Dec. 29, 2021

The General Manager, National Arts Theatre, Iganmu Lagos, Prof Sunday Ododo, on Wednesday said that motion picture and music recording accounted for roughly N730 billion of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2020, according to a data from statists.com.

Prof Ododo made the revelation in his address at the “Inter Agency Engagement on National Theatre Approach to Wealth Creation’ held at the Marquee centre of the National Arts Theatre.

Prof Ododo further revealed that telecommunications and information services made up some N8.5 trillion, making telecommunications and information services the most viable sector in the creative and entertainment industry.

“Arts, entertainment and recreation grossed N158 million while Publishing contributed N18.8 million.

“Here we have heads of government agencies and parastatals and key players in the creative industry who have contributed to the figures individually through programmes, products and creative contents but seldom collaborative programmes.

“Unfortunately, the penchant to `go alone’ has greatly hampered our earning power due to underutilisation of the strength, expertise acumen and sagacity spread among us.

“Why has this unprofitable and crippling individualistic tendencies persisted among us? The answer is the lack of periodic inter-agency engagement where we can all crystalise our visions, pull our strengths and resources and set more nationalistic goals,” he said.

Prof Ododo called for more collaborations between government agencies and also called for harmonious relationship between stakeholders in the creative industry.

“Rather than unite as our mandates are intertwined, we have worked at cross purposes allowing petty inter-agency rivalries, suspicion and acrimonies to dictate interactions among and between us, rather we need more synergy.

“I am happy when as part of the headlines following the 2nd edition of National Theatre Festival of Unity held between Dec. 10 and 12 this year when the National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN) was in action during the Command Performance with the caption `NTN stages a com back.

“More so, National Theatre management is glad to see the Troupe take the stage again especially as we have provided the platform for them to express their mandate,” he said.

Prof Ododo added “Culture, creative and entertainment industry is a behemoth of pecuniary benefits with untamed wealth. We at the National Theatre have an approach to create wealth from this industry through the following programmes.

“Product and creative contents: Talent hunt, Open Theatre Series, Exhibition of Nigeria Royal Regalia and Paraphernalia, Skill Acquisition Academy, National Festival of Horns and Flutes, Durbar Sights and Sounds and Cottage Theatre Development Series.

“Others are: Digital Music and Studio Projects, Annual Expo, Fashion. Film, Literature and Allied Arts, National Theatre Monograph Series. National Theatre Academy, National Theatre Annual Festival of Unity, National Theatre Quarterly Public Play, Reading, and National Theatre Radio and Television to mention a few.

“These are our vision going into the new year and years ahead to stage similar programmes like those we are planning, hence we crave for supports, collaboration and guidance.

“Talking about broadcasting, we will need to work closely with Radio Nigeria because they have the best training school in Nigeria, this will definitely provide a solid training platform for our would-be broadcasters,” he said.

Prof Ododo said that the nation is expecting a world class structure with the completion of the renovation of the National Theatre, hence all hands must be on deck to ensure its sustainability.

“We have a brand name and a palatial edifice that has hosted world class events and is billed to be one stop entertainment hub in Africa when the renovation is completed.

“A performance at National Theatre anywhere in the world is the crowning glory for any artist. This is why a proposal endorsed by a large number of us can attract foreign grants and host local events.

“We will also have opportunities for international exchanges of ideas, thereby giving unfettered and unbridled mobility to creative ideas.

“These are some of the reasons inter-agency delineations are pertinent for our mutual benefits and actualisation of our mandates individually and collectively,” he said.

At the interactive session, the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Buki Ponle, represented by the acting Head of Lagos Operation, Mr Babatunde Abdulfatai, noted that the foremost News Agency in Africa with the widest reach in Nigeria is ready to collaborate with the National Theatre management in fulfilling its mandate.

“We have listen to the proposal of the General Manager of the National Theatre and we will like to say that NAN is a one-stop-shop for media content providing agency for the media organisation in the country.

“The agency will like to partner with the National Theatre to ensure that the laudable proposal is achieved.

“We will appreciate if the agency is involved in the overall programme of the National Theatre,” he said.

The representative of the Press Council, Mrs. Anita Nnene, Director, Nigerian Press Council (NPC) Lagos Liaison Office also pledged the support of the Organisation to the National Theatre’s proposal for more synergy.

The Centre for Black African Arts and Civilisation (CBAC) Director General, Ms. Oluwabunmi Amao, said Nigeria’s arts and craft had been a hot cake in the international market, hence projects to further enhance its visibility is a welcomed idea.

“National Theatre is a product that everyone will like to associate with,” she said.

The representative of National Institute For Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUS) also pledged the support of the Organisation to the project.

The Lead facilitator, Prof. Emmanuel Dandaura, noted that there were huge opportunities yet to be tapped in the creative industry, adding that the new National Theatre would further help in expounding them to the world.

“There are several opportunities yet to be tapped in the creative industry. So we need to work together to make it available to the world.

“I am impressed with the turnout of the sister agencies, we are at the new dawn of synergies in the Culture and Information industry and the turnaround of the National Theatre,” he said.

At the end of the programme, a five-point communique was adopted by the participants.

The Inter Agency Engagement forum had in attendance various stakeholder agencies as they were presented with a robust deliberations on how to create synergies in helping the National Theatre fulfill its mandate.

Organisations physically present and those virtual includes: NAN, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), Nigeria Tourism Development Council (NTDC), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Nigeria Press Council (NPC).

Others are: National Institute For Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUS), National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), and Evergreen Music, among others. (NAN)