Nigerian comedian Ali Baba has urged the government on the need to put more efforts into supporting the creative industry which he said is the second largest employer of labour after agriculture.
The comedian who appeared as a guest on a program Sunrise Show on Channels Television where he spoke on the Nigerian creative industry stressed that the industry is as valued by the government as it should be, and therefore needs development.
Ali Baba said: “The creative industry is the second largest employer of labour after agriculture where you have farmers and all that. Then the next largest employer of labour of youths especially in Nigeria is the creative industry. You see, governments over time have failed to realise that this large industry needs development, needs support and needs structure.”
He explained that during the 2022 Nigerian Economic Summit Group,
the creative industry in the nation has been sidelined and overlooked in conversations around the Nigerian economy.
“Two years ago, a forecast of the Nigerian economy in the next five years was looked into by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and the entertainment and creative industry was not considered. A booklet of about 200 pages was done and the creative industry was not considered. The value of the creative industry in Nigeria is beyond the country,” he stated.
Ali Baba, however, emphasised the importance of the creative industry, stressing that famous musicians like Burna Boy have done more for its recognition than the government.
He said: “Burna Boy has done a lot more for the Nigerian national awareness than any ambassador that has been posted to America, the UK or any other place. So Nigerian artists are creating national awareness and making other countries know about us than any ambassador would have done.”
