Creative industry can contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth, revenue drive — Don
Creative industry can contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth, revenue drive — Don
Dr Ikechukwu Obiaya, Dean, School of Media and Communications Studies, Pan Atlantic University in Lekki, Lagos, says creative industry has potential of contributing greatly to the economic growth and revenue generation of the country.
He stated this on Wednesday in Kano, at the opening ceremony of a five-day conference of the Kano Indigenous Languages of Africa Film market (KILAF).
The Voice Media Trust (VMT NEWS) reports that the conference was organised by Moving Image Limited, in collaboration with Bayero University Kano (BUK), and supported by Multichoice Talent Factory.
The conference theme “The African Orange Economy: A National Approach for Optimum Utilization of Opportunities through Indigenous Languages Films.”
Obiaya said Nigeria needs to pay greater attention to the creative industry as a major contributor to economic growth and revenue generation.
Obiaya, who is the Chairman of the occasion, said over the years, the country had continued to focus largely on the oil sector while overlooking opportunities in other sectors.
According to him, the creative industry is one of the most important sectors. The creative industry is responsible for a good portion of what can be generated as revenue.
“We are focusing on oil. We have overlooked the great potential that we have in so many sectors. Conferences like this one helps to emphasise the importance of diversification. We have to pay more attention to the creative industry sector,” he said.
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Also speaking, Abdulkareem Mohammed, the Managing Director, Moving Image Limited, said the conference was organised to sensitise young people to produce films in their indigenous languages to preserve culture and also key into the orange economy.
He said the initiative was designed to provide a platform for promoting cultures because without using language as a vehicle of culture, identity can be lost.
Earlier, Akaoma Onyeonoru, Academy Director at Multichoice Talent Factory, West Africa, said that it was hosting two masterclasses – on business of film and indigenous language film making for global audiences.
She emphasised the importance of the masterclass on indigenous language film making to attract a global audience.
According to her, the other masterclass on the business of film is crucial because film is a product while also training students on how to make films.
She described the festival’s focus on indigenous languages as significant in preserving cultural identity and creating opportunities for Nigerian filmmakers to reach wider audiences.
