Lagos International Theatre Festival: We are committed to promoting the creative industry- FirstBank
By Amechi Obiakpu
As the Lagos International Theatre Festival kicks off Thursday, FirstBank, one of the leading financial institutions in the country has said it is proud to be sponsoring the festival as part of its commitment to Nigeria’s vibrant arts sector.
The festival which promises to be annual, will run till Sunday, November 17, 2024, and will hold simultaneously in four locations- among which are Terra Kulture and Muson Centre in Lagos.
Organisers say over 20 plays will be shown in the four days with participation from three countries, South Africa, Zambia and USA.
Speaking in a press conference Wednesday to herald the event, Managing Director of FirstBank, Olusegun Alebiosu said FirstBank’s involvement will amplify the event’s outreach and deepen its impact on Nigeria’s vibrant arts community.
Alebiosu, who was represented by the Executive Director, Retail Banking South, Oluseyi Oyefeso, said for 130 years First Bank has been empowering Nigeria and Nigerians at different facet including cultural and youth empowerment.
“Our commitment extends beyond sponsorship. We aim to expose talents in the creative industry and also engage the youths positively,” he said.
“Our investment in the Lagos International Theatre Festival reflects our dedication to nurturing talent and preserving the rich cultural heritage of Nigeria. This initiative supports the broader creative ecosystem, which is an essential driver of the economy”.
On the issue of timing, Alebiosu noted that, the atmosphere is tensed and something must be done to ease that tension, adding that: “There is also the need to tell our story so if someone is telling our story such a person is doing us good and deserved to be supported”.
First@arts is FirstBank’s platform for consolidating all its efforts in the arts, supporting the entire value chain of the creative arts, providing much-needed financing and advisory services, showcasing and facilitating the successes of the industry, and enabling customers to explore the wealth of opportunities the creative industry has to offer.
Under the initiative, the bank recently sponsored the showing of Kurunmi, a stage play written by renowned author, Ola Rotimi.
In her remark, Founder of LITF and Terra Kulture, Bolanle Austen-Peters, said outside oil, creativity is the country’s biggest export hence the need to berth the festival to life.
“With over 22 years in the industry and initiatives like Terra Academy for the Arts that have trained over 26,000 young people, we are using Lagos International Theatre Festival to showcase that stage plays remain a vibrant part of Nigeria’s creative landscape”.
She posited that the festival will further unite people in the creative space and Nigerians in general irrespective of tribe or religion especially at this period when people are tensed.
The conference attracted players in the creative space in Africa and the USA including veteran Nollywood actor, Jide Kosoko.
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