Over the course of the past year, the Lagos State Government has provided creative talent training to 3,748 young people in Lagos.
This was announced during the ongoing ministerial press briefing to commemorate the start of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office at Alausa, Ikeja, by the state commissioner for tourism, arts, and culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka.
She claimed that film industry organisations like the African Film Academy, GIDI Creative Academy, Ebony Life Creative Academy, and Del-York Film Academy collaborated on the training.
“To enhance the capacities of young creative practitioners in Lagos State, the state government is currently in partnership with four different creative academies,” stated the Commissioner.
3,748 young people from Lagos have benefited from the training as of right now. The following academies are collaborating with the state government on this training programme: African Film Academy, GIDI Creative Academy, Del-York Film Academy, and Ebony Life Creative Academy.
The government’s action is motivated by the desire to close skill gaps in the creative industry and put state citizens working in the industry in a position where they can compete with people their own age on a worldwide scale in the filmmaking industry.
“The beneficiaries’ testimonies are incredibly uplifting. It should be emphasised that participants are not charged for this training or capacity building, which would have otherwise cost the beneficiaries several million naira.
“I’m happy to announce that the governor has given the go-ahead for over 5,000 young men and women to receive training to run for office over the next three years.”
She also revealed that the ministry, which is in charge of overseeing all state-built museums and monuments, had repaired the damaged artwork at the Old Toll Gate in Lagos and restored and re-erected a bronze statue of the late MKO Abisola at Opebi Sheraton Junction.
In addition to the aforementioned, she stated, “The ministry hopes to complete the ongoing construction of Alhaji Lateef Jakande’s statue by the end of June 2024, which is next month.”
Additionally, the ministry is renovating and rebuilding Badagry’s Agia Tree Cenotaph, a historical landmark that marks the location of Nigeria’s first Christian sermon.