NANTAP to celebrate 2015 World Theatre Day

BY ADEOLA OGUNRINDE

Lagos state Chapter of National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners, NANTAP has announced that it will commemorate the 2015 edition of the World Theatre Day on June 26. The International Theatre Institute ITI an arm of UNESCO had declared the day to be commemorated on every March 27th and the NANTAP has annually commemorated the day since 1991 but the Lagos chapter of the association has had to move this year’s celebration to June 26th 2015 because of the uncertainties of the 2015 election.

The election that would have held in February 2015 was later moved to March 28th and this affected the planning and staging of the 2015 edition of the day. Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of NANTAP, Faith EkiEboigbe disclosed at a press briefing  at the National theatre that the day had to be moved forward because of the exigencies of the time.

According to her  ”We scanned our environment and realized that it will not be feasible to commemorate the day as a result of the anxieties that followed to the buildup of the general elections, so we decided that we shift it until when we are done with the elections’ Eboigbe said.

This year’s theme is to be held under the theme of ‘Theatre and Conflict Resolution in the 21st Century’. The one day commemorative event will be supported byKabir Yusuf led National Theatre and will hold at the conference banquet hall of the national theatre on June 26 beginning at 12noon.

The event will also feature a keynote speech on the theme of the commemoration, performances, presentation of awards and investiture of the World Theatre Day personality. The Managing Director of FSDH Mr. Rilwane Bello Osagie will chair the commemorative event while the Country Director of British Council, Lagos Mr. Connie Price will serve as guest speaker.

Also the Eboigbe noted during the press briefing that the Managing Director of Terra Kulture Mrs. Bolanle Austen Peters will be decorated as the WTD 2015 Distinguished Personality. Each year NANTAP identify and recognize a personality that has contributed greatly to the growth and development of the theatre profession and Mrs. Austen Peters rightly qualifies to be honoured because of her immense contribution to the growth and development of the arts. Apart from running the upscale cultural centre in Lagos.

Mrs Peters has a Master’s degree in International Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Law degree from the University of Lagos. She set up Terra Kulture in 2003 to promote the richness and diversity of Nigerian Languages, Arts and Culture. Terra Kulture was established because there were few places in Nigeria with the appropriate ambience, for Nigerians and foreigners alike to learn about Nigeria’s rich cultural and linguistic heritage Mrs. Peters has also dedicated the space at Terra to sustained theatre production. She ventured into production of theatre with the musical production SARO, a production that has engaged so many members of NANTAP.

Chairman of World Tourism Development, WTD organizing committee for Lagos NANTAP ShaibuHusseini in the press briefing noted that Mrs. Peters was unanimously chosen because of her invaluable contribution to the development of the arts particularly the theatre profession. “We usually vote to select a personality to be honoured each year but this year we unanimously chose Mrs. peters because her record of service is there for everyone to see’ Shaibu said.

The WTD Personality award is just one of the awards that will be presented on June 26th. Some important personalities will also be recognized on the day of theatre. “We shall induct some personality as Ambassadors of the theatre profession and another set as certified thespians. The idea is to remind the certified thespians of where it all started for them and that is the stage. As for the ambassadors, it is to appreciate them for their selfless service to the theatre profession” Eboigberemarked.

Ambassadors to be honoured include the filmmaker and Executive Director of iREP documentary film festival Mr. Femi Odugbemi, EfeOmoregbe, Mrs. LajaAdedoyin, the actor YemiSodimu, Dr. Ostia Ezewanabe of the University of Lagos and the founder and President of the African Film Academy Peace AnyiamOsigwe. Those to be decorated as certified thespians include the dance major and filmmaker EmemIsong, NajiteDede, Lancelot OduwaImaseun, TejuBabyface,  EjikeAsiegbu, Pat OghreImobhio and Rogers Ofime.

But beyond the performances and awards, Eboigbe disclosed that there will be an arts exhibition which will be mounted in front of the banquet hall and an   endowment fund for the chapter  will be set up  which will be used to support projects by members and meeting them at their challenging moments.