Festival of Nigerian plays debuts next year
The national president NANTAP Gregory Odutayo, told delegates to the 2009 NANTAP convention in Ile-Ife Osun State that NANTAP will ensure that the event holds from 2010 onwards. Though he did not specify the exact date and venue he noted that, NANTAP intends to position it as a veritable festival to showcase Nigerian cultures and […]
The national president NANTAP Gregory Odutayo, told delegates to the 2009 NANTAP convention in Ile-Ife Osun State that NANTAP will ensure that the event holds from 2010 onwards.
Though he did not specify the exact date and venue he noted that, NANTAP intends to position it as a veritable festival to showcase Nigerian cultures and traditions.
“We do not aim to compete but to add our voice to projecting the image of Nigeria through our culture and traditions. We will still be working under the theme ‘A Celebration of the Masters’ with the plays of Wole Soyinka, Ola Rotimi and J.P. Clarke. We will like to use this opportunity to call on the government and people of Osun State to join us in this revitalization of the theatre going culture by partnering with us in the celebration of the masters,” he explained.
On copyright issues and the welfare of theatre arts practitioners in Nigeria who are gradually being crippled by all comers in the home video industry, he explained that NANTAP has “engaged government and will continue to do so on a wide range of issues ranging from copyright, welfare, creating an enabling environment for our practice as well as ensuring that the right and qualified practitioners are put in charge of parastatals in the cultural sector. We have enough qualified personnel in the cultural sector. The era of using cultural positions as jobs for the boys or party compensation is over.”
“We also enjoin government as represented by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation to give support to the parastatals within the Ministry to succeed. We enjoin our Honorable Minister to please understand that our fight is not personal. We only see ourselves as custodians and will do all in our power and resources to protect the cultural sector. We will criticize when we have to and commend when there is need to,” he said.
Odutayo also noted that, the association has commenced the documentation of all registered NANTAP members and would have their mini profile displayed on the NANTAP website.
He also said a group life cover scheme has been arranged for members so they are protected even in the case of death, their families will have some level of benefits to fall back on.
In the same vein, the association, in a communiqué issued at the end of the three day convention urged government at all levels to create an enabling environment for the practice of theatre and allied arts due to its importance.
“ The vital role of Theatre and Performing Artistes in the civilization of mankind should be encouraged and sustained by the governments at all levels to create social harmony, religious balance and educational upliftment,” the communiqué said.