As the nation grapples with the empowerment of its teeming youths, the National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) Ejezie Emeka Rollas (MON), has expressed readiness of the body to discover and develop young talents spread in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps across the country.
The AGN helmsman stated this in an interview with newsmen on the sideline of the recently celebrated National Day for the Internally Displaced Persons at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The event which had in attendance stakeholders in the creative industry, had president Muhammadu Buhari launched the Born Talent Hunt Show and Talent to Enterprise which are focused on drawing IDPs and refugees into the entertainment industry.
According to Rollas, the AGN, umbrella body of Nollyood actors, is ready to work with relevant bodies towards ensuring that young talented IDPs are discovered, developed and offered space in the motion picture industry.
He said: “ It is sad that as the nation is battling with the increasing rate of displaced persons due to insecurity and communal crisis in some parts of the country, the ravaging floods in some parts of the country have added to the number .
“Therefore, everyone needs to play a part, and that is why we commend the relevant government agencies who are playing one role or the other to salvage the situation, especially the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI).
“We understand that a good number of this displaced persons are talented and passionate young Nigerians, and as a guild, the AGN is willing to play a part in the empowerment of these people.”
Rollas explained that AGN was already making consultations and stakeholders engagement geared towards offering platforms for the talented but deprived young Nigerians to strive.
He said one of such engagements was the recent working visit the guild paid to the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons(NCFRM), Alhaja Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim in Abuja.
According to him, “the visit was in support of the Commission’s strategic partnership with major CSOs, NGOs and CBOs to bring entertainment development to internally displaced persons especially at the grassroots.”
The visit was in company of Dr. Fran Ibezim, Managing Director of Abuja Film village and Mrs. Noni Okocha, CEO, ‘I am the Future of Nigeria Youth Initiative,’ alongside AGN’s Director of Communications , Monalisa Chinda-Coker who represented the president, among other top thespians.
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