Lagos Plans to Partner Filmmakers in the Diaspora 

At a recent roundtable discussion at Oxford University, the United Kingdom, Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Pharmacist Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf expressed the readiness of the state government to partner with filmmakers in the diaspora to produce world-class movies that will showcase the state and project it positively in the international community.

According to the Commissioner, the state government believes that the proposed partnership with household names in the film industry will also create more jobs for creative youths who are residents of the state.

Akinbile-Yussuf who informed that the roundtable discussion with filmmakers in the United Kingdom was facilitated by the Africa Film Academy, the curators of Africa Movie Academy Awards, AMAA,  in collaboration with the James Currey Society, reiterated Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s passion for a diversified economy through the creative industry.

“This initiative and many more are some of the evidence of the State Government’s efforts in pursuing a diversified economy using film production as a vital tool.”

She further noted that the idea behind the discussion is the need to further reposition the creative sector in line with the goals of the present administration, to develop tourism, arts, and culture to their optimal potential and showcase the state to the world.

Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, the founder of AFA added that the event is in pursuit of a diversified economy, which the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture has been striving to achieve since the inception of the administration of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.

“In 2021, Governor Sanwo-Olu announced that Lagos State Government will host AMAA for the next three years. Also, recently, the state government gave funds to filmmakers to produce films and also engaged the Africa Film Academy to train over 600 filmmakers in Lagos. These are some of the efforts made so far by the State Government in the film industry.

She disclosed that the state is also considering a collaboration of bringing the filmmakers to Lagos to work on projects within the Lagos metropolis like the planned Film City which is intended to be a major film hub for the practitioners.

The conversations continued with Dinner at Blooms Café in London Euston with over 50 young filmmakers in attendance from established filmmakers to young vibrant animators like Tayo who worked on ToyStory. Other attendees include Obi Emelonye, Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe MBE, Ogo Okpue, Stephan-Pierre Mitchell, and Eno Enefiok among others.