By Osa Mbonu-Amadi, Arts Editor

The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has projected that in the next 5 to 7 years, Benin City, Edo State, will be the hub for creativity. The governor made the projection on Friday, December 1, at the 2023 Edo State International Film Festival during a panel discussion titled “Aggregation of films and culture: Edo State as a case study”.

The panel discussion anchored by Victor Aghahowa, head of production, Multichoice West Africa, had other panelists which included Governor Godwin Obaseki, Olubukola Oloyede, Head, SONY Nigeria; Edu Okeke, MD, Azure Edo; Alhaji Adedayo Thomas, D-G, Censors Board; and Mary Njoku, founder/CEO, ROK Studios.

While responding to a question on why Edo took such interest in film, the governor said normally, “accolades for this would go to the governor, but it is people like you on this high table that make it happen. The governor is that person who executes.

“Why have we taken such interest in film? The first answer is, this is us. Edo people are so creative. They created and redesigned their environment for centuries. From the artifacts we are talking about today – about 5,000 pieces of artworks were stolen from here (Benin) – one wonders what were in the minds of those (Benin people) who created those artworks.”

Obaseki said Edo people have always been creative. But specifically, when he came into office in 2016, there were a lot of creative young people at home. A lot of these youths, he said, were risking their lives crossing the desert to Libya, trying to cross over to Europe. So, one of the promises he made was job creation. “How are we going to do it? First was to create the policy, create the enabling environment, and create the institutions.”

The governor said that young people were already doing well in the creative sector without government support. “You can imagine what they would do if they are supported. We need to be able to deal with facilities, equipment.” He disclosed that the building, now known as Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub, was built 50 years ago as a warehouse for printing newspapers. He relocated the printing press because the modern equipment required for printing today no longer need such a large space. Hence the place was converted to studios.

Like most other government facilities in Benin City, Obaseki said, the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub is powered 24/7 from an independent power plant in the state. He said Benin City is one of the few places in Nigeria where it is so easy to generate power, because effective electricity power supply largely depends on where generation meets transmission. “That is what Benin City is. We have gas. The last thing is the human capacity to drive the industry. In the next 5 to 7 years, Benin City, Edo State will be the hub for creativity.”

Responding to question on the role of film in expanding and exposing Nigeria’s culture, the Director-General of Censors Board, Alhaji Adedayo Thomas, said Edo is the only state in Nigeria that has started a film festival. He said the governor and the state should be appreciated for that. The challenge we have now, the D-G said, is to find ways of sustaining the Edo State International Film Festival.

Edu Okeke, Managing Director of Azura Edo, an Independent Power Producer, said no country can develop without power. Nigeria, he said, has turned everyone to power generator, distributor and transmitter. “Once you have a generator in your house, you generate power, transmit and distribute. In many other countries, that is not the case.

Edu continued: “I am not a filmmaker. I am not an artist. But one of the things lack of power has brought to Nigeria is that people have diversified (been distracted) from what they are supposed to be doing.” He said it is only in Nigeria that an actor becomes a provider of his own power through a power generator – “you are worried about whether your generator is working and whether there is fuel to power the generator.”

Edu said power plays a big role in facilitating the creative industry, “and Nigeria should not rest until we have achieved stable power. A creative director in Hollywood does not think about how to generate power by himself; he is focused on his creativity.”

For instance, Edu said, proper preservation of the looted Benin artifacts that are about to be brought back here will depend on steady power supply at the facility where they will be kept. “We can only bring those artifacts back if we have an international museum that can store and keep those artifacts, so that in the next 100 or 200 years, those artifacts will still be the same way they are today. And you cannot achieve that without steady power to maintain a certain temperature and humidity in where they are kept.”

Another panel discussion titled “Business of film: Cinema as a commercial window for film marketing” was also held. Among other issues, questions were raised about distribution of films that are produced. Filmmaking, the panel agreed, is not too difficult, but the hardest part is distribution and making money from films.