The federal government has appealed to India to support Nigeria’s film industry (Nollywood) with the technology that will
enhance the quality of films produced in the country.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the call in Abuja yesterday when he received the Indian
High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Abhay Thakur, on a courtesy visit to his office.
“I think Bollywood is probably the biggest film industry in the world, closely followed by Nigeria, but while we are proud
of what Nollywood is doing in terms of content, I think we still need to do more in the area of technicality and
technology and I think this in one area that I would want us to concentrate on in our bilateral relationship,” Mohammad
said.
Government also urged India to extend its support to the area of capacity building for the lecturers of the Film Institute
in Jos, in order to enable them to acquire the requisite and relevant knowledge, which would be imparted to the film
makers.
“I want India to avail Nigeria of the opportunity to train not just our budding producers and film directors,
cinematographers and the like but probably if India can stretch its hands of friendship to our Film Corporation,
especially the Film College in Jos, so that they can improve the technical quality of our films.
“I still believe that in the area of content, we have very rich content, very fecund imagination but I think in terms of
the quality of the films, we still need to do much more and I don’t think there is a better place we can look forward to
than India for this,” he said.
He sought the assistance of India in the area of capacity building for Nigeria’s cultural officers, as well as the
provision of scholarship for Nigerians in culture-related fields.
In his remarks, Ambassador Thakur, noted that the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is organising journalists exposure
visits for a select group of Nigerian journalists to expose them to specific, Africa focused business events in India in
order to further deepen the ties between the two countries.
He said such activity will expose the journalists to specific, Africa-focused business events in India.He also extended
an invitation to Nigerian cultural troupes toparticipate in the India-Africa Cultural Festival, which is coming up in
December, as a platform to showcase the cultural endowment of the country.
The High Commissioner, who said his country was enjoying a longstanding relationship with Nigeria, especially in the areas
of trade,film, media and culture, disclosed that India is also organising special events in the area of Performing Arts,
music and painting.
According to Thakur, over 50,000 Indians are currently residing in Nigeria, whichhe described as India’s biggest trading
partner in Africa.