At SPAN Graduation Ceremony, Home-Bred Talents Shine

Yinka Olatunbosun

Sparks flew as the music propelled the dancers. At the evening of laughter and pure entertainment the Society for Performance Arts of Nigeria (SPAN) wrapped up its six month SPAN On The Road (SOTR) programme, dinner was served in style. Tagged “Beyond Boundaries,” the ceremony was a climax of a dance training programme organised by SPAN in partnership with Ford Foundation. The training aimed at reaching talented kids from underserved communities has been a tradition of SPAN for over two decades.

Held on July 14, at SPAN Space, Bourdillon, Ikoyi, the event celebrated the successful completion of a dance training initiative organised by SPAN in partnership with the Ford Foundation to discover and nurture underserved talented children and young people.

The performances left no doubt about the impact of the programme. Students who once had little or no formal dance training confidently performed salsa, jazz, urban fusion, hip-hop and Nigerian street dance. The showcase featured performances by SPAN on the Road students, scholarship beneficiaries and elite students of the SPAN Academy. A short documentary highlighting SPAN’s work, including its activities in Maiduguri, was screened at the event which featured an award presentation to Ford Foundation in appreciation for their support.

For SPAN’s Chief Operating Officer, Remi Jemitola, the evening was both a celebration and a moment of gratitude. Despite the absence of SPAN Founder Sarah Boulos from the event, Jemitola said the programme reflected the vision she had pursued for many years.

“What Ford did for us made it possible for us to spread our tentacles to Maiduguri. We are also in Omojuwa Estate behind Mile 12 Market. We couldn’t have achieved this without our instructors, especially our Director of Dance, Osejindu Victor Chize, who oversees the technical aspects of the programme and every member of the team.”

Describing the evening as “a profound milestone in SPAN’s journey to democratise performing arts education across Nigeria,” Jemitola said the SPAN on the Road initiative had grown from an ambitious idea into a life-changing programme.

The SPAN on the Road initiative was created to break geographical barriers by taking structured performing arts education, mentorship and life-skills training directly to talented young people living in underserved and remote communities.

The Regional Director of the Ford Foundation Office of West Africa, Dr. ChiChi Aniagolu, said supporting the initiative aligned with the foundation’s commitment to expanding opportunities for young people. Aniagolu stressed that Nigeria’s creative industry deserves the same level of investment as other professions.

“Not everybody is going to become a doctor, lawyer or engineer. Nigeria’s music and film industry has made the country proud across the world, yet we still do not have organised funding to nurture the next generation of artists and filmmakers. When SPAN approached us, we realised this was a gap we needed to fill.”

She added that the Foundation was particularly encouraged by SPAN’s decision to work in underserved communities and conflict-affected areas.

“They decided to go into underserved communities, even conflict zones like Maiduguri. That is something we want to continue supporting as long as resources are available.”

Perhaps the most powerful moments of the evening came from the young beneficiaries themselves, whose personal stories reflected the true impact of the programme.

One scholarship student said, “SPAN gave me the confidence to express myself boldly and finally believe in my own abilities.”

For the participant named Precious Abang, the programme opened a new world of possibilities. “SPAN found me. They have a unique way of teaching because they don’t focus on just one style. We learnt salsa, traditional dance, Latin dance, choreography and jazz. The tutors are patient and take time to teach every student,” she said.

The event was attended by the Ford Foundation team from United States office, including Vice President and Chief People Officer Diane Headly, Chief Administrative Officer Tanisha Dyall, Director of Global Property Management Richard Sayers, Global Director of Financial Accounting and Reporting Lorna Lewis, and Associate Counsel, Office of Legal Services, Danielle Vildostegui, underscoring the Foundation’s commitment to the initiative.