Save the commemorative postal stamps that were unveiled by the Centre for Black African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) in collaboration with the Nigeria Postal Services (NIPOST), the 30th anniversary of Africa’s biggest cultural fiesta went unsung. Perhaps, the declining fortunes of the national theatre and the uncertainty surrounding its current status were responsible for the low-key ceremony.
However, the reasons that caused the declining fortunes of the theatre ought to be fully appreciated in order to see how best this national patrimony could be salvaged. For more than 15 years, the theatre’s structure has been in decay due largely to official neglect and the failure to follow the recommendations of the Bulgarian designers regarding the cooling system, water supply and guarding against erosion within the expansive complex. Inadequacy of funds and official ineptitude prevented the theatre from being run as prescribed by its designers.
Consequently, the roof started leaking, the central cooling system broke down, a part of the basement started sinking, the bridge linking the Ijora highway caved in. Since 1992 after the disastrous screening of Aiye, the popular film by the late Hubert Ogunde, in which two people died in a stampede to gain entry, the 2,500-seater main hall has remained virtually abandoned. Power failure often shuts down activities and keeps the glow off the crown of the theatre, which was designed to resemble a soldier’s cap. In essence, the national theatre has been a monument in decline.
The bitter reality is that in its present state of decay, the national theatre serves no purpose to the nation’s image or the arts community. If capable private investors are seen to have emerged out of a transparent bidding exercise, with verifiable asset base, it will be counterproductive not to allow the national theatre a new lease of life.
A lifeline beyond the purview of government is an appropriate step to rescue the monument from further decay. The glaring neglect over the years has demonstrated that the government is unwilling to preserve the complex for its symbolic value as a national heritage that should not be treated as a profit-making enterprise. The salvation of the national theatre, therefore, lies in the hands of competent private