Ayodele Olalere
The Lagos State Government has begun the construction of a film city tagged ‘Lagos Film City’ in Ketu-Ejirin community, Epe Local Government Area.
The groundbreaking ceremony was held on Wednesday with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu laying the foundation for the construction of the project.
The film city is to be built on 100 hectares of land with the cost of $100million. According to the governor, the project, when completed, will ‘mark a significant milestone in our journey towards creating a thriving and vibrant film industry that will not only captivate audiences worldwide but also contribute to the economic growth and cultural development of our beloved state,” he said.
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Governor Sanwo-Olu said the project is a Private Public Partnership, PPP, model, which will serve as a creative hub and catalyst for innovation, talent discovery, and storytelling excellence.
“This film city will be a testament to our commitment to nurturing the arts and supporting the dreams of aspiring filmmakers, actors, and technicians,” he added.
He further said it would also help to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Lagos State, as well as provide a platform for talented artists to hone and showcase their talents on the local and global stages.
Other benefits include creation of job opportunities, improved economy of the state and attracts investment.
The traditional ruler of Ketu-Ejirin, His Royal Highness, Oba Rafiu Ishola Babatunde Balogun thanked the governor for citing the project in the community.
According to him, when approached by the government on the availability of the land, he was torn between selling the land to individuals or giving out for the projects.
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He however said he decided against selling it but making it available for the project so as to bring development to the community.
In her address Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture in Lagos, Toke-Benson Awoyinka said the dream of the project started five years ago noting that the Lagos Film city will also have accommodations and numerous state-of-the-art studios to support television, radio and film, ranging from pre-production, production, post-production and distribution, among others.
Awoyinka also noted that collaboration with various notable players in the entertainment sector provided the platform for so many young, budding talents to hone their skills in acting, direction, scripting, cinematography, editing and photography.
