Kwara State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed has called on theatre arts practitioners to explore new vistas on how to educate Nigerians on the challenges of economic recession confronting the country.
Governor Ahmed who made the call when he received members of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Producers Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) led by its National President, Mr. Dele Odunle at the Government House, Ilorin, said enlightenments on how to overcome the economic recession was expedient as Nigeria cannot endlessly depend on earnings from oil.
“Every leader who has ruled this country up to the last leader after the first Republic is a contributor to the current economic crisis because we have not deemed it fit to diversify the economy. We sat on the petrol dollar and allowed it to direct our lives knowing fully well that the petrol dollar is what we don’t have control over”, he said.
Governor Ahmed advocated effective exploration of limitless opportunities in the entertainment industry in moulding the youths and improving the revenue earnings from the sector.
The Governor also called for synergy between governments and members of the entertainment industry in disseminating right information towards effecting positive changes in the society, while stressing the need for government at all levels to diversify the economy to entertainment and other alternative sources of revenues.
Governor Ahmed added that plans were on to establish a Film Village through public-private partnership arrangement in the state, promising continuous support for the association.
Speaking earlier, the National President, Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Producers Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), Mr. Dele Odunle had intimated the Governor that his members were in the state for a retreat of the association.
Mr. Odunle who thanked Governor Ahmed for his support to the association promised that the association would contribute its quota to the forthcoming Cultural Festival in the state.