Members of the Lagos State Executive Council at the end of the Convention.
The National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP) has revealed that it is more than just a gathering of theatre art practitioners if the theme of its 2010 convention is anything to go by.
‘Theatre and Change: Credible Election and Good Governance' was the 2010 theme, as revealed at the opening ceremony of the association's annual convention, held on November 18 at the Mainland Hotel, Oyingbo, Lagos.The association seemed fired up about the theme as it could be deduced from its president Greg Odutayo's welcome address, Ahmed Yerima's speech and comments from various members of the association.
Odutayo said this year's convention was to consolidate on three years of the executive. "We want to be able to showcase the journey so far," he said. "We have reinvigorated the association. We have taken our rightful place as key stakeholders in arts, culture and tourism," he noted. However he added that there is still much to be done, as there were still things happening in the Culture and Tourism ministry, from which the association was excluded.
Odutayo also reminded the members of the need to drive forward the state chapters and membership, as these two areas still needed much improvement. He declared that the theme for the convention became imperative in light of the association's elections this year and of course the impending 2011 election in the country.
Ahmed Yerima
Yerima's speech went in similar direction as he illustrated how theatre and the theatre artist could be used as a tool to effect change. "Can theatre be used to achieve political change? The answer is simple, yes," he affirmed.
Athol Fugard's use of theatre to agitate against the apartheid system in South Africa, Ngugi Wa Thiongo and Micere Mugo's use of Kikuyu language in theatre to depict the injustices of colonial Kenya, Herbert Ogunde's ‘Yoruba Ronu' and Soyinka's efforts in the 70s and 80s were some of the examples he cited.
Consequently, in using theatre to effect changes towards credible elections and good governance in the country come 2011, Yerima argued that the onus lay on the theatre artist. "He must understand the craft of skillfully turning theatre from a tool for entertainment and enjoyment into a weapon of social change." "He must observe the society, recognise the ills, and begin to weave his plot so that the conflict of his play carries the message without making it too didactic. Also the society must recognise and identify themselves within the context of the play" he said in addition.
He counseled that theatre practitioners should take advantage of their relationship with the media to send specific messages on the elections to the Nigerian populace. He also warned theatre artists not to sell their fame cheaply for a few bucks."Good governance can only be achieved if the individual artists are also careful in the choice and the personality of those they endorse," he said.
Yerima spoke about the $200 million endowment fund for the arts which President Goodluck Jonathan had announced would be made available to support the arts, and raised relevant questions about it, which elicited much response from delegates.
One attendee called on the association to look into ensuring that the fund is judiciously used and not misused. Another contribution advised that artists source for their own survival because they would not be objective in their criticism of politicians' excesses if they continued to go cap in hand to government. The responses revealed that Ahmed Yerima's speech had made its mark as comments continued to flow.
Veteran actors Dejumo Lewis ,Lara Akinsola, Ben Tomoloju (one of the founding fathers of NANTAP), Mufu Onifade and Martin Adaji of the National Troupe of Nigeria, were some of those present, among many others.
There were delegates and executives from the various chapters of NANTAP. There were also representatives from the Creative Designers Association, Committee for Relevant Art, The Lagos Chapter of the Guild of Nigerian Dancers (EKO GOND), Indigenous Movie Makers Association of Nigeria, Voice Over Artists Association and many other affiliated bodies of NANTAP.
In his goodwill message to the association Dejumo Lewis praised NANTAP for being a well organised and focused association in the entertainment Industry. "We are proud of NANTAP," he enthused.
Source:234next.com
‘Theatre and Change: Credible Election and Good Governance' was the 2010 theme, as revealed at the opening ceremony of the association's annual convention, held on November 18 at the Mainland Hotel, Oyingbo, Lagos.The association seemed fired up about the theme as it could be deduced from its president Greg Odutayo's welcome address, Ahmed Yerima's speech and comments from various members of the association.
Odutayo said this year's convention was to consolidate on three years of the executive. "We want to be able to showcase the journey so far," he said. "We have reinvigorated the association. We have taken our rightful place as key stakeholders in arts, culture and tourism," he noted. However he added that there is still much to be done, as there were still things happening in the Culture and Tourism ministry, from which the association was excluded.
Odutayo also reminded the members of the need to drive forward the state chapters and membership, as these two areas still needed much improvement. He declared that the theme for the convention became imperative in light of the association's elections this year and of course the impending 2011 election in the country.
Ahmed Yerima
Yerima's speech went in similar direction as he illustrated how theatre and the theatre artist could be used as a tool to effect change. "Can theatre be used to achieve political change? The answer is simple, yes," he affirmed.
Athol Fugard's use of theatre to agitate against the apartheid system in South Africa, Ngugi Wa Thiongo and Micere Mugo's use of Kikuyu language in theatre to depict the injustices of colonial Kenya, Herbert Ogunde's ‘Yoruba Ronu' and Soyinka's efforts in the 70s and 80s were some of the examples he cited.
Consequently, in using theatre to effect changes towards credible elections and good governance in the country come 2011, Yerima argued that the onus lay on the theatre artist. "He must understand the craft of skillfully turning theatre from a tool for entertainment and enjoyment into a weapon of social change." "He must observe the society, recognise the ills, and begin to weave his plot so that the conflict of his play carries the message without making it too didactic. Also the society must recognise and identify themselves within the context of the play" he said in addition.
He counseled that theatre practitioners should take advantage of their relationship with the media to send specific messages on the elections to the Nigerian populace. He also warned theatre artists not to sell their fame cheaply for a few bucks."Good governance can only be achieved if the individual artists are also careful in the choice and the personality of those they endorse," he said.
Yerima spoke about the $200 million endowment fund for the arts which President Goodluck Jonathan had announced would be made available to support the arts, and raised relevant questions about it, which elicited much response from delegates.
One attendee called on the association to look into ensuring that the fund is judiciously used and not misused. Another contribution advised that artists source for their own survival because they would not be objective in their criticism of politicians' excesses if they continued to go cap in hand to government. The responses revealed that Ahmed Yerima's speech had made its mark as comments continued to flow.
Veteran actors Dejumo Lewis ,Lara Akinsola, Ben Tomoloju (one of the founding fathers of NANTAP), Mufu Onifade and Martin Adaji of the National Troupe of Nigeria, were some of those present, among many others.
There were delegates and executives from the various chapters of NANTAP. There were also representatives from the Creative Designers Association, Committee for Relevant Art, The Lagos Chapter of the Guild of Nigerian Dancers (EKO GOND), Indigenous Movie Makers Association of Nigeria, Voice Over Artists Association and many other affiliated bodies of NANTAP.
In his goodwill message to the association Dejumo Lewis praised NANTAP for being a well organised and focused association in the entertainment Industry. "We are proud of NANTAP," he enthused.
Source:234next.com
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