By Ngozi Nwoke
Lagos State Government, in partnership with EbonyLife Creative Academy has graduated 124 students in the last three months to address the skills gap of professionals in the film industry.
The Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf made this disclosure yesterday at the second batch of the quarterly graduation ceremony of trainees in film production, cinematography, directing and acting, among others, held at EbonyLife Place, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Mrs. Akinbile-Yussuf described the partnership between the State Government and Ebonylife Creative Academy as a value-adding collaboration that is equipping youths with necessary creative skills to make them topnotch practitioners in the film industry and also, provide job opportunities for the unemployed.
She said: “This second batch of young filmmakers has proven that EbonyLife Creative Academy is providing valuable skills that can only enhance Nigerian film making. If the short films we have seen today are any indication, the creative economy will continue to grow as production values improve.
“Let me remind you that the journey has just started. You must make yourself relevant in the industry by prioritising professionalism as against quick-fix or desire to make quick gains. Lagos, as you know, is a city that never sleeps and this portends a great deal for the entertainment industry to leverage on the vibrancy of this city. Invariably, the huge population of Lagos coupled with the social lifestyle of its inhabitants, is a great advantage for you to creatively express yourselves and make a fortune out of it”, Akinbile-Yussuf stated.
CEO of EbonyLife Place, MO Abudu, expressed satisfaction with the feedback received so far regarding the impact which the training is making in the industry, noting that the good reports rekindle her hope of better tomorrow for the film industry.
She said, “I am happy to see the graduates making the most of the opportunities provided by the Lagos State’s funding of this Academy. These young filmmakers have grown tremendously in such a short time, I can imagine the amazing short stories they will be telling in future films,” Abudu noted.
Head of School, EbonyLife Creative Academy, Mr. Theart Korsten also commended the trainees and urged them to remain focused in their new careers, “The group is just as talented and determined as our first batch. The last three months marks the beginning of a process of lifelong learning and I urge them to continue to sharpen their skills and keep up to date with the latest filmmaking techniques and technology,” he said.
One of the graduating students, Miss. Evelyn John, expressed gratitude to the sponsors, “I feel highly grateful to the Lagos State Government and Ebonylife Creative Academy for this great opportunity. This is a dream come through for me and I promise to make a meaningful resources from the newly acquired skill and also impact on the society as much as I can. The three months course was greatly productive,” she said.