In line with Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration’s commitment to entertainment and tourism, 890 youths sponsored by the Lagos State Government have graduated from the African Film Academy after a six-week free intensive training.
They are beneficiaries of the Film in a Box programme by the Academy, in conjunction with the state government, to train and empower young people in the creative industry in three different centres – Alimosho, Epe and Badagry.
The young graduates were trained in Acting, Art Directing, Light and Lighting, Editing, Sound Production and Postproduction, among others.
The beneficiaries of the Film in a Box initiative, who were visibly excited by the gesture from the government, praised its commitment to the creative industry and promised to support and ensure Sanwo-Olu’s victory for a second term in the next year governorship election.
At the graduation ceremony, held at the Lagos Theatre, Igando in Alimoso, the Governor restated his administration’s commitment to collaborate with stakeholders in the entertainment industry to train and acquire skills that would create an ecosystem to give livelihood to creative minds.
Sanwo-Olu, who assured that his administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S agenda is to make life a lot easier and beneficial to all Lagos residents, especially the youths, said the state government is committed to achieving its 30-year (2022 to 2052) development plan, which was unveiled recently at the 2022 Ehingbeti Summit, as well as building an African Film City in Epe axis of the state.
T.H.E.M.E.S, the developmental agenda for Greater Lagos, represents the six-pillar development plan of the Sanwo-Olu administration. It stands for Traffic Management and Transportation; Health and Environment; Education and Technology; Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy; Entertainment and Tourism; and Security and Governance.
The Governor said that his government would ensure it uses entertainment and tourism to connect with the future so that Lagos could be a one-stop shop in the world and therefore urged those in the creative industry to harness the opportunities provided on the right track to ensure a better and greater Lagos as well as taking the state and Nigeria to an enviable position.
Sanwo-Olu also urged those who graduated from the African Film Academy and other creative initiatives by the state government to take advantage of its Employment Trust Fund and the state Film Fund, to become self-employed and employers of labour.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf said the initiative was to make the youths agents of change in the creative industry and break new grounds to enable them to become self-reliant.
She said the concept had been expanded to develop the arts and culture for optimum performance to stimulate economic growth, skills and job creation to bridge the gap in the state creative industry.
While congratulating the graduates, Akinbile-Yusuf assured them that the state government would continue to monitor their growth and assist them in producing competent creative works in the industry.
In her remarks, Chief Executive Officer of African Film Academy, Mrs Peace Anyiam-Osigwe commended the doggedness of her students and urged them to explore the creative industry with training received in the academy.
The renowned filmmaker said although the mandate was to train 600 people, 890 students were trained by the Academy in Epe, Alimoso and Badagry, noting that some of them already have jobs as they were also taught the business side with the creative side.
She disclosed that some of the students, during the period of their training made films, one of which is Akanji, which will be shown in the cinema.
Anyiam-Osaigwe, who commended the Sanwo-Olu administration for the huge investment in the entertainment and creative industries, praised the government for equipping the Badagry General Hospital to respond to emergencies, especially when a facilitator fell ill.
A filmmaker, Mr Tunde Kelani, one of the facilitators, thanked the state government for investing in the entertainment industry which he noted would curb youth restiveness in Lagos and make young people to be entrepreneurs.
The creative industry veteran also commended Sanwo-Olu on the proposed film city in Lagos, saying the name of the governor would not be forgotten.
He also urged the graduands to imbibe teamwork, read, and not to forget their mentors.
