Four years after, Bankers’ Committee completes restoration of National Theatre, set for unveiling

“This is beautiful,” the delighted culture activist and former editor of The Guardian on Sunday heaved after seeing the work at the National Theatre, now Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, which is already 95 per cent completed.

“The Bankers Committee has really done well for the sector. When we were protesting that the place should not be sold, we knew a restoration of the facility was the best option. If it had been sold to private investors, the whole place would have been balkanised and facility cannibalised,” Anikulapo, an advocate of culture renaissance and strong creative industry, said.

He still remembers gleefully AjoFest sponsored by Fred Agbeyegbe, with the late Jide Ogungbade as artistic director; the festival gave a host of Nigerian artistes their breakout. AjoFest, which held in 1986, remains one of the biggest celebrations of Nigerian plays the facility has ever hosted.

Sadly, FESTAC ’77 seemed to be the most spectacular event held at the place since its opening on September 30, 1976, as the infrastructure kept dilapidating until it became a national ruin and embarrassment.

The elegant structure that was built with an excellent outlook for the creative industries, the contract was signed on April 24, 1973. The main building contractor was a Bulgarian company called TechnoExportStroy. The chief architect was Stefan Kolchev, the same person who designed the Palace of Sports and Culture in Varna, Bulgaria.

A team led by the then Minister of Information, Anthony Enahoro, was said to have visited Europe and the United States to look around and get ideas on what a National Theatre should look like. In 1972, the delegation was said to have visited Bulgaria, and was highly impressed by the Palace of Sports and Culture (completed in 1968) in Varna, a coastal city like Lagos, and decided to build a similar structure in Nigeria.

Its design was based on a Bulgarian sports centre. It consists a main auditorium, which could seat 5,000, a large Conference/Banquet Hall; 2 Cinema/film Halls, Exhibitions Halls, and a variety of other rooms. The National Theatre also accommodated Radio and Television studios and recording facilities. The Theatre car parks had space for 5,000 cars. There was a Police Station to ensure a high level of security and a clinic, which had a former minister and senator of the Federal Republic as the resident doctor.

The whole building was embellished throughout with Nigerian art works that included those of some Nigeria’s foremost visual artists including Erhabor Emopkae, Yusuf Grillo, Lamidi Fakeye and Bruce Onabrakpeya. These transformed an architectural masterpiece into a museum and art gallery.

Visible from the Second Mainland Bridge, popularly called Eko Bridge, which connects Lagos Island and the mainland, the National Theatre is an iconic modern structure, which rises up to seven storeys, more than 31 meters into the sky.

Chairman, Editorial Board of The Nation Newspapers, Dr Sam Omatseye, reminiscing during a recent tour of the facility after years of rot and ruin, said: “Nigerians called the design ‘Fila Gowon’, because its shape was like a General’s cap.”

After General Yakubu Gowon was overthrown on July 29, 1975, it was later known as ‘Fila Murtala’ (after General Murtala Muhammed, who took over from Gowon).

The National Theatre received diverse entertainers, artists and actors who flocked the edifice regularly to showcase their works and talents. It became a go-to theatre hub for stakeholders in the creative industry, especially American music artistes such as Shalamar, Skyport, among others.

The trajectory of the facility changed because of lack of maintenance and other factors that are often ascribed as ‘Nigerian’.

“Not sure how to run the National Theatre as a theatre, the Ministry of Culture and Social Welfare – between 1976 and 1990 – moved in and used it as an administrative office block. At one point, the office of the minister, Mamman Anka, was actually in the building! The movement through the building of large numbers of people who had no sense of the cultural and historical significance of the place soon took its toll on the fabric,” said former Managing Director, Prof Ahmed Yerima in his lecture: ‘The Nigerian National Theatre At Iganmu: The Legacy of A Festival, A Challenge to the Future.’

“By 1991, there had been no routine maintenance of the building by the Bulgarians responsible or anyone else and it gradually ceased to function. The roof of the main auditorium was the first to crack: water fell into the hall, and began to destroy the stage, the seats, the lighting and amplification system, and priceless art works,” Yerima added.

“Soon the crack on the auditorium roof spread to the other wings. The floor of the National Theatre became saturated, and a safety hazard. To prevent anyone being electrocuted, the mains supply lines were severed. Soon the central air-conditioning failed. This meant that the building – designed to operate in a temperate climate – became unbearable hot.

“It was described as an ‘oven’, and there were no possibilities for adaptation: openings could not be made to allow for cross ventilation. The ‘architectural masterpiece’, the ‘major legacy of Festac 77’, was gradually becoming a structural nightmare, a millstone around the necks of theatre lovers.”

To save the National Theatre, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Social Welfare established the National Theatre and the National Troupe of Nigeria as separate parastatals. They were allocated separate budgets and charged to run the National Theatre as a semiprofessional state outfit. A management team of five was appointed, led by Jimmy Atte, a senior television producer, who became the first independent General Manager.

