One month after appointment, new culture executives may resume this week
ONE of the 11 chief executives of culture appointed over a month ago by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has resumed this week. Their appointment, which was announced in January, was with immediate effect.
It was gathered that the Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation ( NICO), Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, resumed on Monday.
There was confusion, however, following delays in receiving their Letters of Appointment, as a result, the outgoing chief executives had remained in office.
The newly appointed chief executives include, General Manager, National Theatre, Tola Akerele; Executive Director, National Films and Video Censors Board, Dr. Shaibu Husseini; Director- General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Mr. Obi Asika; Director- General, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation, Aisha Adamu Augie; Chief Conservator, National War Museum, Ekpolador- Ebi Koinyan and DirectorGeneral, National Gallery of Art, Ahmed Sodangi.
Others are, Director- General, National Institute of Archaeology and Museums Studies, Chaliya Shagaya; Artistic Director, National Troupe of Nigeria, Hajiya Khaltume Bulama Gana; Managing- Director, Nigerian Film Corporation, Ali Nuhu and Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Ramatu Abonbo Mohammed. Culture enthusiasts had expressed mixed feelings over the delay in Appointment Letters, stressing that such has not been seen in other sectors of the economy.
But the Executive Director, NFVCB, Dr. Shaibu Husseini, expressed hope that the letters would be dispatched to every one of them before the week runs out.
He also blamed the delay partly on the wrong nomenclatures attached to their respective designations, which the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation ( SGF) is trying to correct to be in line with the Acts establishing the agencies.
According to him, his rightful designation was Executive Director but he was announced Director General. Same equally applied to other new appointees.
However, stakeholders in the sector have shared their opinions about the situation. For instance, the President, Audio Visual Rights Society, Mahmoud Ali- Balogun, did not see anything wrong with the delay, especially, as the new appointees have had their respective meetings with the Minister.
He said: “If there is tenure completion, the outgoing has three months to wind up and in some cases go on retirement leave, the new person does not resume until the retirement leave is completed. Except when there is termination.
“In this one, appointment has been made and some of them had meetings with the minister. I don’t think there is anything amiss. We should just be patience. It is just a month.
Most of them will resume in March.”
For the former Deputy Editor of The Guardian, Ben Tomoloju, was not generally impressed with some of the appointments.
He said: “What happens generally in our relationship with the cultural establishment nowadays is that we choose to give all appointees to the posts of Chief Executives of Culture the benefit of some kind of credibility.
“Definitely, there are a few that we can vouch for regarding their competence based on cognate experiences and landmark achievements as professionals. When Professor Ahmed Yerima was appointed as the Artistic Director of the National Troupe, later combined with the headship of the National Theatre, he was heartily celebrated by stakeholders. He did not disappoint. He was vindicated by his erudition, professionalism and innovations.
“Dr. Husseini, as the Executive Director of National Film and Video Censors Board, has always been a success story either as an artiste, critic or scholar. We do not expect anything less in his new station. In fact, we expect that this will give him opportunity to make fresh and more positive impacts in the sector.”
Tomoloju said his concern at the moment is neither about individual aptitude of the new CEOS nor a speculation on their capacities as according to him, some have performed well while others have failed.
“Be that as it may, the situation at hand demands a trenchant look at the system within which they operate. One is not sure how the system is run, so much that having been announced as new Chief Executives of Culture, there is a delay in assuming their new portfolios.
“From our own observatory, it can only appear bemusing, smacking of a lack of administrative thoroughness. But it is not for someone in my position to be alarmist. But what is not right is not right and cannot be compromised.
“However, we are in a position to render necessary advice to the establishment to do that which is right. And speedily, too. Who knows? There may be a process of orientation in place for the new CEOS which is not made public.
“I am aware that the civil service allows for such. And if this is the case, the administration should know that it is as much a matter of public interest as the essence of publicising the appointments and the enthusiasm generated by it.
“The lacuna does the sector no good in terms of information strategies and management. It tends to portray the culture administrators as being lackadaisical and those who should ferret out information about the sector - I mean our colleagues in the media - as being somewhat laid back. Between both, the synergy appears to be in half- measures.
“Speculation is dangerous. It can lead to insinuations about backroom ploys and hidden agenda.
“So far, I believe that the missing link can be restored so that the system can run smoothly. Between the outgoing and incoming administrators, transfer of schedules should be made fluid. Authority should be consolidated.”