The MTN Foundation has called on the Federal and State Governments to revitalise one of the nation’s monuments, National Arts Theatre, Iganmu in Lagos, to enhance the nation’s economy and culture.
Its Director, Mr Denis Okoro, made the call on Tuesday in Lagos that the edifice required reinvigoration for efficient performance that could enhance the nation’s economy and culture.
“Look at a theatre like this, allowed to go to waste; we should be having every weekend, families bring their children to where they can watch, play and laugh.
“All we are doing now is to get ourselves glued to our television sets; we can’t get anything, it’s just lying there and we have no places to go.
“We at MTN have started by grooming talents. Whatever any government can do, if I were the Lagos State Government, I will take over this place and renovate it and make it a hub for tourism,” he said .
Okoro recalled that the structure at the National Arts Theatre was a replica of the theatre in Sofia, Bulgaria, which was still being maintained.
“We like to invest money, but we have no maintenance culture.
“Government is not paying too much attention to it, but we don’t blame the government; government has so many things to pursue.
“Any group that wants to join us, the MTN Foundation, in doing what we are doing, we are prepared to partner with such group to promote our arts and culture,” he said.
Okoro appealed to government at all levels to put in place policies that would rejuvenate stage and theatre shows.
