First Bank of Nigeria has announced a partnership deal with the Lagos International Theatre Festival (LITF), with the aim of supporting the nation’s creative arts industry and nurturing local talents.
The strategic collaboration, scheduled to hold across four venues in Lagos: the National Theatre (Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts), Terra Kulture, Muson Centre, and John Randle Centre, will also feature talented artists from the United States of America, South Africa, Zambia, and Nigeria.
Briefing journalists on the project, in Lagos, the Executive Director, Retail Banking at FirstBank, Oluseyi Oyefeso, expressed the bank’s delight at the partnership, noting that the festival aligns with FirstBank’s First@Arts Initiative, a platform dedicated to supporting the creative arts value chain across Nigeria.
“As a corporate institution deeply woven into the fabric of society, FirstBank recognises the transformative power of the arts, including theatre, and its ability to inspire the citizenry, ultimately fostering national cohesion. The arts provide a platform for self-expression, cultural exchange, and social commentary,” he stated.
According to him, the bank’s investment in the festival reflects its dedication to nurturing talent and preserving the rich cultural heritage of the country.
“This initiative supports the broader creative ecosystem, which is an essential driver of the economy,” he added.
The founder of LITF and Terra Kulture, Bolanle Austen-Peters expressed the belief that the festival would play a key role in revitalizing Nigerian stage productions.
“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 LITF to showcase that stage plays remain a vibrant part of Nigeria’s creative landscape,” she stated.
She said LITF will serve as a platform where creatives in the country will have the opportunity to explore, tell the Nigerian stories, and export the country’s positive philosophies and values to the world.
Nollywood actor, Jide Kosoko also expressed gratitude for FirstBank’s continued support of the arts, noting that LITF has become a vital platform for promoting Nigerian art and culture to a broader audience.
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