Diversification: Delta State Govt Explores Home Talents As Alternative to Oil
- The Delta government is investing in its youths by sourcing for raw talents in the state
- An initiative by the government to identify and nurture young and thriving talent in the state has commenced
- Officials of the state government say the project is a way for the Okowa-led administration to diversify from dependence on oil
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The Delta government says it has put modalities in place to partner with the private sector to harness home-based talents in entertainment as a substitute to oil revenue in the state.
Mr. Akpobome ‘Ogusbaba’ Ogude, the senior special assistant to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on talent development, disclosed this at the unveiling of the first edition of “Made in Delta Talent Search,” on Friday, May 14 in Asaba, the state capital.
Ogude said the governor had approved that the sector partner seasoned artists in the music, comedy, and movie industries to discover, develop and promote home talents.
Source: Twitter
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He said that the search had already commenced on Thursday, May 13, at Agbor, Delta North Senatorial District, then move to Ughelli, Delta Central, and also to Warri, Delta South while the grand finale would be in Asaba.
Ogude noted that the search would be targeted at discovering 10 winners at the grand finale of the contest in Asaba.
He added that each of the winners would get a contract sum of N5 million, wardrobe allowance, and a platform to showcase them to the world.
His words:
“This is the initiative of His Excellency, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who has graciously given the youths another opportunity to showcase what they have.
“Talent is the new crude oil in the world because someday we may run out of oil but talent will keep thriving; we have been able to prove this because as of today, the world movie, music, and comedy industry is worth billions of dollars.
“Even in Nigeria, the comedy industry that started in Warri, Delta has produced the likes of Ali Baba, Baba Kome, I Go Dye, others who are our role models today.
“So, we call it Made in Delta Talent Search because Delta is the home and hub for entertainment in Nigeria.
“This is the biggest grassroots search for talents in Africa, and seasoned professionals would be on the ground to partner government on this project.”
On his part, Mr. Kingsley Chukwuemeka, head of innovations, talent development, said that the application was open to all residents in Delta.
Chukwuemeka said age would not be a barrier to application and participation by young residents interested.
According to him, whatever talent that will be discovered in the search is a credit to Delta state.
Also speaking, Mrs. Veronica Abang Gwam, special assistant to the governor on new media, said that registration was on and open to all, adding that the information had been placed on various media platforms for people to access.
Abang noted that the organisation would not entertain interference by way of recommendation from any person, group, or politician but purely on merit.
Recall that Governor Okowa, on Tuesday, March 30, said his administration would continue to provide opportunities for youths in the state to be self-employed and wealth creators.
The governor disclosed this in Asaba at the graduation and starter-pack presentation to 776 beneficiaries of the state government's Rural Youth Skills Acquisition (RYSA) programme, which is one of the youth development initiatives of his administration.
In December 2020, Legit.ng reported that Governor Okowa said his administration took the empowerment of youths seriously because the engagement of young people would engender peace in Delta state.
Okowa made the comment in Asaba during the inauguration of projects executed by Oshimili South local government council.
Source: Legit.ng
