NFVCB partners varsities on media literacy, capacity building

‘Film industry has very high return on investment’

The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has organised a two-day interactive session and capacity building for youths and undergraduates from five institutions of learning in Lagos State.

The participating youths/students, which were over 300, and drawn from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos State University, (LASU), Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), and Trinity University, were gathered at the Afe Babalola Hall in UNILAG on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 26 and 27, for the training sessions organised to empower and build capacity in various aspects that include directing, cinematography, acting, screenwriting, costume design and creative art design.

In her keynote remarks, the Public Affairs Officer, United States (U.S.) Consulate, Lagos, Julie McKay, stated that people now pay more attention to African creatives – films and music – especially Nigeria, expressing confidence that the next OSCAR winner might come from Nigeria – the participants at the training.

The U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Officer, reeled out some of the partnerships with Nigerian creatives to include Kunle Afolayan Production Academy where the U.S. brought in experts for master classes to train the next sets of film-makers, further said:

Chairman of the event, Toki Mabogunje, in her speech, noted that the event was aimed at equipping young people with the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to critically evaluate and create media content.

Executive Director of NFVCB, Dr Shaibu Husseini, urged the students to listen and endeavour to use the opportunity to learn and evolve their talents while meeting with industry experts.

Meanwhile, Dr Theresa Ifeoma Amobi of the Mass Communication Department at UNILAG, noted that information skills are an important tool for combating information anomaly and disorder.

In another development, the Convener of the Africa Film Forum, Mary Epharim-Egba, has said that the film industry is one of the biggest industries in the world with a very high return on investment.

Epharim-Egba, who spoke during a roundtable event hosted by the Forum in Lagos, said: “In my over 21 years in the industry, we have evolved from one cinema that was operating 20 years ago, and from mocking films that were laughable on the international film industry.” She, therefore, emphasised the need for collaboration between the financial and creative sectors to secure a prosperous future.