The Lagos Government through its two parastatals, Art Concil and Lagos Video Film and Censors Board has thrown its weight behind the Creative Industry led by Ambassador Felix Duke and empowerment kit programme.
The Creative Industry Group (CIG) is an organization burdened with a passion to enrich the lives of players within the Nigerian creative space by establishing a formidable capacity building and investment oriented structure that serves the interest of all sectors and sub sectors of the creative enclave.
With over 25million people who eke out a living in sectors within the confines of the Nigerian creative industry, it is worthy of note to mention that only less than 0.1% live above poverty level howbeit in the midst of wealth that could be generated.
Any profession worth its onion must understand that constant capacity development and
building a strong institution is the key to sustainable growth and development. Training and development is critical for any professional. It helps you improve your performance and helps your organization meet its business goals. Building new skills makes an individual more efficient at a job or capable of handling different responsibilities and challenges, thus the drive to create an opportunity platform for stardom to support government effort for creating jobs, rechanneled energy and engage the Nigerian Populace towards injecting creativity into the Economy using modern technology.
The CIG Welfare Kit was developed over the past few months in conjunction with Capital Express Assurance, a Company of repute and Hallmark Health Services, a professional health
management platform that outshines its service to the nation.
With various consultations across border, CIG arrived at this point after years of neglect and loss of professionals in the creative industry. Lack of attention and non-provision of loans to support projects that could have boosted the economy and recognition had taunted the industry players for so long. This birthed the CIG Welfare-Empowerment Kit
in partnership with key banks with Creative Desk as Corporate Partners and the government in promoting Executive Order 3 and Corporate Law, the Lagos State Government in partnership with CIG launched the CIG-WE Kit on Thursday, August 13, 2020 at the Primal Hotel, Lagos to address the lacuna created overtime by neglect.
This is the first initiative of its kind in the Nation and Africa as a whole.
The Ambassador Felix Duke led Creative Industry Group (CIG), scored a tripple last Thursday when it gathered officials of Lagos State Government and top officials of two insurance companies, Hallmark and Express to the unveiling of its empowerment kit in Ikeja, Lagos.
The event, which was also well attended by some of its members in line with governments directive on Social Distancing and face mask wearing was also graced by the President of Performing Musicians Employers' Association (PMAN), Mr. Vombastic who used the opportunity to publicity sign an MoU with CIG on behalf of the Association.
The Lagos State Government through its representative pledged to support the creative sector in the state to ensure that it creates wealth to benefit all its stakeholders.
Also speaking at the event vwhich attracted a good number of creative personalities and the media, representative of the Lagos State government, and the cExecutive Secretary of the Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board (LSFVCB), Mr. Dele Balogun, stated that the state government was putting significant infrastructure and other workable schemes in place to encourage content providers and to ensure that they receive commensurate remuneration for their works.
While commending the CIG for the bold strides it has recorded within the short period of its existence, Balogun said that the group for its initiative to have in place a robust health insurance scheme, describing it as sensible.
The whole idea of CIG, as espoused by Emeka Ossai, the group's Director of Strategy, in his presentation, is to have an assemblage of the gamut of the entire creative minds cutting across music, movie, fashion design, dance, and many more under one huge umbrella. He explained that creative endeavour was not limited to music and movies as many would think.
Stating that CIG is apolitical, Ossai pointed out that the group is dwelling on the power of numbers for more benefits through professionalism driven by training, workshops and the process of human capital devopment which will enhance members' understanding of their business.
To further achieve this, he said, CIG has plans to attract the World Cinema Academy for the training of its members alongside making available welfare package to them for easy management of unforeseen situations.
Those in attendance, including the Lagos State Government representatives, led by Mr. Balogun, witnessed CIG national president cum singer, Duke, sign partnership deals with Hallmark Health Services and Capital Express Assurance PLC. whose representatives pledged to protect as well as enhance the health and wealth of the creative industry people.
Earlier, Duke had thanked all that made the event possible and prayed that God will bless all of them.