to take charge pending when the new minister of the opposition party, the All Progressive Congress- APC that won the national elections by majority votes, appoints a new GM for the National Theatre. At this time, Engineer Nwogu of the engineering department and some other 3 senior officers were on level 17 according to the civil service grading but obviously on different steps. According to the rumor, Nwogu was steps ahead of all others officially, but professionally, one of the other 3 was more qualified... Well, between those four, there was wrangling, backstabbing and backbiting and all-whatnot even though it was Nwogu that Kabir handed over to.

Shenanigans and all! The new minister of Information, Tourism and Culture- Alhaji Lai Mohammed, seconded Mr. George Ufot, a Director of Culture in the ministry from Abuja to come and save the silent stinking rancor that was openly gravitating to become a 'civil war' that was to engulf the National Theatre in Lagos. The new Acting GM was himself not a rookie in the affairs of the National theatre or cultural matters in the nation. As a junior officer in those days (1980s),  Mr. George Ufot went from Lagos to Abuja, climbing the ladder successfully until he rose to become a Director in the ministry. Now he was back at 'home' as the Acting boss in charge, the GM. Although, his retirement was just some months away, we heard.

As soon as Mr. Ufot touched down in Lagos, having inherited a well refurbished theatre from Kabir, with all formerly delapidated cinema halls now oozing with cooling breeze of several air conditioners and all newly and well carpeted floors and other appurtenances, Ufot engineered meetings with both staff members and interfaced with private professional stakeholders... One thing the ardent followers of the National Theatre events would not forget in a hurry is the legacy Mallam Kabir Yar'Adua left behind. He totally refurbished the venue, kept the surrounding neat, flowers cultured and constantly ensured that the vast surrounding lawns were grazed. He stepped up security operations around the venue... But he then strangely launched policies that drove content providers and would be customers away from using the venue and he wasn't repentant about it. Yet National Theatre management is not empowered to have/generate provisions or budget to build content within. It only depended/depends on halls rental income from private individuals with programs or drama/cinema events. We then wonder why he had to spend that huge budget on refurbishing the empty venue in the first place.

Though rumor has it that he refurbished the venue so to attract better offer during negotiation to sell the soon-to-become-biggest mall in Africa edifice to Mulk Holdings, the United Arab Emirate UAE based multinational conglomerate. And on the other hand, the venue was kept empty despite the refurbishment to push home the arguement of the Government that the venue was obsolete for its original intent of use- the arts and culture events (or THEATRE ARTS?) If this postulations were true, then Mallam Yar'Adua kept a fine balance until his retirement.

Mr. George Ufot was lucky to have arrived duty at a time when Lagos State was nearing the completion of her one year long display of bizarre cultural activities all around town in celebration of her 50 years birthday. Which other venue in Lagos could be more grandiose to close the events by end of May 2017 other than the National Theatre? So the Lagos State government was quick to come into collaboration with the Federal government in this regard, especially that politically, both Lagos and the Federal government are now from same political party- APC. It was easy for the Ambode led Lagos government to announce to the world that she'll be helping the National Theatre fix its main-bowl auditorium: the only surviving rot of the lot that Kabir refurbished. 

This, the Lagos government said, was her bit in fulfilling her part of the collaboration agreement with the National Theatre. For Mr. Ufot and his new team of management staff, it was a good omen for their renewed effort at ensuring that cultural event owners returned to patronize the once abandoned Mallam Yar'Adua's refurbished-but-empty-space, National Theatre. So the barrage of play productions/festivals and film shows from production companies and organizations like Thespian Family Theatre (TFT), Crown Troupe of Africa, QDance company, Theatre And Movie Producers Association of Nigeria- TAMPAN e.t.c and the celebration of World Theatre Day and World Dance Day 2017 by National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners- NANTAP and Dance Guild of Nigeria- GOND, were a rare testimony that indeed, "after a long dark night, the morning shall surely come"

