At a time, it was the hideout of marijuana-puffing hooligans, a dumping ground for dead bodies and a vast stretch of overgrown weeds. Welcome to Nigeria’s prime point of pride and prestige, the National Arts Theater in Iganmu, Lagos.

An architectural wonder, it once lost its glory but it seems that it is surely regaining it back due to rehabilitation works coordinated by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation. True to our words, we have decided to bring to you the good, the bad and the very ugly sides of Nigeria. This is one of the rare beautiful faces. Enjoy!

As you enjoy the spectacular images of the refurbished edifice, here are some interesting facts about it:

-Started by the Gowon administration, its construction was completed in 1976 in preparation for the 1977 Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture which lasted from 15th January to 12th February of that year. The first edition was held in Dakar, Senegal eleven years earlier.

-With its exterior shaped like a military hat, it was modelled after a similar one in Varna, Bulgaria. The original is called the Palace of Culture and Sports (see pictures), the construction company that built our own, named Technoexportsroy, also came from Bulgaria.

In September 2001, former President Obasanjo attempted to sell it off but he was met with vitriolic opposition fom stakeholders in the arts and culture sector. Professor Wole Soyinka, whose play, King Baabu was once showed there fumed: “Privatisation of the theatre can go haywire and I’m totally against it.” Later on, a partial privatization was done and it seems the edifice is better off for it (see pictures).

-Features include: 5,000-seater main hall with collapsible stage + auditorium, two cinema halls, with each seating 700-800 people, (all halls have equipment that can translate into eight different languages at the same time), conference/banquet hall (with 1,500 seats), exhibition halls, VIP lounge and roof garden. The screen inside the cinema is attached to the ceiling and is controlled by remote control. Also there are state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems.

-The complex itself is more 31 meters tall and covers about 23,000 square meters. A sprawling cultural landmark, I’d say.

-It is one of the 10 parastatals under the ministry. Others include the National Gallery of Art, (NGA); National Council for Museums and Monuments, (NCMM); National Institute for Culture Orientation, (NICO); National Troupe of Nigeria, (NTN); National Orientation Agency, (NOA); Institute of Archaeology and Museum Studies, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, (NTDC); National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Development Studies, (NIHTDS) and the Centre for Black African Arts and Civilisation, (CBAAC).

-A second National Theatre has been planned for Calabar, Cross Rivers State. Imagine that collabo with Tinapa and Obudu Mountain Resorts, e go make sense die as a tourism hub!

-It is a superb choice for film shows, exhibitions, conferences, symposia, lectures, dramas, musical concerts, workshops, dances and many others. A few years ago, the National Theatre caused an uproar when the administrators budgeted a sum of N22 million naira to buy typewriters.

-Other pictures here: http://iyaniwura.com/spectacular-pictures-gist-of-the-national-theatre/

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