The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said his administration would be investing “heavily” in creative industry to give talented young people an opportunity to realize their potential.
Entertainment and tourism industry, Sanwo-Olu said, is one of key areas his government would focus on for job creation and economic growth.
The APC candidate said he would deploy innovation and modern technology to unlock the potential of entertainment and tourism, adding an investment in creative industry would have direct impact on the economy and discourage restiveness among the youth.
Sanwo-Olu spoke when he hosted the 2018 housemates of Big Brother Naija who paid him a courtesy visit in his campaign office in Ikoyi.
Big Brother Naija, aired by Africa Magic, is one of the most watched television reality shows in Nigeria and Africa.
The APC candidate said his government would build entertainment hubs across the state where young people can hone their skills and promote their talents.
Sanwo-Olu also pointed out that his administration would introduce a funding opportunity that would mitigate the risk and marketing challenges for innovative solutions generated by tech start-ups, stressing that young people would be engaged to drive the tourism programmes of his administration.
He said: “We have started a conversation with experienced practitioners in entertainment industry, with an objective to jointly come up with a general entertainment hub where talented young people can hone their skills in theatre, music, dancing and acting. We are looking at how the private sector can partner with us to build an entertainment destination where every Lagosian would be proud of.
“We are doing this to help the practitioners improve their creativity in film production, acting and entertainment generally. We hope this investment and effort would give our young people a new lease of life in terms of upgrading their skill and turning their skills to something valuable.”
The governorship candidate advised young people to embrace hard work and prepare themselves for opportunities that will help them realize their dreams.
He said: “Young people need to have the audacity to pursue your dreams, but they must have something that is driving them towards reaching their goals. What the government can do is to provide an enabling environment for their skills to thrive. This is what we are setting out to do if elected.”