ENTERTAINMENT
PARROLT INTERVIEW WITH DR. THEO LAWSON, THE DESIGNER BEHIND AFRICANS BUSSIEST
CULTURAL HUB, THE FREEDOM PARK (FORMALY HER MAJESTY COLONIAL PRISON) AT
HOSPITAL ROAD, LAGOS ISLAND, NIGERIA.
E.P:
What’s your relationship with the freedom park?
Ans:
Em I was fortunate to be the architect that was blessed to design and build
this place and further blessed by the govt. of the time to oversee the running
of this place as an art space. So basically I work out of Freedom Park, am an
Arthect myself I practice and given the opportunity to turn around and over see
this historical space.
E.P:
With the great work exhibited here by turning this place (the freedom park)
into a complete cultural centre is there any other beautiful innovation of
yours art wise?
Ans:
Let’s take it like this, first the freedom park was develop on three main axis
one is to create a green space with Lagos island which was designed to look
like the it Hyde park or central park in New York, to have a space where people
can come, relax and enjoy nature also as you know this historical space was
built on the grounds of the old Lagos prison (Her majesty Prison), it is a
place where people can come and trace the history of Colonial prison with
special reference to the old past and these are not only what we do, what we
have done is to open the door of freedom park to the arts community in an
environment conducive to their workings, we have an arts aspect, in museum for
them to bring their inputs into the air space, so the arts community give and
perpetuate the life of this place.
E.P:
Thank you very much sir
Ans: (interjects entertainment parrot) I miss
your question.
E.P: Yes
Ans: You where asking if there is other
development of yours like the freedom park?
E.P: Oh yes
Ans: Well the only one that is successful after
this place is Fela’s house which we turn into a museum, we are also working on
Funmilayo Ransome Kuti’s house in
Abeokuta, that has been with the support of the Kuti family, other projects
which we have done like the HEROES PARK IN ADO EKITI after we signed the
contract there was a change of
government likewise we have submitted a proposal to the Osun State government
but either its budgeting issue or serious financial commitment but we were invited
by several state governments after they saw the freedom park, other works of
ours are Bauchi State museum, The Motherland Performance Center, University of
Lagos
E.P:
So what is your relationship with the Felabration festival having known you as an
interregnal part of the F.O.C?
Ans:
I assumed chairmanship of Felabration in 2017, felabration just gone through
some issues then with LA face after the 2006 felabrations, I was asked to join
the committee for technical support initially I was made the chairman since then
we have been trying to grow it with infusion of new ideas like the schools
debate, symposium and as a global events felabration has grown into other
countries and other interested parties making felabration a global events to
bring FELA to the consciousness of the
world, so generally I have been involved in committees like creative’s
etc. year in year out.
E.P:
This year we saw Massive involvement in the Felabration festival across the
world, how do you put this into place in terms of its global image?
Ans: Fela’s music is known was worldwide, Paul
Maccarthy knows Fela, Steve wonder knows Fela, a lot of musician know Fela and
are influenced by his music. Fela died prematurely way back 21years ago, he was
a musician who was not ready to compromise his stand for any commercial or
financial success, he was an idealist musician who stood for what he believed
in, and in school I knew somebody that says that an African doing an African
thing is Fela while I schooled in England, so Fela gave me a good ground likewise
many people one way or the other fela influenced them, a lot of the
international guys are influenced by his music, they are overwhelmed of his
instrumentation.
We
locally appreciate his lyrics, we have his massage, seen it every day and you
will notice that Fela died 21years ago, so even in death Fela is still straying
up issues, he is still affecting our culture and, there is nothing surprising
in the world coming and to celebrate his birthday. So it a big milestone that is
what the world is celebrating.
E.P:
Sir some of our state government and local government are proposing of building
arts auditorium across the states to encourage performance arts, what is your
massage to them? Especially with the success of Tera Kulture, Muson centre etc.
(to entertainment parrot)
Ans:
You used Tera Kulture and Museum centre as reference points. You don’t have steady
high (electricity), in most of this place where there are proposing the establishment of the theatre
auditoriums, you have to consider the air conditions system? And the theatre
they are building is it for the masses where there will be charging #1,000, #2,000
etc. so how can you break even, the problem we across is we end up with white
elephant projects. My approach is to look for where theatre is been practice in
the streets, playing grounds give them
microphone, give them sound system to Display their theatre when it is in good
order but encourage the college theatre industries to grow, look at campus
square situated in Lagos Island, it is a major opportunity, also look at the
football field here in campus it is locked up all the time, it is only opened
when they want to host executive football matches, football, events of the
V.I.Ps, also there is a playing field around the third mainland bridge where
kids play football, give them a store room where they can change costume, so
it is about minimal intervention but you
are developing talents. So that’s my take?
Thank
you very much
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