From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The President-elect of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has been urged to ensure that his administration increases the budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Information and Culture in the 2024 Appropriation Act, which i expected to cascade down to the creative industry with a view to achieving optimal performance of the nation’s creative industry.
A member of House of Representatives, Hon Shina Peller, representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa federal constituency of Oyo State, made the call in a video clip, which he shared on his social media on a motion that he moved on the floor of the House in respect of Nigeria’s creative industry.
According to him, “As Nigeria transits into a new government, I urge the incoming administration to increase the budgetary allocation of the Ministry of Information and Culture in the 2024 Appropriation Act for optimal performance in the nation’s creative industry.
“This is an industry that contributes significantly to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), offering legitimate employment to people, thereby making it the second largest employer of labour after agriculture.
“To move this sector forward, we need young and vibrant youths to churn out policy reforms that can drive growth and development and attract investment opportunities.”
The Nigeria’s film sector (Nollywood), according to him. Is one of the most lucrative and active creative industries, which contributes about two per cent to the country’s GDP, generating annual revenue of N208billion. He added that Nigerian music sector, which produces over 550 albums annually, must be strengthened to aid the country’s economic growth.
In the motion, he had listed the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu (Burna Boy), David Adedeji Adeleke (Davido) and others as major actors in the Nigerian music industry, who made and are making the country proud globally with their record-breaking feats.
The motion read in part “At the global level, the late Afrobeat creator, Fela Anikulapo-kuti is perhaps the most iconic musician to have come out of Nigeria until recently when Damini Ebunolowa Ogulu(Burna Boy) a Nigerian singer and song writer won best international Act at the 2019 BET Awards and was also nominated for the best world music Album at 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. He also won Best International act at the 2021 BET Awards.
“Recently, top Nigerian Artist Davido’s album titled ‘Timeless’ has featured over 10 million user-generated playlists on Spotify. Also the album had over 12 million streams in 24 hours, this was the first time an album would achieve such a feat.”
Peller, who is the Ayedero of Yorubaland, is a major actor in the creative industry. Aside being the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the famous nightclub, Club Quilox, he is also the founder and owner of Aquila Records, a music record label which had dropped many hits even before he ventured into politics.
Some of the hits include Ayepo by Airboy featuring Burnaboy, Slow whyne by Que Peller, Werey Re Rmx by Base One featuring Phyno and Olamide, Believe by Naomi Peller, Capable by Beezy, Oni Reason by Tillaman featuring Davido just to mention a few.
So, as a major stakeholder in the creative industry, Honourable Peller, who had on March 1, 2023, publicly congratulated Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his election victory as the country’s President-elect, urges him to strengthen the industry by giving it support in the areas of access to finance, skills and capacity development, infrastructure, intellectual property protection, royal control, development of creative clusters, international strategy among others.
Honourable Peller has always been an advocate, supporter and sponsor of youth-driven initiatives. Recall that through his NGO, Lead Generation Initiative (LGI), he has successfully trained more than one thousand, seven hundred (1700) young Nigerians on effective leadership skills, strategic communication, civic responsibility, active citizenship and nation building. In return, the 1700 beneficiaries have trained over one thousand others through the train-the-trainer model.