The World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, popularly known as FESTAC ’77, was a major event that attracted over 10,000 participants from different countries in Africa and other continents where black people live. It was held from January 15 to February 12, 1977 in Lagos. The festival, which showcased different theatrical performances at different centres, including the National Theatre, National Stadium, Surulere, and Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, also led to the creation of FESTAC Town.
Peter Badejo, a dance artist who participated at the event, shares his experience with ALEXANDER OKERE and explains why the structural and cultural gains of FESTAC ’77 are fading away.
Please, introduce yourself.
My name is Peter Badejo. I am from Ogun State but I grew up in the North. I am a dance artist, theatre performer, actor, and storyteller. I studied Dance at the University of California, Merced, in the United States of America; and attended the University of Ghana.
What role did you play in FESTAC ’77?
Before FESTAC ’77, I worked with the Centre for Nigerian Cultural Studies at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where I taught and did research and documentation of Nigerian culture. At FESTAC ’77, I was one of the artists selected to work on Nigeria’s presentation at the festival and I came under many headings. I was a choreographer and performer in Nigeria’s presentation of Langbodo, a theatre play that was rehearsed at the University of Ibadan. Also, I was involved in dancing that came under the fringe from Ahmadu Bello University and northern Nigeria. I was fully involved as a performer and as an official.
The festival was first held in Dakar, Senegal, in 1966, before Nigeria was selected as the second host country. Who were the organisers and what was the idea behind the event?
It is difficult to just use one statement because to talk about the originators of the festival, as far as I know, entails participants not just from Nigeria or the African continent but from the Diaspora. Many organisers were involved. I participated briefly at the first festival as a performer while at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University). The idea of the festival was to have it bi-annually or annually from one country or continent to the other where black people exist and I think the largest one was in Lagos. It was not just about the performance; it was about the colloquium. It was a reflection of the artistic and cultural heritage of black people. So, the government was involved and I am sure there was some diasporan involvement. Black Americans – Stevie Wonder and others – were all there. It was the largest of the festivals. After that, I thought it was going to be a bit difficult to repeat that type of festival because it was really an expensive idea. It was decided then that it would be done in bits but I don’t think any of the successive festivals became successful after FESTAC ’77.
FESTAC ’77 was obviously a massive project for Nigeria. What impression do you think the Federal Government wanted to live with the way it organised the event?
Well, you see, FESTAC, I think, meant many things to many people. I don’t think we capitalised on what could have come after FESTAC, or the gains or continuity of it, in terms of bringing black people of that sizes together. I remember after the festival, I was a choreographer for the group that was sent out by Nigeria to visit the countries that came to FESTAC and we went up to Cuba and Brazil. So, why I think we did not maximise whatever the intentions of the government and the people were is because all the archival materials were not properly taken care of; I don’t know where they are now. As far as I am concerned, they have gone to waste and subsequent governments just look at them; it is either they did not understand it or just did not know what to do with them. It is a shame. It is a big loss to the black people in the whole world, especially Nigerians who would have wanted the materials to be housed. These are like a revolution that can never be televised and repeated.
So, I don’t know whether the government did it (FESTAC ’77) as a thing of pride but I think we did not see a deep thought within the organisation and the government that was involved in terms of what exactly it was supposed to mean for posterity. Today, a lot of people talk about FESTAC ’77 from memory, whereas everything that was done at FESTAC ’77 would have been a good springboard for the heritage of black people and even up to the socio-political and economic gains of what the arts and the artists could bring to the continent. I think we missed it. If you look at it in terms of physical development for the arts, the performing arts especially, the National Theatre has become an edifice, whereas if there were big thoughts during and after the festival, I think there would have been a way of spreading our artistic expression in performing arts throughout the country and across the continent and in the diaspora. But we lost all that; it just went down the drain. I don’t know what is left now and we are still suffering from it today. Look at the National Theatre. It is the only edifice that is left but they are just debating what to do with it.
How was the Nigerian contingent for FESTAC ’77 selected?
It was at the tail end and I think after FESTAC ’77, there was a little bit of disintegration but FESTAC ’77 brought Nigerians together. For example, we had categories of entries. We had dance entries for theatrical dance. A national cast from different parts of the country presented Langbodo. We had music by Laz Ekwueme and others. These were not sectional performances but national presentations. We had the fringe; we had performances – different dances and different performances of Nigerian culture – at the National Stadium. Each state sent its representation, whereas the Federal Government coordinated some presentations. So, in that sense, there was a national spread and individuals participated.
At that time, Nigeria was well-to-do in finance, so it spent a lot of money. The FESTAC village that has now become an eyesore was built at that time and people were specifically put there to live. I remember staying in FESTAC; there were beautiful houses. Everything was sufficient there.
The event was said to have attracted over 15,000 participants from over 50 countries most of whom were housed at FESTAC village, now FESTAC Town. Can you describe the ambiance of the village?
