Bolanle Austen-Peters: How investors nearly took over Terra Kulture

Bolanle Austen-Peters has opened up on the conflict between Terra Kulture and investors.

Terra Kulture, in its 18 years of existence, has organised over 300 art exhibitions, 140 plays, and book readings.

The film director, who founded the Lagos cultural centre, said she was in a tussle for her business with an investment bank.

Austen-Peters, in a chat with Chude Jideonwo, said there had almost been a hostile takeover situation, where the original bank owner died and the new owners were not keen on honouring the existing arrangement with her business.

“You have something called hostile takeovers. When people invest in your business and they own the majority [stake] after a while, even if it’s your baby, you can lose the business,” the film director said.

“So they had invested… I had a beautiful relationship with the original founders [of the bank]. But then, the king died. And another king came that didn’t know. And that we didn’t know. So, we locked horns.

“And there is a tendency that, because I am petite, and I look cute, people don’t know that it’s not by size. He wanted to fight; I gave them. We fought: court, MOPOL. I kicked them out of my business. Who are you?

“You think because you have billions somewhere, you think you can intimidate me? Nah. I own my business. I kicked them out. You and your bank, go. They forget that I’m a lawyer. My dad is a lawyer. My sister is a lawyer.

“My brother is a SAN (Senior Advocate of Nigeria). And my husband has a Ph.D. from Oxford in Law.

“Some family members never expected that we would be here 18 years later. I’m never in a hurry. Nothing fazes me. When you say someone is going there, I’d say we’ll catch up and overtake.”

In the chat, Austen-Peters revealed that beyond her business, she has completed two movies and is on the third.