2 days ago
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---- June 1, 2025 3:13 PM 2 min read
Veteran actor and university lecturer, Professor Sola Fosudo, has voiced concerns over the Nigerian government’s persistent neglect of the performing arts industry, particularly highlighting the lack of functional theatre facilities for graduates of Theatre Arts across the country.
In a recent interview, Prof. Fosudo criticized successive administrations for failing to invest in infrastructure that would support the professional development of theatre graduates after their studies. He pointed out that the country has only one major National Theatre located in Iganmu, Lagos, forcing theatre practitioners and audiences from other parts of Lagos to converge there.
“The government does not think of how to build several theatres for Theatre Arts graduates where they can work and practice after graduation. They built just one National Theatre at Iganmu, Lagos, so if there’s a play there, people from Agege, Iyana Ipaja and other places in Lagos would have to come to Iganmu,” he lamented.
Prof. Fosudo, who lectures at Lagos State University (LASU), contrasted this situation with the infrastructure development seen in other professions like law and medicine. He noted that governments consistently invest in hospitals and courts nationwide, providing graduates with ready working environments, a standard yet to be applied to the arts sector.
“It’s not the same in those other countries that our politicians visit. They build general hospitals across the state, courts too. That way, when lawyers and doctors graduate, there’s a working space for them, unlike Theatre Arts students,” he added.
The veteran actor’s comments underline the urgent need for government intervention to bolster Nigeria’s cultural and creative industries by providing proper facilities that nurture and sustain the careers of theatre professionals.
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