The very serene and massive main hall of the Landmark event center hosted a variety of entertainment and creative industry professionals of panelists, journalists, players, and enthusiastic audiences from all over West Africa alike to convene for the 9th edition of The Nigerian Entertainment Conference (NECLive).
Ayeni Adekunle, the Convener of NECLive, at the conference mentioned the current growth of Nigeria’s entertainment industry must reflect on the local economy. Ayeni also said he feels a sense of fulfillment with the growth recorded so far by Nigerian creatives and entertainers.
“What we saw at Maddison Square where Burna Boy performed is what NECLive is all about,” he said. “We are getting nominated for Grammys, we have musicians and actors that are now big deals not just in Nigeria but across the globe,” he said.
The NECLive convener said that a decade ago, this development would only have been best imagined but now, it has become more than a reality. Ayeni stated, “A decade or two ago, our artistes would not be seen headlining a show abroad or being the main face of Billboard magazine,”
“The dream when we started NECLive in 2013 is being lived now. What we are witnessing today in fashion, music, art, movie industry is still in its early days. Some of those that will make it happen are here today. The growth of our music and movie and fashion must benefit the local economy.”
One of the keynote speakers, Debo Adedayo, better known as Mr. Macaroni, spoke about ‘sor-soke influencing, using entertainment to invoke social change’ during the event. He explained how the word ‘soro-soke’ originated from the displeasure of Nigerian youth and evolved into a lingua franca of frustration for Nigerians.
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He believes that actors and their characters should become one and that the character’s awareness of what the actor is going through in real life should be used to motivate a transformation.
“As the entertainer that I am who is conscious of the power that entertainment wields it is bestowed upon me to transform what has been going on in the society and use it to present action,” Adedayo said.
According to Adedayo, the transformation Nigerians seek will take time and will be gradual. “When I present the problems of rituals to you (in the skit video), I’m also using that content to your attention, the negative effect of ritual in our country, and at the end of the content preferring a solution, it might be the way forward, it might not be but I’m doing my part by doing so,”
He concluded by saying that Nigerian have the collective responsibility to use our gift to reflect the society
Dr. Busola Tejumola, Executive Head of Content and West Africa Channels at MultiChoice Nigeria, in her keynote speech, mentioned that MultiChoice through the invitation of guests from Nollywood this year AMVCA they are setting the pace and putting Africa and Nigerian on the map.
“We know that with all the content that we produce the end game is the distribution and the synergy between great content, platform, and creatives are that they always put us on the map and we at multichoice will continue our investment in people, infrastructure, and content,” Tejumola said.
She also said it’s a collective work for every player in the industry to make sure to develop an industry for the next generation.
Lynda Alphaeus, Nigerian Copyright Commission’s (NCC) Deputy Director (Legal) spoke extensively on intellectual property rights. Other members of the panel answered mustneeded questions on the importance of Copyright for artists.
NECLive which started in 2013, on its ninth edition convenes entertainment and creative industry professionals from across Africa including award-winning singers Tuface Idibia (2Baba) and Darey Art-Alade; media executives, Ayo Animashaun and Sam Onyemelukwe, ace producer Tee-Y Mix, Media personalities Jacob Akinyemi Johnson, Mozez Praiz, Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi, and Osi Suave.
Other prominent speakers at the conference were, Chess-in-slums founder, Tunde Onakoya, The Real Housewives of Lagos stars Iyabo Ojo, Mariam Timmer, and Toyin Lawani among others.
