𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

For decades, Nigerians have admired the grandeur of the National Theatre in Lagos, an iconic cultural edifice that has hosted countless events. Yet, a crucial part of its history remains largely unknown—the fact that it was designed and constructed by a Bulgarian company, Techno-exportstroy, under the chairmanship of the late Alhaji Sule Katagum, Wazirin Katagum. This article sheds light on how a distinguished Nigerian civil servant became linked to this major architectural project, an aspect that has never been widely discussed.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Alhaji Sule Katagum was born on April 12, 1921, in Katagum, Zaki Local Government Area, Bauchi State. A well-respected public servant, he had a distinguished career spanning several decades. He was educated at Bauchi Middle School, where his teacher was Nigeria’s first and only Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. He later attended the London School of Economics, the University of Ibadan, and the University of Legon in Ghana.

His career began with the Post and Telecommunications Department in Lagos in 1945 before he moved into the Northern Regional House of Assembly as an interpreter. He later held high-ranking positions, including Administrative Secretary of the Katagum Native Authority and Secretary of the Northern Nigeria Public Service. By 1959, he was appointed Chairman of the Federal Public Service Commission by Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa, marking the pinnacle of his public service career.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝘁𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝗹𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

The National Theatre was designed and built by the Bulgarian construction firm Techno-exportstroy. Interestingly, the structure bears a striking resemblance to the Palace of Culture and Sports in Varna, Bulgaria, which was completed in 1968. The Lagos National Theatre, however, is the larger of the two.

A Facebook user, Kehinde Edet, once remarked in a post about Katagum: "My Chairman at Tecno-Katagum Construction Company, may his soul rest in peace. Very nice man." This suggests that Katagum not only played a role in bringing Techno-exportstroy into Nigeria but also had a direct business interest in construction. Katagum is recorded to be one of the owners of Techno-exportstroy

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱

While it is known that Techno-exportstroy executed the project, the details of how and why the company was chosen remain obscure. What is particularly intriguing is that Alhaji Sule Katagum left the civil service in 1975 following the purge by the Murtala Mohammed administration. If he was involved in the National Theatre project, it means the contract must have been awarded before his departure.

In a 1917 article published by Vanguard newspaper, journalist Tunde Olopa noted that Katagum was among the “last of the conscientious Nigerian public servants.” Olopa described him as a man of high administrative professionalism and lamented how the 1975 purge disrupted the efficiency of the Nigerian civil service. He argued that Katagum and his contemporaries represented the “golden age” of public service, yet their exit marked a decline in the system’s effectiveness.

This raises important questions: Was Katagum still in public service when the contract was awarded? Did he have any direct role in influencing the choice of Techno-exportstroy? Or did his personal business connections with the Bulgarian firm play a role in securing the deal?

𝗔 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴

What is certain is that Alhaji Sule Katagum was a highly regarded civil servant who later ventured into business. His involvement with Techno-exportstroy, whether as a public official or private businessman, remains an untold part of Nigerian history. Understanding the full story behind the National Theatre’s construction could offer fresh insights into Nigeria’s infrastructure decisions during the 1970s.

Rather than diminishing his legacy, this revelation adds a new dimension to the life of a man who was instrumental in shaping Nigeria’s public service and infrastructure development. It also underscores the need for further research into how international collaborations influenced Nigeria’s post-independence architecture.

The National Theatre stands today not just as a symbol of culture but also as a testament to untold partnerships that shaped Nigeria’s history.

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