Menu Close

16,000 jobs, new Board for National Theatre after renovation ─GM

National Theatre, Lagos

*There is an arrangement in place called ‘Theatre Partners,’ bringing the Federal Government, through Ministry of Information and Culture, and Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Bankers’ Committee together as partners ─Prof. Sunday Ododo, General Manager of the National Theatre

Emmanuel Akosile | ConsumerConnect

Stressing “visible progress” is being made in the ongoing renovation of the iconic arts facility, Prof. Sunday Ododo, General Manager (GM) of the National Theatre, at Iganmu, in Lagos State, has disclosed that a new Board will be constituted to run the 44-year-old complex after rehabilitation.

Prof. Ododo disclosed this development when Mr. Ephraims Sheyin, Head of Lagos Operations of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), paid a courtesy visit to his office in Lagos.

Prof. Sunday Ododo, General Manager, National Theatre, Lagos

The General Manager said: “There is an arrangement in place called ‘Theatre Partners,’ which brings the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Information and Culture, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Bankers Committee together, as partners.

“With the new arrangement, the board, which will be made up of five members, will oversee the affairs of the new National Theatre.”

He also stated that two of the members would come from the Federal Government, with another two from CBN Bankers Committee.

Ododo stated: “One of the two from the Federal Government will be the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer of the complex, while the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture will appoint the second person who will be the Chairman of the board.

“The CBN Bankers Committee will also supply two members. Four of us will sit and headhunt a facility manager who will manage the new facility.

“Whoever is appointed will join four of us at the board as the fifth person.”

However, he noted that the new arrangement would not affect the mandate of the National Theatre to project and preserve the national cultural heritage and present same to both Nigerians and people worldwide.

According to him, the National Theatre also has a mandate to hunt for talents and make them fruitful for professional engagement.

He therefore, assured Lagos residents that the ongoing renovation, which he said was showing “visible progress”, would not affect activities at the food court area of the National Theatre, popularly referred to as “Abeigi.”

Ododo applauded the Federal Government for the Private-Public-Partnership (PPP) that would ensure the injection of N21.8 billion by the CBN into the complex, and expressed optimism that the renovation would give the nation’s economy a huge lift.

ConsumerConnect had reported the Federal Government recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the CBN for the total renovation of the National Theatre.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Honourable Minister for Information and Culture, signed the MoU on behalf of the Federal Government whereas Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Governor of CBN, signed on behalf of the Bankers’ Committee.

Ododo was also quoted in a recent media chat that renovation of the National Theatre would create over 16,000 jobs directly and indirectly when completed.

The jobs would come in the fields of music, fashion, film and information technology (IT), said the General Manager.

Kindly Share This Story

 

 

 

Kindly share this story