Lagos State Government said a total of 3,748 youths have benefited from creative skill training carried out by it in the last year in partnership with film industries, including Del-York Film Academy, GIDI Creative Academy, Ebony Life Creative Academy, and African Film Academy.
The State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka, disclosed this during the ongoing ministerial press briefing, which took place at Bagauda Kalto Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, to mark the first year of the second term in office of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The commissioner said the gesture by the government was informed by the need to bridge the identified skill gap in the creative sector and to position residents of the state who were in the creative field to compete globally with their contemporaries in film production.
“The state government is currently in partnership with four different creative academies to enhance the capacities of young creative practitioners in Lagos State.
“As of today, 3,748 Lagos youths have benefited from the training. The academies, in partnership with the state government, for this training programme are Del-York Film Academy, GIDI Creative Academy, Ebony Life Creative Academy, and African Film Academy.
“This gesture by the government is informed by the need to bridge the identified skill gap in the creative sector and to position residents of the state who are in the creative field to compete globally with their contemporaries when it comes to film production,” the commissioner stated.
Benson-Awoyinka noted the testimonials of the beneficiaries were, however, very encouraging, stressing that the training and capacity building was at no cost to the participants.
This was just as she further disclosed that Governor Sanwo-Olu had further approved the training of over 5,000 young men and women to run for the next three years.
“The testimonials of the beneficiaries are very encouraging. It should be stressed that this training and capacity building, which ordinarily would have cost the beneficiaries several millions of naira, is at no cost to the participants.
“I am pleased to announce that Mr Governor has further approved the training of over 5,000 young men and women to run for the next three years,” Benson-Awoyinka said.
Speaking further, the commissioner said her ministry, being in charge of managing all museums and monuments erected by the state government, had restored and reerected a bronze statue of the late MKO Abiola at Opebi Sheraton Junction and repaired the damaged artwork (the sekere dancing drum) at Old Toll Gate, Lagos.
“Apart from the above, the ministry is expected to deliver the ongoing construction of the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande’s statue before the end of next month, June 2024.
“Also, the ministry is reconstructing and redeveloping the Agia Tree Cenotaph in Badagry, a historical monument to the first place Christianity was preached in Nigeria,” she revealed.
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