It was incredible! Most of us there spoke our colonial languages like English, French, and others, but some spoke only their traditional languages which I think was beautiful. But people were able to communicate in a creative environment such that the verbal language alone was not a problem for people to understand. I remember that (former President Olusegun) Obasanjo was the Head of State as of that time and his special assistant was General Joe Garba. I remember one evening when they toured the village to see the artists there and there was a little protest from Nigerians because people were not properly paid; it has always been a Nigerian headache.
What about the people from other countries?
People who came from other countries were satisfied because a lot of food was given to them but I know there was a protest from the Nigerian end. There was food but some people were paid a stipend for being in the village but I don’t know what happened to the stipend from the Nigerian end.
What kind of facilities were provided there?
Sincerely, some facilities were like real housing. There were televisions, refrigerators, and furniture. There was water, electricity, and buses to convey artists from the village to the different venues. That is why I think FESTAC is one thing that cannot be repeated by any country, with the present economic situation. I think the FESTAC village was sold out to individuals but in spite of that, it is an eyesore of its past. Isn’t it?
How long did the festival last each day for the 30 days it was scheduled to hold?
Oh! Performances went on at different venues, besides the National Theatre where performances took place. There were the fringes, other places where performances went on from morning till night. There were colloquiums, seminars, and workshops on different aspects of different black cultures. It was well-attended.
How would you describe the level of security provided to protect the lives and property of the over 15,000 participants?
The security then was much better than what we have today. People went out to see shows at night and still returned home comfortably. I think security depends on the environmental dictates of time. Yes, there was security to make people comfortable at that time but there was no need for heavy security, so you compare the security provided then with the type that would have been needed today.
What fond memories can you recall from the performances by the different countries?
I performed and got to see some of the performances from South Africa, America, and Europe. That was an experience for all of us to know that the continent of Africa is spread around the world and that there are black people in every part of the world. So, it was a learning experience for us. One of the problems is we are beginning to miss the sense of blacks in the continent and the diaspora understanding each other and that is why I think they did not follow up with the essential gift that we could harness from FESTAC, which was the beginning point of knowing who we are wherever we came from.
How did the Nigerian contingent measure up?
Before now and after, Nigeria was one of the richest countries and I am not talking about petro-money but culture, heritage and artistic abilities. Even at that time, we were able to measure up with other countries. We had spectacles that surprised them and it would have been a platform for us to develop our artistic abilities. In terms of content, I think Nigeria measured up to any of the other countries. But we did not develop our theatricals. We could have utilised what we witnessed from others and learnt how to develop our touring ability or our cultural performances like that of the South Africans.
Do you really think Nigeria cannot stage a global event similar to FESTAC ’77 in terms of resources, and attendance, among other things?
As I said earlier, it is difficult at this level for any country, considering the economic situation of the country now, to organise such a huge festival, even though it is necessary. But I think the festival could be broken into segments because the value of such meetings and exchange of ideas is necessary for the continent; even if we don’t hold a world black festival, it would be good for this continent to continue to meet and have a dialogue because art is not just about art for art’s sake. It is a socio-economic and political venture. We need to value ourselves. If you look at it today, if we had really learnt something from the cultural intentions and ability of FESTAC, today, we should be able to identify when we come into an African country, even if it’s their costume.
One of Nigeria’s major challenges is infrastructural maintenance. Do you think a public-private partnership for the management of the National Theatre will work?
Even from our planning stage, I questioned the wisdom in building such a huge edifice in one place in this country. If it was sub-divided in smaller units across the states, the states could have developed from there. When it comes to maintenance, it is a problem that was, is and will continue to be. Generations have to help. The news we hear about that edifice called National Theatre is not pleasing. There was a time when attempts were made to sell it to an organisation but it kind of seems to stop serving its purpose. It should have been a creative centre from craftsmen and women and artists.
The National Theatre was not built for a cultural-specific meeting and now, we can’t maintain electricity, so we can’t even run an air conditioner in the place. It looks like there are no windows. It is a shame but as much as we don’t want to point fingers, that mistake has been made. I don’t even know whether it is functioning now. And if it is functioning, functioning as what? I laugh when people see the National Theatre as a singular thing to manage. No, it is not. There was a time it was said that it was sinking gradually because of where it was built, so that needs to be looked at.
Also, is it possible to transform that structure to make it useful without air conditioners? Even if there is a partnership, for the business partners to make money out of it, it has to be run properly, and to do that it has to be put in a shape that would make it useful. I don’t know how architects can make light come into the centre hall and make it airy without air conditioners because that centre space is one of the largest gathering points in this country. It takes about 5,000 persons but it is sealed, so it would be an architectural mystery to bring it to that point. Until you look at a thing as a product, you cannot think of making money out of it. One problem I have noticed in this country today is we keep saying we can make money out of the arts. Have we invested properly in the product we want to sell to make money? So, there isn’t much you can point to about FESTAC ’77.
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