The Society for the Performing Arts in Nigeria (SPAN), on Tuesday April 7, 2026, inducted a new Board of Governors at the Noir Restaurant, Victoria Island, Lagos. This development is aimed at injecting fresh momentum into the activities of the Non-Governmental Organization.
Established in 2005, SPAN’s new Board of Governors will serve in an advisory capacity, guiding the organization in delivering its core objectives as conceived by its founder Sarah Boulos.
The inaugurated Board of Governors include — Olatomiwa Williams, Sarah Boulos, Elvira Salleras, Leticia Bertrand, Marie Louise Sassine, Yemo Alakija, Omoriode Lucy, Michael Smith, Andrew Nahman, Yorg Steckhan, and Stephanie Busari. While taking the oath of office, the new Board of governors pledged unwavering devotion to bringing their expertise, connection and experience to bear in leading SPAN to greater heights.
Fielding questions on why it became imperative to induct a new Board of Governors despite an existing Board of Trustees, the founder of SPAN Sarah Boulos said the Trustees operate as “the owner of the foundation but they cooperate in advisory capacity not in operational function.
“We need a Board of Governors to run the school and the programming and because we are building a performing arts centre, credibility is very important to have more people running the show.”
Boulos also talked about the need to step back a bit more. Giving reasons for the decision, she revealed that after 20 years of running SPAN, since 2005, and being back and forth between the United States and Nigeria, she has come to understand where her position is.
“There is a season for everything”, Boulos began. “Having another group of people helping me run SPAN is much more important. My team will be more empowered because they reside here in Nigeria. Therefore, I can focus more on empowering more individuals, and creating more impact and not just the administration aspect. Some people are created to empower and train. Some are created to run and put other things in place. I know where my calling is and I need to stay and stick to the calling that I’ve been called to do.”
Boulos sees the performing arts as a weapon to unite, and have common ground rather than to divide and destroy. She sees performing arts within the SPAN trainees as a way of building entrepreneurship and helping others.
“By 2035, you will have about 7 million Nigerians out of jobs”, Boulos declared. “I believe SPAN is the key solution for that. I believe SPAN has a way to train a lot of people across the country, it has the capacity to train a lot of people to be financially independent”, she said.
Bola Adewole, Executive Director of The Learning Place and Member of the SPAN Board of Governors said she is involved with SPAN because SPAN has a full-blown interest in the improvement of lives.
She said, “They are always looking for fulfillment, achievement of purpose as well as functionality and this aligns well with what we do as well with our vision. When we find another association or organization trying to empower people and position them for success, we align with them.
“I’m particularly excited with what we are doing with SPAN because we know that SPAN focuses on children, creativity and bringing out the best in the children. They have a heart for humanity and that’s why we keep partnering with them.”
Former CNN Bureau Chief for Africa and CEO of SBB Media, Stephanie Busari, also spoke after being sworn in as a member of the SPAN Board of Governors.
Busari said: “I have seen the impact that the SPAN workers have made and I got involved last year with the Debutant’s ball. One of my mentees is a Chibok Girl.”
Busari said she brought the Chibok girl to SPAN because she was waiting to find out what she wanted to do next.
“I brought her to SPAN and she became one of the debutants and gained communication skills to enable her presence on stage during the ball,” she said.
Busari further added that her involvement with SPAN has got deeper and deeper and that now, she is thrilled to become one of the Governors.
“SPAN is a powerful organization and it has touched many lives. Many young people who are desperate and destitute who have nowhere to go come to SPAN and they have had their lives changed and many of them have been with SPAN 10 to 15years and that’s really remarkable. It says something. About the kind of organization that it is. You can imagine the impact and my work has always been about impact as a journalist. I am looking forward to give my skills to SPAN to move on to the next chapter.”
“This is a very welcome development”, said Pastor Olufunmi Olajoyegbe, a Member of the SPAN Board of Trustees. “I am excited about it”, she continued. “I’m envisioning that there will be a lot more progress and growth. To see the type of people that have been brought on board, I’m excited because everybody is bringing to the table a value and I’m very optimistic about the impact and growth that SPAN is going to have.”
Other SPAN Board of Trustee Members include: Pastor Wale Adefarasin, Dr. Muna Onuzo, Fares Boulos and Sarah Boulos.
SPAN is an NGO set up in February 2005 with the aim of creating a world-class standard for performing arts education and expression in Nigeria. It offers exceptional opportunities in dance, music, theatre and visual arts to talented Nigerian youth, by inspiring, training, and empowering them, so that their creativity is unleashed.
