OPINION: National Theater or Bankers’ Theatre?

OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU Gcf.

Greetings, Your Excellency Mr President.

I hope this letter reaches you because you have not been seen in the radar of the profession I belong to,

The film, arts and creative industry, aka Nollywood. The abandoned sector.
Mr President, someone must tell you some hidden facts and truths about this nation, Nigeria.

Everything is obviously unknown to you.
I am largely unknown, but known for supporting you in achieving the Presidency as the Nation’s No. 1. The rigorous campaign we conducted for your ascension is not yet regretted.

Even though so far the opposition has insulted us for campaigning on your behalf.
We still see our President as the best in this circumstance.

However, I will speak truth to power.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not been fair, just and appreciative of NIGERIA’s creative sector.

I say this with all common sense about Conviction, especially about the official inauguration of the National Arts Theatre, which was renamed in honor of our able and qualified Professor Wole Soyinka, the Nobel Prize winner. The professor deserves the name MA
That event is yet another slap in the face for the entire sector.

There are many reasons why it’s a slap. The theater industry was unaware of the “packaged” ceremony without sensible input from the entire nation’s technocrats.

Ninety-five percent of 95% of the industry is bitching and complaining as usual.

That National Theater renovation project was a wrongly initiated and poorly implemented project of former President Muhammadu Buhari and Godwin Emefiele, pitched to His Excellency to put an end to the shenanigans of the last government. Another fraudulent conduct and scheme by Emefiele and Co.

I personally mentioned to former minister Alhaji Lai Muhammed about the flawed conception and wrong proposal for the industry, which he accepted but did not correct.

Mr President, more than one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) supposedly spent on the renovation of that cultural center would build over a hundred theaters and cinemas in all the senatorial districts of Nigeria, involving several million Nigerians in the practice and beyond. Creating jobs for the arts.

For eight years, the Buhari government has done nothing tangible for the sector that has earned Nigeria global recognition as the happiest people on earth, despite all its challenges. Unfortunately this is the path your government seems to be taking.

Kudos to your lovely Minister, Lawyer Hannatu Musawa, who has been at work, working tirelessly, with his team in an unprecedented way, bringing innovations, supporting creatives, etc. But all his efforts are not evident due to the long-term abandonment by the Presidency.

We in the film and creative sector are taking note of successive governments and I can categorically tell Mr President that only the government of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as President, has had a significant impact on the sector. Albeit lopsided, but at least he did something we all speak well of.

Mr President, the operators in the sector are not happy with the exemption and the total abandonment of the industry. The Bankers Forum should not take the glory of millions of Nigerians who have toiled and sweated for the greatness of Nigeria through their arts and crafts.

People who built the industry from the beginning with the support of family friends and personal efforts and not the banks. We built the industry on our own for four decades, without government

Please show and appreciate their contribution and support.

We operators in the sector ask to see the Theater Project Agreements.
We ask that you allow Creatives to bring input and impact into government for your agenda.

Our hope for Nollywood and theater arts is not yet renewed in your government.
Pay attention to the abandoned sector. People are not happy.

Kehinde Soaga (dgn)
Filmmaker, author and multimedia consultant.
He writes from Abeokuta.

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