in defence of the theatre

A NEW vista was opened last Friday at a specialArthouse Forum organised by Friends of the Arts, Lagos(FOAL), where the new management of the NationalTheatre interacted with members of the culturalcommunity on its programme of actions.For three hours, the new Chief Executive Officer ofthe cultural edifice, Dr. Ahmed Yerima, was on the hotseat.

Held at the National Theatre Complex, lots of salvoswere fired at Yerima on his statement of intent issuedon February 20, 2006 which hinted of his mission andprogramme of actions at the National Theatre.

The organisers of the interactive session, FOAL,said it was intended to ensure a better understandingbetween the National Theatre CEO’s expressed mission,vision and expectations of artists and cultureworkers.

Moderated by Layiwola Adeniji, ex-head of TheGuardian Literature Unit and former Arts Editor, TheComet and ThisDay newspapers, the session bridged thegap between past chief executive officers of theedifice and practitioners as well as stakeholders ofthe arts and culture community.It was a no holds bared session, where the followingseven programme of actions contained in Yerima’sstatement of intent were taken up against him.

He had pledged to ensure that the National Theatre serve as:o a platform for the presentation of high qualityartistic productions for the National Troupe of Nigeria, as well as other private production andcultural outfits;oa revenue generating organisation;

o an internationally recognisable cultural symbol forthe promotion of Nigerian arts and cultural heritage;o an outstanding edifice and bedrock of internationaltourism interest in Nigeria;o a base for the discovery and showcasing of talentsof the children and the youths of Nigeria;o a forum for the creative display of professionalthespian artistry of Nigeria theatre arts professionin the genres of music, dance, drama and motionpicture;o a structure for the practical demonstration andfulfilment of bilateral cultural relations betweenNigeria and other countries.Yerima explained that he still stood by the abovefunctions, which he drew up to guide himself becausesince 1991 when the National Theatre became aparastatal, it has had no functions. He expressed confidence that they are attainable inas much as there is a change of attitude not only onthe part of the management and staff of the theatre,but also all other stakeholders since everyone of themcontributed in one way or the other in making theedifice what it is presently. He said staff attitude since he assumed office haschanged for the better. "The staff of the NationalTheatre are some of the most experienced and brilliantset of people I have seen. What really affected theirattitudes was the news of the sale of the NationalTheatre, which started in 1999." Yerima said he has a style of not allowing people topull him back once he made up his mind to do anything.He was happy that his several appeals to the staffhave always struck the right chord, adding, "We havemutual respect for ourselves. One other thing I amtrying to do now is knowing each of the 450 staff bytheir first names.

I already know those of theNational Troupe." Though Yerima acknowledged the fact that the socialresponsibility of the National Theatre will alwaysoutweigh its commercial function, he is of the viewthat his management will not turn its back on revenuegeneration to sustain itself because it will be veryout of place to go cap-in-hand to government to askfor more fund after it just expended N1b on therehabilitation of some parts of the edifice. According to him, it is in view of meeting thistarget that the fee of any of the two cinema halls forartistic performances is now pegged at N150,000 each.Yerima did not buy the idea that the amount was tooexhorbitant since the theatre is just coming back toreckoning as an events venue in Lagos. "If you priceyourself cheap, people will price you cheap. It is noteveryone that would pay the N150,000.

But if we seethat you can, you have to. For those that cannotafford it, this is why we are about reviving the OpenAir Theatre Initiative so that they can be havingtheir productions there." The CEO said his management has given the cinemahalls a facelift by providing airconditioners tojustify the new rate. He also said wedding receptionshave been banned in both halls.

And that for now,while Cinema Hall 1 will be for strictly stageperformances. Hall 2 is for screening of films withtheir two new projectors. Yerima also said that tickets for all events in thehalls would be sold from only one entrance. To ensurehigh artistic productions, the new management of theedifice will see that such productions are previewedbefore they are put on stage, he said. According to Yerima, the venue for such previewswould not be a problem with finishing touches alreadybeing put to the amphi-theatre in the artistes’ hostelwithin the National Theatre. He said the venue alreadyhas a stand-by 70 KVA generating set.

Though the theatre management is still discussingwith Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka ,to gethis approval to stage his play, Bacchae of Euripides,Yerima said Professor Femi Osofisan’s Women of Owuwill first be staged. Hear Yerima: " Standards must be raised. TheNational Theatre is supposed to be a training ground.We are also looking into the possibility of stagingsome Yoruba plays."

