'The National Arts Theater has not been sold'

Contrary to rumours making rounds on the social media, The National  Arts Theater complex has not been sold.

The rumours were refuted by Mr Kabir Yusuf, The General Manager, National Theatre (NT), on Wednesday, June 10, 2015.

The reports claim that Chief Edem Duke sold the National Theatre in Lagos to a United Arab Emirates conglomerate for $40m.

“It is pertinent to repeat that the concession arrangement relates to only the fallow land and not the main edifice nor any of its halls," he said.

According to him, the management are more concerned with refurbishing the infrastructure. “There is a need to restore the National Theatre to its past glory; we are not going to sell it. “I don’t understand why people call for change and when it is being done, they cry foul again,’’he added.

“We should realise that government does not have the resources we are looking for, but we can leverage on the growing interest of the private sector to find the resources."

The National Arts Theatre is the primary centre for the performing arts in Nigeria.

Located in Iganmu, Lagos State, construction was completed in 1976 in preparation for the Festival of Arts and Culture in 1977.