The news making the rounds about the Federal government’s plan to concession the National Theatre cannot be said to be a palatable one. If the news if true, then such a plan must be resisted by all patriotic Nigerians.

To conceive the idea of concessioning a national monument of that importance is, to me, most unpatriotic and an insult to the sensibility of Nigerians. I hold this opinion much because such a plan is nothing but a plot to sell another valuable asset of this nation through the back door to those who brought our country to this morass by their kleptomaniac attitude.

The fundamental question to ask here is: what could be the reason for the government to want to give up such a valuable asset to concessionaires? It could be argued though, that the National Theatre has lost its past glory. This is not peculiar to the theatre alone. Just like most of our national institutions it has not been living up to expectation in the recent years. But there’s an obvious reason for this and the reason is not far-fetched. The cankerworm of corruption which has been the bane of our society is also responsible for the doldrums in which the theatre has found itself. However, to conceive the idea of concessioning or selling it off is not the solution. The solution is to fight the disease that has made it near moribund. And this task is not beyond the capacity of the new leadership of the theatre headed by that seasoned, committed cultural scholar and renowned artist, Comrade Tar Ukoh, who, since he came on Board, has demonstrated the capacity to rebuild the institution.

Those who are familiar with his antecedent cannot deny the fact that Comrade Tar Ukoh – as the new Artistic Director/chief Executive of the National Theatre – has what it takes to lift the place out of its present parlous state and return it to its past glory. Whatever argument the government may want to advance as the reason for wanting to concession this institution cannot in any way be plausible enough to take this step as it amounts to throwing away the baby with the bath water and would be grossly unwise. Besides, cutting off the head would be suicidal in looking for solution for headache. Thus, to conceive the idea of concessioning the theatre, especially now that it has worn a new garment of responsible leadership that is armed with the vision and competence to reposition it, doesn’t augur well with the interest of our nation.

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Since coming on board as the new Tar Ukoh has shown a committed effort at fighting the monsters of corruption, mismanagement of resources and poorly motivated staff which have brought the theatre to its present undignifying state. At the National Theatre now the mantra is “Corruption Must Fall.” Conspicuously hung on the wall at the entrance of the Theatre is a banner that reads “Culture Must Kill Corruption, Before Corruption Kills Culture.” This new spirit at the National Theatre is in tandem with the anti-corruption ideology of President Muhammadu Buhari administration. And it’s not just a mere sloganeering, becuase the new leadership of the institution is visibly walking the talk as we heard in the news last month that some directors of the theatre were quizzed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last month over allegations of corruption. This shows that a man with zero tolerance for corruption, who is sincerely committed to reviving this national asset and restore its past glory, is now at the helm of its affairs. For me, this is a commendable step that deserves to be applauded by every patriotic Nigerian. 

In the light of the above, the government should perish the thought of concessioning this institution. The government needs to reflect on the admonition of that great Romanian philosopher and essayist, Emil Cioran, who said: “Each concession we make is accompanied by inner diminution of which we are not immediately conscious.” Should the government refuse to heed this warning then patriots of our land must rise against any attempt to carry out this plot. For, with its new responsible, visionary and transparent leadership, this institution is already set on the path of revival.

Kola Odepeju, poet and social commentator, sent this piece from Lagos