A coalition of cultural workers and art patrons called Nigerian Artistes United (NAU) has accused the Artistic Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN), Mr Tar Ukoh of alleged abuse of office and financial impropriety and has petitioned the Governing Board of the Troupe to ask anti-graft agencies to probe him.
In a petition entitled ‘Continuous abuse of office and financial impropriety by the Artistic Director/CEO of the National Troupe of Nigeria, Comrade Tar Ukoh’ and addressed to the Chair, Governing Board of the National Theatre/National Troupe of Nigeria, Ibrahim Zailani, the NAU requested him to ask the ICPC and EFCC to probe Ukoh.
The three-page petition signed by Patience Aghomo and AdekibaGodspower on behalf of the coalition and backed with other documents including the report of the 2017 capital projects review committee of the National Theatre also accused Ukoh of alleged gross insubordination to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Grace Gekpe.
The petition dated November 26, 2018, alleged that the National Troupe had plumbed new depths of non-performance since Ukoh assumed office 19 months ago.
It said, “it is shameful that a primal government performing arts institution like the National Troupe that has carved a niche for itself over the years both at home and abroad has been rendered redundant and non-productive despite the vast resources the government has injected into it as capital expenses. Indeed, to suggest that the NTN entered into a phase of tragic demise, since the appointment of Mr Tar Ukoh who has no known record of running any successful venture in all his boastful years as an artiste, is to be stating the obvious.
“Nothing positive has happened to the National Troupe since his appointment. In fact, under his headship, the NTN has witnessed brazen financial recklessness, gross incompetence and the most extreme form of mismanagement of funds and human resources. Presently, there’s a general feeling of helplessness, disillusionment and despondency on the part of the staff of the parastatal. Staff and artiste are resigning in droves, to the extent that Nigeria’s best-known dance expert and choreographer, Dr Arnold Udoka had to withdraw his exemplary service from the NTN to the university due to the persistent lack of direction and gross incompetence exhibited by Mr Tar Ukoh.”
The petitioners further alleged that the Artistic Director has refused to officially resume work at the parastatal’s head office in Lagos, operating from Abuja instead. “We are privity to the fact that he has defied the directives of the Honourable Minister and the Permanent Secretary to officially resume work in the organisation’s head office in Lagos. Mr Ukoh has continued to run the NTN on the telephone from Abuja.”
The coalition equally alleged that Ukoh had killed professionalism in the troupe with the decision to send core artistes on compulsory leave preparatory to finally sacking them by the end of this month.
On financial impropriety, the coalition alleged that Ukoh spent N21million capital expenses the troupe received last year without any single production to show for it.
They also claimed that the Artistic Director cornered jobs meant for the National Troupe including the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Embassy of China performance deals. “He was paid to perform for NPA and the Embassy of China, amongst others, of which monies were paid directly to him…He blew the N2.5million that NPA paid for the performance,” the group alleged.
Other instances where funds were allegedly misappropriated and expended without observing due procurement process include:
- Retirement of the sum of N10.5million for a one-day talk show branded as sharing the green grass;
- Withdrawal of the N11.5million on what the director called National audition for artists that he wanted to recruit into the National Orchestra,
- Ukoh allegedly expended the sum of N5.5million, which he retired as community theatre project and children’s theatre project that was never reported by the press,
- In July 2018, Ukoh allegedly approved the release of N5.4million for the purchase of drums, and musical instruments. The money was allegedly withdrawn from a personal account it was paid into and paid to him in cash. He returned to Lagos two weeks later with four small sizes Djembe drums, which he claimed were shipped in from Ethiopia, at the cost of 1.4million each.
When called for his reaction to the petition on his private mobile line, poor connection prevented Ukoh and our correspondent from hearing each other well. He subsequently didn’t pick further calls to the line or reply to a text message. When his line was called with a different number on Friday morning, a person who claimed to be Philip, Ukoh’s Special Assistant answered the call and said the Artistic Director was in a meeting. He said to call back, but his phone rang out subsequently.