The National Troupe of Nigeria: Choreographic and Performance Styles.

Abstract

Nigeria occupies a landmass of 923,768 square kilometers and according to recent census figures has a population of about one hundred and twenty million people (Nigeria Cultural and Tourism sites, 2005). Presently it has a political structure of thirty-six states including a Federal Capital Territory. Before Western colonization between the 16th – 19th centuries, the area presently known as Nigeria was occupied by very powerful kingdoms and empires that included the Oyo Empire, Benin Empire, Nupe Empire, Kanem Bornu Empire and Igbo Kingdom. By 1914 the Northern and Southern Protectorates, which were colonial creations, were amalgamated to constitute the present nation–state called Nigeria, thereby merging the kingdoms and Empires that consisted of different nationalities. Nigeria is said to have over two hundred and fifty ethnic groups with each of these having its own distinct cultural practices and language. It is therefore a highly heterogeneous society with diverse linguistic and cultural norms and values. Despite the devastating influence of colonialism and western culture, the traditions of the different nationalities still flourish, although some are fast giving way to modern civilization. The heterogeneous nature of the Nigerian nation–state therefore makes it inevitable for the existence of diverse cultural practices even in present day Nigerian society. Before the emergence of a modern Nigeria different traditional festivals and ceremonies in dance, music, song, masquerade and other dramatic forms abounded in the different traditional societies. It is these that have given room for the existence of multicultural forms of theatrical performances. By 1960 when Nigeria gained her independence from the British, the clamour for cultural revival heightened. There was a call for the re-awakening of traditional cultural practices through the staging of festivals of arts and culture at Federal, State and Local Government levels. This helped to promote and propagate the diverse cultures of the different ethnic groups. Typically the Nigerian performance arts, composed principally of the dance and music art forms, were promoted. The staging of festivals of arts and culture gave rise to the emergence ‗cultural troupes‘ in the villages and cities, and these became the structures under which the contemporary dance and music traditions of the people were promoted. The Federal Government took advantage of the existence of these groups to enter into bilateral cultural exchange and agreement programs with other nations of the world. Consequently most of the groups that excelled in the various local arts and culture festivals of were used to represent the country at international cultural events. Some of these groups were the Korotso Dance Group from Kano State, the Atta Dabai Dancers from Katsina State, the Nkpokiti and Atilogwu Dance Groups from Anambra State, the Imole Oloba Dance Group from Ondo State, the Edo Cultural Group from Edo State 92 and the Bata Dancers from Oyo State. The Ogunde Dance Company was also used on many occasions. The use of cultural dance groups continued until after the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Cultural hosted by Nigeria in 1977 (FESTAC ‘77). Immediately after this festival scholars and culture activists saw the need for a National Dance Company, since many African countries including Guinea, Senegal, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ghana had dance companies that were doing very well, especially in promoting the image of their countries abroad. As a result, in 1986 a National Symposium on Dance was organized by the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) which recommended, amongst other things, the establishment of a National Dance Troupe. Moreover, a National Theatre had been built in 1977 to host the FESTAC ‘77. These among other factors gave rise to the establishment of the National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN).