The Imo State Trade and Investment Centre in Owerri was the destination as prominent personalities from governance and the creative industries thronged the venue to witness the graduation ceremony of “So You Wanna Act”, an event which many have termed “a turning point in film for Imo state, Nigeria and Africa as a whole”.
Held on August 24, 2017 after three weeks of intensive training in the art of film making, directing, script writing, acting and costuming, delivered by some of the country’s finest and biggest names from eastern Nigeria, Governor Rochas Okorocha, who was represented by Sir George Eche, the Secretary to the State Government, was excited about the prospect of what was to come from the graduates.
Eche said: “Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s administration has once again proven his commitment to endowing the lives of the good people of Imo state with lasting legacies. By partnering and supporting the empowerment of this generation in their creative pursuits, we hope that future leaders of the industry will emerge from a coalition of these graduates.”
He thanked important cabinet members who ensured the execution of the project and further demonstrated his commitment to development projects and ideas.
He said: “The assessment and recommendation of novel ideas as this by Lisa Asugha, Special Assistant on Special Projects as supported by Hon. Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, Imo State’s Chief of Staff is proof that the custodians of this government are visionary and forward thinking.”
Also speaking at the graduation ceremony was the Founder of the Institute, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, who emphasized the importance of the initiative to the sustainable growth of cinema in Africa and the opportunities in Imo State.
“Nigeria as a country has beautiful locations and Imo State has Oguta as a beautiful tourist location, which has the Lakeview film festival and of course my own town, Nkwerre,” Anyiam-Osigwe told the students.
She added: “The Africa Film Academy has set up the Eastern Heartland international film festival and Fund to be driven by private individuals and companies with the aim of encouraging the graduates to get moving with their projects.”
Inview of this, the graduating class has begun work on five film projects and will be mentored by notable filmmakers and screen icons such as Paul Obazele, Eric Aghimien, Chima Okereke, Martin Gbados and David Uro.
Anyiam-Osigwe also added that Imo State can easily become the hub of movie industry in Africa.
She said: “Economies such as California and others became robust as a result of the contributions of creative industry and I believe in the Africa Film Academy’s team’s ability to replicate our proven processes as seen in different parts of Africa in complementing the economic transformation of Imo State by our capacity building training schemes.”
While showing their films to guests at the ceremony, the students, who were visibly delighted, testified to the quality of the training they received and their readiness to take the industry by storm.
They thanked the Imo State Government, Diamond Bank, Villa Garden Hotel, Africa Magic and the Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation and individuals such as Benjamin Chike, Paul Onwuanibe and Onyeka Nwelue for their support in ensuring that they accessed world-class tuition.