Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos State, expressed his delight on Sunday with the quality of work being done on the recently renovated Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, Iganmu, in Lagos. He declared that the Centre, formerly the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, will soon be finished and open to the public. Following a visit of the Iganmu theatre with a few state officials and interested parties, Governor Sanwo-Olu met with press on Sunday.
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The recently remodelled Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, which is comparable to the World International Centre, will be finished in roughly four months, according to Sanwo-Olu. The Governor expressed gratitude to the Bankers Committee and creative industry stakeholders for their partnership with the Lagos State Government in restoring the National Arts Theatre to its former splendour and bringing it up to par with international standards.
When the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts is finished, it will promote the arts, tourism, and culture, according to Governor Sanwo-Olu, who is thrilled about the center’s transformation over the last four years. Among other things, it will serve as a venue for international conferences and world-class performances.
He said: “I am truly excited at the work the Bankers Committee has been able to do. They have truly shown us that when we put our minds to things as a country and as a people, we can get the best out of ourselves.”
“When we all came here four or five years ago, we were discouraged and saddened by what we saw at one of our national treasures. But what has happened in the last four to five years, and with what we see today during our tour, we have brought back the old glory even in a bigger, better, and more transformative way. I commend all the professionals and companies that have put this together.”
“I think it is going to be a place where international audiences will see that we are ready to take the world by storm in entertainment, tourism, creativity and, more importantly, business conferences and seminars that we all go to attend in other parts of the world.”
“It is a one-stop shop that has everything you can imagine, comparable to any other world conference centre. It also has an additional flavour of arts and culture. By the way, the Blue Line train that we built all around here speaks to the entire infrastructure that has made this place a complete stop for Nigerians.”
“The newly rebirth Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts is on the way to open its door to the public, courtesy of the Lagos State Government and the Bankers Committee that have done the work.”
Also speaking to journalists, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe, said the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, when completed, would compete favourably with the international community as a tourist attraction.
Aregbe said it would also promote the entertainment industry, take a lot of youth off the street, and generate employment opportunities for many Nigerians in the creative industry.
He said: “We are doing everything possible to ensure that the tourism, entertainment, and creative industries in Lagos are truly rising. Governor Sanwo-Olu is doing a lot for the people. The Centre is a huge one for citizens of Lagos.”
