By Udoh Ndifreke, Abuja
Nigerian comedian Ali Baba has beckoned on the government to put more effort into supporting the creative industry.
The comic appeared as a guest on the recent episode of the Sunrise Show on Channels Television where he spoke on the Nigerian creative industry.
He stressed that the industry is as valued by the government as it should be, and therefore needs development.
He said in part, “The creative industry is the second largest employer of labour after agriculture where you have farmers and all that. Then the next largest employer of labour of youths especially in Nigeria is the creative industry. You see, governments over time have failed to realise that this large industry needs development, needs support and needs structure.”
The comedian explained how the creative industry in the nation has been sidelined and overlooked in conversations around the Nigerian economy, highlighting the 2022 Nigerian Economic Summit Group.
“Two years ago, a forecast of the Nigerian economy in the next five years was looked into by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and the entertainment and creative industry was not considered. Booklet of about 200 pages was done and the creative industry was not considered. The value of the creative industry in Nigeria is beyond the country,” he explained.
Ali Baba emphasised on the importance of the creative industry, stressing that famous musicians like Burna Boy has done more for it’s recognition than the government.
He said, “Burna Boy has done a lot more for the Nigerian national awareness than any ambassador that have been posted to America, the UK or any other place. So Nigerian artists are creating national awareness and making other countries to know about us than any ambassador would have done.”