This is why Yerima is already talking with thefamily of the late doyen of the Nigerian theatre,Hubert Ogunde, on the possibility of staging hiscelebrated play Yoruba Ronu (Yoruba, Think).Staging Yoruba Ronu now, he said, will be veryauspicious given that political activities leading to2007 election are already in full swing.

Yerima said it is also to ensure high quality artisticproductions, that the performing organ of the NationalTheatre, the National Troupe of Nigeria is alreadyinto a partnership with the Japanese government on adance project. He also said his management is on theverge of establishing a dance studio and resourcecentre where dancers can train comfortably.

For the theatre to serve as an outstanding edificeand bedrock of international tourism interest inNigeria, Yerima said plans are on to convert theformer clinic in the edifice to a centre where someworks of the Centre for Black African Arts andCivilisation, CBAAC, from FESTAC 77 can be watchedwhen eventually transferred into compact disc.

Past events of the National Troupe would also be watched inthe centre, he promised. Aside an 800 inch- flat screen television, whichwill cost the theatre management about N800,000 to buyin the centre, stand-up comedians will also beattached to it at intervals to entertain guests,especially, children.A quarterly programme of events expected to run inthe theatre would be produced in advance to guide bothtourists and clients to the edifice.

Also, souvenirs with the National Theatre logo wouldbe produced and given as gift items to both touristsand clients, as the new management intends to givepriority attention to the Exhibition Hall when it isdone with the Banquet Hall, for it is planning a jointexhibition between the National Theatre and the Centrefor Arts and Culture.

However, Yerima said his management is not in ahurry to work on the main bowl of the edifice for nowbecause of the large sum of funds that would berequired to do so. Hear Yerima: "I am working with what I have; andwithin my own reality. At the end of every month, Iwant to be able to send a statement of account to theMinister for Culture and Tourism, and Mr. President."

He acknowledged that the theatre has lots of avenuesto make money. "We are going to use the commercialfunction to drive funds for the theatre because fornow budget has been passed and there is no way we canget funds from government till next year."To him, government cannot fund the totalrehabilitation of the edifice alone, and that anycollaboration arrangement would be subjected togovernment approval because management does not havethe powers to do so. The playwright said engineers in the employ of theedifice are presently looking into the proposedarchitectural plan submitted by a brewery firm for thereconstruction of the eatery section popularlyreferred to as abeigi.

He debunked rumours making the rounds that theeating and drinking kiosks under the trees of thetheatre known in Yoruba as Abeigi, is being phasedout; saying that "the National Theatre needs Abeigi.The only thing that will change is the environment.All I am doing is giving you more facilities." On security, the theatre CEO said management hasengaged a private security outfit to beef up thenumber of security men already on ground so as toensure the safety of lives and property. He howeversaid that the number of legionnaires working in theedifice have been pruned down due to old age. Though, the leadership of some arts associationsmade requests from the new management of the edifice,Dr. Yerima was however advised to be very focused soas not to take on too many projects at the same time.

For instance, the National President, NationalAssociation of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners,NANTAP, Biodun Abe, wanted his association'scollaboration with management on the Open Air TheatreInitiative. The Chairman, Lagos State chapter, Society ofNigerian Artists (SNA), Olu Ajayi, would want a changeof attitude by management of the theatre to thepublic, ensure effective programming and management,and establishment of mini galleries where visualartists can display their works for clients andtourists to the theatre to see. For the chairperson, Lagos State chapter, Women Writers Association of Nigeria, Grace Daniel, thetheatre management should give more recognition towomen writers because they represent the interest ofthe women folk in the society.

The SNA chairman seems to have spoken the mind ofmany when he observed that the appointment givenYerima is not a challenge to him alone but the entireartistes’ community. "We should not expect too muchfrom him for now. He needs our co-operation." One of the facilitators of the forum and Editor ofThe Guardian on Sunday, Mr. Jahman Oladejo Anikulapo,said the forum was to make "artistes doers and notgrumblers alone.

It is intended to take on those inpositions of leadership in the arts and culture sectorso that there would be mutual trust and not mistrustbetween practitioners and them."For the secretary general, Committee for Relevant Art, CORA, Mr. Toyin Akinosho, the forum was to"de-bigmanise the office of the National Theatre CEO"thereby democratising the space for cultureproductions.

Even though the task before Yerima who has spent thelast 15 years at the National Theatre is daunting, theforum would not have come at a much more appropriatetime since a problem identified is half solved, manyof the attendants said.A minute silence was observed in honour of Nigeria’spioneer solo actor, Funso Alabi, who died on MondayApril 3, before the formal commencement of theinteractive session. Alabi’s funeral ceremonies commence today.