BY COBHAM NSA – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mr. Disun Holloway as Chairman of Theatre Partners, the entity charged with overseeing the operations and revitalisation of the iconic National Theatre, Lagos.
Recalled that the President had renamed the national edifice as Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, in a birthday message to the Nobel Laureate who turned 90 on July 13, 2024
Considered a respected advocate for the arts, Mr Holloway brings to the role decades of leadership in culture, governance, and the creative economy.
Holloway, a former Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs, has consistently championed initiatives that bridge cultural preservation with economic opportunity.
Interestingly, the appointment is coming at a pivotal time for the National Theatre, which recently underwent a landmark transformation into a world-class cultural facility.
Available information indicated that the renovation, carried out by the Bankers’ Committee under the leadership of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), represents a N68 billion investment aimed at restoring the historic venue to its former glory and unlocking its potential for the future.
Initially, the renovation project had a nine-month time span, but it ultimately spanned over six years, due to a significant underestimation of the scale and complexity of work required, as well as interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The result is a rejuvenated National Theatre, standing ready to serve as a premier destination for the performing arts, cultural exchange, and creative enterprise in line with global best practice.
As Chairman of Theatre Partners, Mr Holloway is expected to lead efforts at ensuring the sustainable management of this national asset, working closely with government agencies, the private sector, and creative industry stakeholders to fully activate the Theatre’s potential as a hub for artistic innovation and economic development.
According to industry experts, this appointment marks renewed commitment by the Federal Government to Nigeria’s cultural renaissance and the power of creative industries to drive inclusive growth within the art sector and the economy in general.
