The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has announced a N400M grant as support for both practising and upcoming filmmakers and other practitioners in the creative sector.
The Commissioner for Tourism Arts and Culture, Pharm. (Mrs.) Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, who conveyed the Governor’s gesture to the beneficiaries recently at the screening exercise for the State’s Film Fund applicants held at Alausa, Ikeja.
She said, “Coincidentally, today is Valentine’s Day, a very special day to show love to others and this is exactly what Governor Sanwo-Olu has demonstrated by granting approval for this fund”.
The fund which was initially approved as a free interest loan for the applicants was later reconsidered by the Governor as a grant for the beneficiaries to produce films, animations and other creative content that would put them on par with their contemporaries globally.
Akinbile-Yussuf recalled that Governor Sanwo-Olu constituted a Palliative Review Committee to ameliorate the negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on most of the practitioners, adding that the approval of the grant was to further enhance the quality of film productions.
She emphasised the need for the beneficiaries to immediately populate the TV screens with films, documentaries, animations and other creative content listed in their proposals when applying for the fund.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board, Mrs. Adebukola Agbaminoja informed the beneficiaries of the grant that the gesture of Governor Sanwo-Olu aligns with the T.H.E.M.E. Agenda of his administration.
Agbaminoja stated that the present administration had identified Entertainment and Tourism as key areas through which the youths can be gainfully engaged and assisted in projecting their creativity.
She, however, appealed to the beneficiaries of the fund to make judicious use of the money to create worthy content so that the purpose of the grant is not defeated.
A veteran movie producer, Mr. Tunde Kelani acknowledged that the movie industry has undergone a tremendous transformation during the Sanwo-Olu administration, which has continued to show great love and concern for the wellbeing of those in the creative industry in the State.
