Eboigbe banks her faith on community theatre.

Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the National Association of Theatre Arts Practitioners, Eki Faith Eboigbe, rallies colleagues to break the lull in the sector.

If all Eki Eboigbe’s wishes were horses, community theatre houses would, as early as yesterday, spring up in different parts of Lagos State and beyond. Also, The National Arts Theatre Iganmu,  Lagos  would immediately wake up from its slumber and become the active entertainment icon that would serve as a catalyst for the dreams and programmes of drama practitioners. Besides, corporate organisations would rise in support of the Thespians.

These and more are the ideas bubbling in the mind of the dramatist and founder of Entertainment Bus-Stop Ltd, as she explains in a chat with our correspondent. The ideals may sound remote to many but she believes that practitioners cannot afford to lose hope. According to her, dialogue, networking and other forms of advocacy must continue so that the change they expect can begin to manifest.

As the Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the National Association of Theatre Arts Practitioners, she was instrumental to the organisation of a stakeholders’ forum recently held on the ideals and other sundry issues. Lagos NANTAP had called major practitioners who brainstormed on how to turn the stage around. Among them is a Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Duro Oni.

Apart from the issues the forum raised in terms of professionalism, need for collaboration and holistic branding, Eboigbe says Lagos NANTAP considers the need for the establishment of neighbourhood theatres seriously.

She notes, “As we prepare to celebrate the World Theatre Day next year, preparation, discourse and collaboration are in top gear to launch the N500m Theatre Appeal Fund, which will be used to establish a contemporary community theatre structure that will complement existing structures in the city. It will provide opportunities for training and appreciation for live theatre and create a platform for thespians to express their creativity at a subsidised rate.”

She believes theatre halls should be at every local government area, she notes, the benefits are immensurable.

“ I grew up hearing and reading about ‘courtyard theatre’ and all. Creating theatre structures will resurrect the communal way of life. It is a healthy lifestyle recreation. It will reduce restiveness, increase economic power, generate wealth and will develop the community. Indeed, community theatre  will accelerate development in every aspect of our existence,” she says.

 For dramatists based in Lagos especially, the National Arts Theatre should be playing a major role in the development of the industry. Unfortunately, the edifice cannot yet do this  due to a number of related reasons. Apart from the decay besetting some of its major facilities – especially the main bowl – the way it is being administered has created a gap between the management and many practitioners who say the halls have been overpriced. This is apart from Federal Government’s own saga of underfunding and  knowing what to do exactly with the institution – to maintain, sell, privatise, commercialise or what? The syndrome usually causes dispute between the practitioners and the authorities.

Government’s latest thinking about the theatre sounds like privatisation, a move that, Eboiegbe says, NANTAP is not  opposed to once there is sincerity on government’s part.

She adds, “The FG has changed the phrase from ‘privatisation’ to ‘commercialisation’ and has set up a committee chaired by the Minister of National Planning, Shamsudeen Usman, to ensure a speedy realisation of the new plan. We see the government’s new decision  as a welcome development, as we cannot afford to mortgage our identity, by allowing our culture and art to be tampered with. We encourage the hybrid of culture no doubt, but we must retain the Nigerian cultural essence and nuances, which can be achieved when we retain and restore our monuments and heritage. The task of the National Theatre administrator is to be creative in developing programmes that will attract patronage.”

Even as she continues to lead the association to what she calls higher heights, Eboigbe is working on some productions and projects, while collaborating with some other people.

She notes, “At the moment, my company, Entertainment Bus Stop ltd, an art and event renaissance consult, is coordinating a project tagged ‘Document Living Icon Project’ for Olu Ajayi Studios & Co, with the sole aim of recording in art and literary forms selected personalities who have consistent records of positive impartation to the society. Some distinguished icons that have been on canvas include Prof. Wole Soyinka, Prof. Yusuf Grillo, Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya and Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Oba Erediauwa. On December 9, 2013, we will document  Prof. J. P Clark.”

An alumnus of the University of Lagos, National Institute for Cultural Orientation and Fate Foundation Entrepreneurs Business School, Lagos, Eboigbe has been a TV/film/stage producer  as well as a project manager for some 15 years. Apart from having powered or been part of the likes of Keeping Faith, 30 Days, MTN Project Fame, she has written and produced some plays.

http://www.punchng.com/entertainment/arts-life/eboigbe-banks-her-faith-on-community-theatre/