FG, UBA Restate Commitment To Creative Industry
The federal government and United Bank for Africa (UBA) have restated their commitment to developing the Nigerian creative industry at the premiere of ‘Our Best Friend’s Wedding’ on REDTV.
Speaking at the premiere, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed lauded the improvement s made in the industry while commending the unrelenting support of UBA towards the growth of the creative industry in Nigeria. He noted that UBA is one of the few organisations that understand the far reaching impact the creative industry can add to Nigeria’s economy.
The minister applauded the quality of the television series, attesting that Nigeria’s television production and creative industries have come of age with capabilities to contribute significantly to the country’s socio-economic development. This, according to the minister is part of the objectives the recently signed pact between the Federal Ministry of Information and The Tony Elumelu Foundation hopes to achieve.
“I recall that before the MOU we signed with the Tony Elumelu Foundation, we identified a plethora of problems in the Creative Industry ranging from systemic failure, lack of monitoring of intellectual property and lack of capacity. Having said that, I am particularly delighted to tell you that after organisations like the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the British Council came to the rescue of the creative industries, the story has now changed for good”, he said.
Reiterating why the MoU is important for Nigeria’s creative industries, he explained that the film industry, best known as Nollywood, is the most energetic in the world and has a total estimated value of over $500 million per annum. It also provides jobs for thousands of people but sadly, an estimated $200 million is lost to piracy annually because of the absence of formal, legal distribution systems.
Director of marketing and corporate communications, UBA Plc and executive producer of the television series, Mrs. Bola Atta appreciated the critical interventions by the government in creating an enabling environment for the creative industry to thrive, whilst noting that the series, made by Nigerians in Nigeria is of world class standard.
According to her, in just a few days of its release, the series garnered over 130,000 views on the YouTube channel. REDTV is a dynamic online lifestyle channel that puts the spotlight on Africa with a distinct global appeal. The movie, Our Best Friend’s Wedding is a romantic dramedy of a young man who panics and buys an engagement ring on a whim. He recruits his two female best friends to help go through a list of potential candidates and sets off a series of events that lead to a wedding.
