From a Vision to a Legacy: The Story of Jimmy Folorunso Atte
When you walk past the iconic dome of the National Theatre Lagos now beautifully renovated and renamed the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts it’s easy to marvel at the architecture, the lights, the buzz of performances.
But behind this landmark is the story of a man who helped give it a voice.
In 1991, when the National Theatre became a parastatal, Jimmy Folorunso Atte from Ike Bunu, Kogi state was appointed its very first General Manager & Chief Executive. It wasn’t just a title, it was a calling.
Jimmy didn’t see the Theatre as just a building; he saw it as a living, breathing heart of Nigeria’s culture.
He gave it a motto still remembered today: “the venue makes the event.” For him, the space itself could elevate creativity, inspire audiences, and empower artists.
He laid the foundation that made the Theatre more than concrete and glass it became a home for Nigeria’s storytellers, performers, and dreamers. He brought it visibility through programmes, publicity, and cultural engagement, ensuring that the Theatre wasn’t silent, but alive with music, drama, festivals, and ideas.
Beyond his work at the National Theatre, Jimmy made a lasting mark on broadcasting as one of the most influential figures in the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). He served as Director of News and Executive Director of Programmes, the only person in NTA history to have headed both arms.
• He started News Extra at 9pm every Wednesday.
• He created Weekend File on Saturdays, giving Nigerians deeper insights into current affairs.
• As head of programmes, he took over production of Cockcrow at Dawn and Tales by Moonlight, cementing their place in our collective memory.
He was also popularly known as “Jimmy the Jingle”, because he produced some of Nigeria’s most unforgettable jingles—high-impact cultural soundbites that shaped public memory. Among them was the famous “Andrew, I’m checking out” campaign, along with jingles like “Nigeria Go Better”, which carried messages of hope and national identity.
Many of the shows and jingles that defined our childhood carried his fingerprints, weaving culture, entertainment, and national values into a shared story.
More than an administrator, Jimmy was a broadcaster, producer, writer, and mentor. He poured himself into people guiding, supporting, and choosing integrity to remain rooted in culture.
Today, as the Theatre begins a new life in honour of Prof. Wole Soyinka, Jimmy Atte’s legacy reminds us that cultural institutions don’t thrive because of buildings alone. They thrive because someone believed in their soul.
His story is a lesson: leadership in the arts is not just about managing spaces, it’s about inspiring people.
Here’s to the visionaries like Jimmy Atte, the ones who build not just structures, but legacies.
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