By Etuka Sunday
The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele; and the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed, have expressed satisfaction with the level of renovation work being carried out at the Lagos Creative & Entertainment Centre (LC&EC), popularly known as the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.
Exchanging views during a high-level inspection of the facility on Sunday, December 12, 2021, the Project’s Steering Committee, led by its Chairman and CBN Governor, Mr. Emefiele, noted that major milestones had been achieved since the project’s commencement on site early in 2021.
The over N40 billion investment committed to the project by the Bankers’ Committee is expected to deliver far-reaching benefits to the Nigerian economy and supports the initiatives of the Muhammadu Buhari administration to grow the creative industry and provide jobs to Nigeria’s youth population.
Since the award of contracts in March 2021, the main and subcontractors and several specialist contractors have followed a rigorous project plan of identifying and saving items of significant historical value and art, stripping away and decommissioning, carrying out integrity assessments, creating new services routes, and remodelling some of the interior spaces including nearly 300 units of conveniences.
Sanwo-Olu, Emefiele, Mohammed and other members of the Steering committee, including the CBN Deputy Governor in charge of Financial System Stability (FSS), Mrs. Aishah Ahmad; the Group Managing Director of Access Bank and Chairman of the Body of Bank CEOs, Herbert Wigwe; and the Managing Director of GT Holding Company, Segun Agbaje, noted that the entire heating, ventilation, air conditioning system, power, water supply and sewage systems were currently being replaced while fire safety standards are being significantly upgraded.
The nearly 3000sqm roof terrace, which had been a major source of leakages, is also currently undergoing repair, while the floors, walls, panels, and ceilings have been stripped back as part of a plan to ensure that all underlying structures are able to support new finishes.
In the 4000-seater main bowl, the new stage infrastructure will deliver future-fit performing arts spaces, for dance, theatre, music, and multimedia, with adjustable acoustics and advanced technical systems, adaptable to the requirements of audiences, artists, and sponsors.
The team also observed that the banquet halls and exhibition spaces as well as the two 500-seater cinemas had been stripped out, with new walls, floor and ceiling finishes being installed.
It will be recalled that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele led members of the Bankers’ Committee to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Federal Government in February 2021, for the handover of the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.
Emefiele, at the MOU signing had noted that revamping the National Arts Theatre would unlock the creative talents of hundreds of thousands of Nigerian youths in the fields of music, movie production, fashion, and information technology.
