A Nollywood star, Mr Desmond Elliot, has advised the Federal Government to take advantage of the entertainment industry to attract youths to agriculture.
Elliot, who is a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Surulere Constituency, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.
He urged the government to invest in the industry as it has the capacity to influence young minds.
“Firstly, it has to do with government accepting the fact that Nollywood is a big industry; once there is no belief in that, there is nothing Nollywood can do.
“But I do believe that the government believes in that; so what we can do next is see what the programmes are concerning agriculture and then we as Nollywood can ask if we can participate in it so that in our films we can inculcate that spirit of agriculture and agricultural produce, encourage the use of agricultural themes in our films.
“That would help rapidly.
“We are good message changers, we help in changing thoughts and minds concerning a particular aspect and Nollywood will move full force into it.
“Once you begin to see it as a priority, then you invest heavily in it.
“It is used as a propaganda tool, it is used for the propagation of a better image for your country and the industry cannot die because it is an exotic industry.
“And when I say that I am not just talking about films, I am talking about film, music, comedy.
“And then it is a great, massive employer of labour; all these we need to put into one to understand this and we are getting there.
“I am hoping that sooner, we will have Nollywood out of a desk, out of an office to become a sector in the economy of Nigeria.”
Elliot said it took a while for government to understand the importance of entertainment industry.
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