Lagos film city will enhance economy, culture- Sanwo-Olu
By Adeola Ogunrinde
The governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday said the Lagos film city when commissioned would contribute to the economic growth and culture of the state.
Sanwo-Olu made this assertion at the ground breaking of the 100 million dollars Film City in Ejinrin-Epe Division.
He said “Today, we embark on a journey that will redefine the landscape of the film industry in Lagos State. As we break the ground for this $100million film city covering a land area of 100 hectares of land and which will be executed on the Private Public Partnership model, we are laying the foundation for a creative hub that will serve as a catalyst for innovation, talent discovery, and storytelling excellence. This film city will be a testament to our commitment to nurturing the arts and supporting the dreams of aspiring filmmakers, actors, and technicians.
“The First Film City in Lagos State will create numerous job opportunities, stimulate economic growth, and attract investment. It will be a hub for film production, post-production, visual effects, and all the ancillary services that support the filmmaking process. We envision a film city that is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, sound stages, editing suites, production offices, and everything necessary to bring the magic of the silver screen to life.”
Sanwo-Olu called on all stakeholders ,filmmakers, investors, educators, and the community at large to join hands to contribute towards the success of the project.
In her address, Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture in Lagos, Toke Benson-Awoyinka, said the dream of the project started five years ago, noting that the Lagos Film city would also have accommodations and numerous state-of-the-art studios to support television, radio and film, ranging from pre-production, production, post-production and distribution, among others.
She said “The fact that a project of this magnitude is being undertaken via a public-private-partnership initiative is an excellent testament to the integrity and robustness of the Lagos State Government economic policies and finance. The world is watching and members of the International Community are here and I can say our doors are open to you on this investment opportunity in the creative industry and also to Nigerians in the diaspora who may be interested in partnering with the State Government on this initiative.
“The Lagos State Government has been deliberate in its various steps in this sector, it has committed huge sums to upscaling the various tourist centers across the state.
“For this year 2023, a total amount of N4.635billion was specifically allocated for this purpose. Among the list of beneficiaries are the recently commissioned J.Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture, and the Agia Tree project in Badagry..”
Awoyinka also noted that collaboration with various notable players in the entertainment sector like Ebonylife Academy, Delyork and Ogidi Studios, provided the platform for budding talents to hone their skills in acting, direction, scripting, cinematography, editing, and photography.
Oba of Ejinrin , Rafiu Babatunde Balogun, in his address, thanked the Governor for bringing development to Ejinrin, adding that such project was last seen during British colonial rule.
