-Iduozee Paul, Benin correspondent
Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki has pledged serious support to help revived the movie and entertainments industry in the state as a means of creating jobs for youths. He explained that this will enable the youths harness their God given gifts and potentials.
Obaseki who, was represented at an event by his senior special adviser on Investment and Promotion, Kelvin Uwaibi, made the promise at the media unveiling of a three minutes movie entitled: “Depression,” put together by the Benin Films Academy (BFA) in partnership with the Igbinedion University, Okada, (IOU) in Benin City.
The governor said the state government is committed to focusing on entertainment and movie venture and trade so that the potential, gift, skills and talents of the youths can be develop . He said it would also help generate revenues to the state.
According to him, the Edo State government is eager to partner with the film academy to reduce the high state of unemployment in the state and country.
The director of the Academy, Lancelot ImasuenOduwa, said he founded the school is to contribute his quota to the advancement and development of the society, and the world at large. He said that is the only way he can give back and add to the progress of the society.
According to him, since the commencement of the film academy, most of its graduates can compete with other actors across the globe.
Imasuen who is a movie icon asserted that since the beginning of the school people from Ekiti, Delta , Lagos and other states have started exploiting gains from coming there and they are proving their mettle in any Hollywood industry around the continent.
He appealed for sponsorship from private, government and members of the public to run the industry and sustain the desire to keep giving back to the society.
Commenting on the “Three and Half Minutes” dramatized by some graduates of the film academy Lancelot lmasuen said he only gave them the concept of the movie and the students did the remaining, finishing the execution without his input. He commended them for a well done movie.
Asked about the vision of the movie industry in the next five years, he said it will train more students that would create a great wave in the movie and entertainment business across the continent.
Narrating the rigorous rehearsal they went through before they were able to produce the movie BFA Half Hour, Jonahino Moses, said their aim is to ensure they produce sound and quality movies that portray the current ills and issues affecting majority of the people in the society especially the youths.
Moses who played the role of a producer on BFA Half Hour said their objective is to showcase the general mood of the youths.
Giving his remarks during the event, the programme coordinator Benin Film Academy, Ossa Earliece, said the movie and entertainment industry is capable of generating 200,000 jobs in the state. He admonished the students of the academy to be serious in their study and appealed to the state government to diversify by investing in movie industry to create more jobs for the people.
