Nigeria will be heading to the polls on the 16th of February to select a president . I am curious to find out who Nigerians thinks will be the best candidate to grow the entertainment sector .
Entertainment ( music & movies ) are a very viable way to generate income and stimulate the economy . In the USA Holly wood is a key driver of the USA economy , according to deadline.com , in 2017 , American film and TV industry accounted for supporting 2.1 million jobs and 400,000 local businesses across this country. It says that the industry “continues to be a key driver of the U.S. economy, adding high quality domestic jobs and paying out $49 billion to local businesses across the country.” But wages are — on average — about two-thirds higher than other industries in this country not to add the music business in the USA which is estimated to be worth $16 billion.
In Nigeria, entertainment does not seem to be among the topics put up for discussion considering the astronomical levels of Unemployment in the country and the fact that many youths are clinging on to the entertainment industry as the last hope for survival . It is an industry that the government should be concerned about in other to save a lot of people from anguish and suffering. What baffles me the most is that in past presidential debates, nobody seems to be concerned with how presidential candidates plan to execute their promises . Candidates come on platforms to make all manner of promises to the masses but the electorates do not demand a road map or a detailed analyses of the policies. Someone says “ I will provide Jobs ” but nobody poses questions on how they intend to achieve this or what is the exact method mapped out to attain this . Nigeria needs an analytical president that will stimulate vital areas of the economy like entertainment . Enough has been said and nothing has been done in the area of generating Jobs . It is not rocket science to see that entertainment , agriculture and sports have the potential of engaging millions of youths and generating a good number of jobs . .
The last time Nigeria had a government that understood the importance of a healthy entertainment sector, It was the then Cross rivers state government led by Donald Duke. Donald invested heavily in cross river state making it one of the most traveled to States in the country just behind Lagos and Abuja. It has become a holiday / tourist destination similar to the ones found in developed countries like America , Britain and the UAE . The Government of Donald Duke built number of infrastructure and amenities that made the state attractive entertainers .
Asides amenities , Policies are to be developed to boost the entertainment sector. There is also need for a strong Judicial system to interpret copyright laws and prosecute copyright infringers; a strong banking sector whose task is to provide business loans to entertainment business men; lastly, a well structured education system to ensure that the education required to mould skilled and talented entertainers is in place.
Who among the presidential candidates do you think has the best policy to stimulate the entertainment industry in Nigeria and make it a viable tool for economic growth ?