With the highest humility, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to the organizers of this historic event for honoring me to make a presentation as Kogi marks 22 years of existence.
Thank you for the recognition of my modest contribution to the development of our dear Kogi state.
Simply defined, ENTERTAINMENT is anything that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. E.g. storytelling, cultural performance, games, sports, dance, musical performance, comedy, magic, fireworks, rallies, puppetry, animal shows, tourist sites, cinema, movies and films and many more.
After 22years I would say much still needs to be done by the government and the people of Kogi to encourage this industry.
Only a few people in Kogi state see the ingenuity and the explorative capability of the entertainer in making their so called hobby metamorphose into a great source of revenue which can be harnessed by the government, cooperate bodies and private individuals.
The entertainment industry is the highest revenue generator in America.
In Nigeria today, after oil, the entertainment industry ranks as the highest.
This is an industry that is fast emerging as one of the greatest foreign exchange earner and international strategic branding machinery for our great country yet my state Kogi is still not keying into it.
We hear the government always sourcing for revenue yet they overlook or ‘commonise” the entertainment industry, an industry that has transited from being a mere communally domesticated endeavor into a global multi-dollar business, the Nigerian music industry is today valued at about $105million and Nollywood is more than a billion dollars now and I ask where is Kogi? How can Kogi state tap into this industry?
I was privileged to be at an event in East Africa that our own Kogi born Nollywood stars Jumai Joseph, Tomson Makolo, Halima Abubakar and Mercy Johnson were honored. I was also in Kenya to perform at the inauguration of President Kenyatta.
From the above, we can appreciate and acknowledge the impact of the entertainment industry and Kogi entertainment professionals in the global scene.
The monetary worth of these Kogi star personalities can better be imagined if Kogi government would only use them as brand ambassadors to mentor other youths in this industry, their contribution to the state economy is also better left for posterity.
Look at how Calabar carnival has impacted on the socio-economic development of Cross Rivers state; it has gone beyond just dancing to a high profile economic event, 30days of economic boom, and a month of massive revenue generation.
Pleas tell me, what has Calabar got that Lokoja doesn’t have?
Tell me; is anything wrong with a Kogi festival of arts and culture?
Is anything wrong with a week or even a month of music from allover Kogi state?
Is anything wrong with a festival of indigenous movies, food, fashion, sports and even masquerades from Kogi state?
Imagine the number of visitors, imagine the numerous businesses that will temporarily spring up during such an event in Kogi, economic activities will be boosted; hotels filled to capacity, goods vendors, artisans, restaurants and bars and many other business activities normally will receive a boom.
It is also an avenue for prospective investors to visit the state and actually assess the business and environment friendly State called Kogi.
Statistics have revealed that over 2 million people have witnessed activities during the Calabar Carnival. This does not include those who watch via satellite. Out of this figure, more than 10 per cent are involved in one economic activity or the other. These, of course, translate to financial gains to the state as taxes and other fines are duly collected.
Also most of the visitors who witness the Carnival, especially those from outside Nigeria are either prospective investors or go home with the intention to return with investment.
Kogi state can replicate a better version here in Lokoja and hotels will be filled with guest, food sellers will sell, supermarkets too, musicians will perform, weavers and tailors will sew costumes, carpenters, welders and other artisans will be busy making money, transporters will hammer ….see there will be so much boom and the government will collect tax and other levies thus revenue will go to the government while the image of the state will prosper.
A movie village isn’t out of place too.
A festival of fashion or a fashion competition to showcase the tailors, hair dressers and all in the fashion business is also not a bad idea.
There is so much the entertainment industry can give to Kogi but unfortunately we are contented with federal allocation from oil revenue , one day the oil will finish, but the music, the dance , the culture and arts, the entertainment lives forever, because even in heaven and hell too, the entertainment will continue. Kogi state is 22, let us wake up, we need to get up, rise up and take our place in the entertainment industry, until we do that, we shall remain poor. Somebody say God forbid.
Baba J-F Ojonugwa
(This paper was presented at the online confrence “iwish” to mark Kogi @ 22)
