…Pledges technical support for film village project
The Executive Director/CEO of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Dr Shaibu Husseini, has commended the Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, for what he described as bold, visionary and innovative strides in repositioning the arts, culture, and creative economy sector as a key driver of development in the state.
The commendation was made during a courtesy visit by the Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy of Ekiti State, Professor Rasaki Ojo Bakare, to the NFVCB headquarters, where both parties held extensive discussions on ongoing and upcoming creative industry initiatives.
Speaking during the visit, Prof. Bakare highlighted the significance of the state government’s support for the epic film project ‘Kiriji: The Ekiti-Parapo War’ and the state government’s deliberate investment in the creative sector, including the institution of an endowment for the creative sector.
According to him, the Ekiti State Government played host to and actively supported the filming of Kiriji: The Ekiti-Parapo War, produced by Lateef Adedimeji and Adebimpe Adedimeji under their AL Notions Company.
“The filming, which spanned over four months, took place across various locations in Ekiti State and featured over 12,000 people comprising cast, crew, and service providers.
“His Excellency, the Governor, supported the project as a strategic initiative to boost tourism, create jobs, showcase the state’s natural beauty, and preserve our rich cultural heritage.
“I am happy to inform you that the governor has approved the proposal to turn the main location used for the film into a film village, and we are already working on that,” he said.
Prof. Ojo-Bakare further noted that the film village and the endowment initiatives clearly reflect the practical implementation of Governor Oyebanji’s “Shared Prosperity Agenda”, which prioritises inclusive growth, job creation, and sustainable economic expansion through the creative industries.
In his response, the NFVCB CEO particularly praised the Ekiti State Government’s approval for the conversion of the principal filming location into a film village, describing it as a transformative initiative capable of positioning the state as a major destination for film production and cultural tourism.
He noted that the film village project will catalyse further investments and deepen the creative ecosystem.
The NFVCB boss also lauded the approval of an endowment fund by the state government to support operators in the arts and culture sector.
The fund, which Dr Shaibu described as a strategic intervention that will significantly ease access to financing for creatives and boost content development, offers production loans at a single-digit interest rate of seven per cent with a repayment period of up to 18 months.
The NFVCB CEO further assured the Ekiti State Government of the Board’s readiness to provide the necessary technical support and regulatory guidance to ensure the smooth take-off and sustainability of the proposed film village project, as well as other film and audiovisual productions in the state.
He emphasised that the NFVCB remains committed to partnering with sub-national governments to promote responsible storytelling, preserve Nigeria’s cultural heritage, and unlock the vast economic potential of the film and creative sectors.