Just when our Acting GM, Mr. Ufot had not settled in office beyond four months, the Abuja list of appointments and appointees into the culture sector of the ministry surfaced in the newspapers. "Showman" Tar Ukor (the exponent of "Mambisa") had been appointed as the new substantive GM of National Theatre and National Troupe of Nigeria to replace Mr. Ufot's Acting slot of only National Theatre.  Even the surrounding breeze in the corridors of National Theatre was quiet when the news broke. The workers in the ministry in Abuja murmured their confusion to high heavens, so much so it filtered through the thousands kilometers of travel to tingle our eardrums in Lagos and beyond. Professional practitioners' surprises became worries as to who, why, where, when and what happened... About then, another two distinctive classical rumors dropped, and our lull became quieter until it grew to morbid silence.

The rumor-mill continued to spew confounding logic. One of which was that the Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed confided in some close associates that Mr. Tar Ukor's name was not part of the list he sent to President Muhammed Buhari for approval into the parastatal. On equal strength, we heard former President Olusegun Obasanjo was the one who recommended Mr. Tar Ukor to the Presidency for the slot... Even if these rumors were true, it was obvious that the industry players had become tired of complaining or protesting against government appointees into this office with the way stakeholders got disinterested in ordinary discussion concerning the appointment, talk more of newspaper interviews. Even if it is to abuse, non came forth. Except "hun, ha, oh..." SO, WHO PUT TAR UKOR NAME FOR LIST?

Obviously this is not about the question above! It's about the seeming uncertainty that pervades the usage of the establishment and the nag of government appointees to not always fit the stakeholders' expectations from time immemorial. Is it possible that the government is operating on the basis that the National Theatre is a cultural events venue and rightly so? And the stakeholders agitations over the years are based on the assumption that the venue is an ARTS theatre? If these questions suffice, then the government and the stakeholders need to do a roundtable conference, and commonly agree on what purpose the building is meant to serve beyond the original reason it was established for the great Festival of Arts and Culture- FESTAC in 1977. That way, the industry players will stop denigrating the government they are meant to work with for better result both for the industry workers and Nigeria at large.

Yours,

ALANI ON'TABA.

When a 'Nationhood' was about- KAKADU.

When a 'Nationhood' was about - KAKADU (Series 1)

KAKADU, a true manifestation of a mirror play, and a bare reconnaissance of our understanding in the true sense of the word- RECONCILIATION.

To know that kakadu once existed pushes my thought deeper into the abyss and I could only continue to ask, when was a nation? Was it the geographical location, the people, their reasoning, language or sense of being? These are questions beyond whatever answers we dimmed fit but, a true starting point for a nation truthfully willing to take the lessons of KAKADU, as one that is potent enough to unravel the missing link between the starting point, the gulf, and the rot we scurry in like a pig, having a filled day in an extremely meshy mud.

Once upon a time, there was a commercial social gathering spot where all that counted was just your coming in... as a matter of fact, when you get to the entrance you drop your worries, enter, and enjoy a new sense of being! That was all that was required of you.

Everybody looked forward to this sense of being every weekend. KAKADU felt like heaven on earth. A true nation irrespective of our boundaries was forming. Language or where you were coming from was not a passport to enjoying and sharing in the merriment that was the hallmark of the spot. All that mattered was get dropped at the motor park, enquire about the location of the spot, come in and the rest is not necessary... then fire struck, and KAKADU vanished, even with its own kind of people.

Those left behind are just historians who would not see the sense in the ideological existence of KAKADU even though fire had burnt the real one. Rather, they retell the story with pain such that it keeps the divide so strange and wide apart: they have refused to stomach kakadu, instead, they regurgitate  it and cut everyone off the real sense of being.

KAKADU is a musical piece that hopes to give true meaning to what reconciliation between two people(s), nations, continents etc. is all about, all else we will continue as mere historians who can only relate the story as we saw it and not necessarily as it was.

Makinde Adeniran