Yerima, however, pointed out that the movement of the nation’s capital from Lagos to Abuja meant that the attention of the government shifted. “Because of this, funds voted for maintenance of and for activities at the National Theatre were drastically reduced.”

Decades later, the monument witnessed noticeable deterioration and a sorry state.

In 1999, when he came back as civilian leader, Obasanjo, who opened the facility, found the situation, had deteriorated very seriously. “In anger, he adopted a ‘privatisation’ policy and put the National Theatre at the top of then ‘for sale’ list – followed by Tafawa Balewa Square, and the International Trade Fair Complex. To manage the sell-off, Obasanjo set up the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

The idea of sale prompted furious protests from artists’ community to save the place in 2001. This long, enduring protest, which lasted for two decades, was galvanised after the September Arts Stampede of Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA), which held at the National Theatre field with Coalition of Nigerian Artists (CONA) in the forefront.

After 20 years of battle with stakeholders in the creative economy, the Federal Government handed over the theatre complex, alongside the 44 acres of barely developed land, to the Bankers’ Committee in July 2020 for renovation and recreating of the complex into a job and wealth creation venture for the creative industry and related industries.

Assuring the public of the sincerity of purpose of the Bankers’ Committee and the CBN on delivering that work would commence in early 2021 and would be completed and commissioned in November 2022 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Last Wednesday, August 28, 2024, the Bankers’ Committee announced the completion of the restoration and upgrading of facilities at the National Theatre. The renovation works cover different spaces, including the 5,000-seater main bowl, which is now 4600, over 3,000-seater banquet hall, two exhibition halls, three cinema halls, 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.

Speaking during a tour of the monument, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank Group representing Bankers’ Committee, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, disclosed, “when we approached government for this opportunity, we had no idea how we were going to make money. 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.

“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 standard to which this edifice has been restored is world class.”

For him, the renovation of 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.”

Suleiman, who spoke while touring the complex with editors of national newspapers, said: “The National Theatre, which represents one of our highest points in terms of ambition, was in the state of disrepair. We are committed to bring 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.

“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.”

The bank chief explained that the interest of the Bankers’ Committee was not about making money but to salvage a national monument that had been in a state of disrepair for decades.

On how the facility would be maintained after the completion of the ongoing renovation, restoration and refurbishment, Suleiman said it would not be managed by either government or the Bankers’ Committee.

The banker assured fellow Nigerians that it would be managed professionally. He affirmed that such an option was considered in the process and was not an afterthought.

“We imagined what it would be like to manage a project like this and we have lined up partners that will ensure this is run to an international standard,” Suleiman said.

Also speaking during the tour, Managing Director, Lotus Bank Ltd., Mrs Kafilat Araoye, who equally represented the Bankers’ Committee, described “the renovation of the National Theatre 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.”

The facilities were upgraded to match with the best standards of theatre and performance in the world. The upgrading includes 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, constructions of four themed landscapes, car park block (250 cars), the ring road, and installation of external street lightings and CCTV cameras.

The architect in charge of the project, Mr. Ade Laoye of ECAD Architects, said, “the project had reached 95 per cent completion. It has been on for four years, it is a national monument and the idea is to restore a national monument.”

According to President of National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Israel Eboh, protecting the place is the next step. “It would require constant maintenance of the structure and the facilities that have just been installed. It is not just to say we have a world class facility. How well are we going to sustain it, how well are we going to maintain the facility and how well are we going to engage people who are competent to manage the facility.”

Eboh also raised the need for a well-trained, competent person or people to run the venue as a place for creative activities. “These people should be competent enough in terms of programming and not to make it too expensive that it becomes a preserve of just a handful of people. When you talk of a creative facility, it should be accessible.”

Speaking with a theatre practitioner, who chose to remain anonymous, he said, “maintenance is key; so that we don’t go back to zero level again.”

He advised the Bankers’ Committee to shop for consultants who will manage the facility on consultancy basis. “There is need to have somebody, who has knowledge of theatre facility management. Not those who lack passion or those who believe it is our thing and should be returned to us. The committee should go for those who see theatre as work and should be taken seriously. The management of National Theatre, when handed over to government, should not be for political thugs and ballot snatchers. It must be for serious minded facility managers. MUSON Centre has remained relevant for over 40 years because it has been run strictly as business,” he canvassed.

On stakeholders having access to the National Theatre, Ayodeji Ewenla, a theatre practitioner, said, “the facility is better than alternative ones that sprung up when the place went down; so, it should not charge less than what others are. But definitely not more.”

According to the Artistic Director of Arojah Royal Theatre, Abuja, Jerry Adesewo, “the place should be made affordable to practitioners. This is a national monument different from an event centre that the money expended has to be made back.”

The programming of National Theatre should be robust in a manner that keeps the place active round the year. It doesn’t mean that National Theatre will be the one doing the programmes. National Theatre should curate productions in collaboration with performing arts companies to build programmes, not just productions, but performative arts related programmes such as conferences, seminars and festivals that will open it up to professionals and be ready to support as much as possible. It is just to ensure that the best of the best is brought to the facility.”