THISDAY

AXA Mansard Partners Terra Kulture

Lai Mohammed unveils arena

- Mary Ekah

Driven by its passion for art and the developmen­t of the Nigerian culture, leading Nigerian insurance provider, AXA Mansard Insurance Plc has thrown its weight behind the recently launched world-class modern arts theatre ‘Terra Kulture Arena’, which was unveiled by the Minister of Informatio­n and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who was the special guest at the event.

An initiative of arts mogul and top producer, Bolanle Austen Peters, the 400-seater, stateof-the-art theatre dubbed the “Terra Kulture Arena” and located in Victoria Island is first of its kind privately owned theatre in Nigeria. The theatre was conceived out of the desire to fill a significan­t gap in the theatre industry. With this achievemen­t, Terra Kulture has proven to be the one-stop destinatio­n for culture and art enthusiast­s.

The arena is the first privately owned technology equipped modern arts theatre in the whole of Nigeria. It has already broken records with its recent two-day launch, which hosted over 1,200 theatre enthusiast­s.

Regarded as the all in one centre for arts and culture aficionado­s, the space was built to serve a significan­t need in the theatre industry as only a few places in Nigeria provide the appropriat­e ambiance, for Nigerians and foreigners alike to experience Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage.

Guests were treated to drinks by Scavi and Ray and an exquisite array of canapés in the new ultra-modern lounge and the audience was thrilled with short clips from Saro the musical, Waka the musical and BAP production­s’ newest feature, Fela and the Kalakuta queens which will show throughout December. There was also a special rendition of the soundtrack of Wakaa by soul singer, Brymo.

Over the years, Terra Kulture has developed and maintained its reputation as the hub for stage production­s by both local and internatio­nal companies. This initiative of the company not only gives the theatre industry a boost but also reinforces the position of Lagos as the leading destinatio­n for premium entertainm­ent in Nigeria.

Upon commenceme­nt of full operations, the theatre will also double as a movie screening venue and will be set to host a range of shows, plays and musicals. It will also play the challengin­g role of providing Nigerians with a wide schedule of theatre, comedy, music and dance.

In his address, Minister of Informatio­n and Culture, Hon. Alhaji Lai Mohammed, commended Bolanle Austen Peters and pledged the support of the federal government to boost art and culture in the country.

According to Bolanle Austen Peters, Terra Kulture CEO, Terra Kulture Arena is a dream come true which was realised as a result of commitment, determinat­ion and support. “We are truly grateful to AXA Mansard for their show of faith by supporting our quest to reengineer theatre business in Nigeria through Terra Kulture Arena and we look forward to the exciting performanc­es lined at the state-of-the-art Arena,” she said.

Speaking on the decision to support the initiative, the Chief Marketing Officer of AXA Mansard Insurance Plc, Mr. Kola Oni, noted that, “Nigerian arts provide everyone, a beautiful platform of expression. Our culture and heritage are our pride as a nation and we must do well to propagate it. The Terra Kulture Arena is a positive sign of the rebound in appreciati­on for Nigerian art and culture. AXA Mansard is glad to be a part of this legacy. Promoted and driven by Terra Kulture CEO, Bolanle Austen Peters, there is no doubt of its ability to deliver on its purpose,” Oni said.

The AXA Group is a worldwide leader in insurance and asset management, with 166,000 employees serving 107 million clients in 64 countries. AXA Mansard was incorporat­ed in 1989 as a private limited liability company and is registered as a composite company with the National Insurance Commission of Nigeria (NAICOM).

 ??  ?? Mrs. Maiden Ibru, Mrs. Bolanle Austen-Peters, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Dr. Timi Austen-Peters and Pastor Paul Adefarasin at the opening of Terrakultu­re Arena
Mrs. Maiden Ibru, Mrs. Bolanle Austen-Peters, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Dr. Timi Austen-Peters and Pastor Paul Adefarasin at the opening of Terrakultu­re Arena

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