Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured practitioners in the creative and entertainment industry of the federal government’s support to reposition the sector as Africa’s creative powerhouse.
He gave the assurance on Tuesday at the Art, Culture and Creative Economy Roundtable hosted by the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture and Creative Economy at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The vice president regretted the neglect of the industry by successive governments over the years.
Shettima assured the industry of President Bola Tinubu’s determination to remedy the past neglect, part of which was the roundtable convened, further assuring them that the President is in tune with realities in the industry, especially the fact that it is a critical segment of the global economy.
He praised the industry and its drivers for their contributions to Nigeria’s growth, noting that it was the positive portrayals of the country in the various creative works like movies, music and other works of art that most of the negative narratives about the country have been corrected.
He said: “It is through your talents that we refused the caricatured image and unveiled the true essence of Nigeria’s creative minds. So on behalf of the Nigerian government, allow me to extend our profound and sincere gratitude.
“Thankfully, our President, my boss, is the architect of the nation’s entertainment hub and there’s a reason your industry refers to him as City Boy. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not only cosmopolitan, a man of arts and culture, in tune with the realities of your industry, but he has also acknowledged your industry is a critical segment of the global economy.
“Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, this roundtable is an avenue for us to deliberate and recommit ourselves to fostering an environment that nurtures creativity, innovation, and inclusivity. More than ever, we see the need to amplify the voices of our creative minds power our best talents and harness the unbridled potential that lies within the pulse of Nigeria’s diverse cultural tapestry.
“This roundtable discussion isn’t just for us to chart a course that celebrates our past achievements, it is for us to pave the way for an even brighter, more inclusive and prosperous future for Nigeria’s creative economy, for it is through such synergy that we shall continue to ascend to greater heights and cement Nigeria’s rightful place as the unrivalled creative powerhouse in Africa.
“Finally, I want to call on the gentleman seated here, the Honourable Minister of Economic Planning to kindly jack up, and quadruple the budget for the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy.
“We are going to walk the talk, this is not empty verbosity, we will support you, we will create the enabling environment for you to excel. You have come this far in spite of us, not because of us. But President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a man with the passion, zeal and commitment to redefine the meaning and concept of modern leadership. He’s a very decent man, I can give testimony to that. Let’s rally around him and move our nation forward.”
The vice president also noted that Nigerian artists and creatives have continued to make their marks on the world stage, winning awards and bringing in financial returns in foreign currencies.
Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, who introduced her roadmap to the roundtable, unveiled five targeted objectives to be achieved, one of which is the economic plan, which aims to create millions of jobs and contribute 10% of the nation’s GDP, at about N100 billion.
She also unveiled the ministry’s vision and agenda for the creative sector, which is partly encapsulated in the ‘Destination 2023, Nigeria Everywhere’ initiative – a soft power programme to showcase Nigeria’s abundant talents in the creative sector.
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