The Entertainment Industry and 2015 General Elections

 Article written by Smith Adekunle, a guest Blogger

The drums are rolling, everyone is getting ready, but before we troop out to dance; let us know which music to dance to lest we dance to the gallery and miss the essence of the carnival. The General Election in our country has always sparked various interests, yet the people have always missed a chance to state their wants, our politicians just read out their manifestos if they have any or simply make promises as "the spirit" gives them utterance.

The Nigerian Entertainment Industry is blossoming and promising as our practitioners are been recognised all over the world, bringing home accolades and making us proud yet all these is due to the individual efforts of these few spirited people.

For those that have closely followed this industry, you would ascertain and understand the predicaments of this booming industry.You would wonder why an industry promising and able to at least lend a shoulder to uplift the National GDP does not have a Federal blueprint.

Why would an industry that if well managed could create more than 5 million direct and indirect jobs,thus absolving a huge chunk of the growing number of employed people.Understandably, it is not everything that the government can make possible.

In the areas of Laws and Regulations; the Copyrights and Trademark Laws are outdated and largely not enforced.Pirated works of the artistes fill the streets and no one bats an eye, you hardly hear the police clampdown on these pirates and if they do, the offenders are released through the backdoor. We often hear hoodlums harass practitioners for safety money popularly known as "owo-ile" without which their equipment is damaged or vandalized.

 I have never supported the idea of the government doling out money to this practitioners because it does not address the main issue, the solution is providing a conducive environment with revised laws that cover the lacuna in the old ones and adequate protection of their physical and intellectual properties ; thus giving them the leeway to their all without looking back.

 Also, access to loans for their business should mapped this a capital intensive industry, the government can guarantee such loan they has for farmers which is most commendable.

The dependence on crude oil revenue is dangerous with the clamour for alternative energy like natural gas, biofuel, solar to mention but a few. We should move beyond calling these practitioners for election campaigns, interviews and candidate endorsements. The practitioners should ask the candidates what their blueprint for the industry is, as we can bear the verbally impulsive promises no more.

     

 Smith Adekunle resides in Lagos and can be reached through kunle_smithboy@yahoo.com

you too can send yours to:darksamuche@gmail.com