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From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The senator representing Anambra North Senatorial District, Stella Oduah, has trained more than 200 youths in film-making from seven local government areas of Anambra North.
Oduah, who partnered with the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) Film Academy for the past three years, trained some youths in the same field to rid the youths off the streets and to make them to be self reliant.
The participants in the two-months training were trained in the areas of cinematography, acting, photograph, script writing, broadcasting journalism, animation and film production.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Oduah represented by her director of media and publicity Mr. Ezennia Nonso Chukwudebelu, said that the essence of the training was to empower the youths to be independent in the society.
He announced that the overall best graduating student, Miss Amaka Chinweze, was given the sum of N50,000 while every participant was given transport fare of N10,000.
Chukwudebelu noted that the senator believes in human capital development and that is why she regularly organised skill acquisition and empowerment programmes, saying that she has attracted many projects to Anambra North.
“As you can see, unemployment is the problem of the society today and that is why senator is trying to contribute her quota to reduce the number of youths roaming the streets in her district by organizing training and skill acquisition programmes.
“For the past four years, Senator Oduah has organised over 120 skill acquisition programmes in different fields for youths and women. The senator always empowers the people with cash after training them to enable them to start the business.
“The senator has a television station known as BUWATV and some of the participants of this programme would be opportune to work in that television station. I got information that the best graduating student has been offered job in that television station. They will also start a film production sponsored by the senator, so there are so many opportunities awaiting the graduands” Chukwudebelu stated.
The Rector, Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) Film Academy and the Acting Managing Director ABS, Mr. Gab Ndu Okpalaeze, who also represented the state commissioner for Information, Mr. Paul Nwosu, commended Oduah for partnering with the ABS Academy for the programme which she has sustained for the past three years.
“This is not the first time senator Oduah is sponsoring this training here; she did it two years ago, last year and now. She has seen the need for the training for the youths. You know politicians used to dash out money to people in their constituencies and these monies they spend it immediately. But the senator has realized the need for skill acquisition and training.
“She is organizing the programme and we are happy to partner with her and we shall continue to partner with her to bring youths out of the streets. We are also benefiting because these youths after graduating will be employers of labour.
“We cannot thank Oduah enough for what she is doing to uplift the youths and we are calling on other politicians and wealthy people to emulate her gesture and empower the youths. There is plan for the senator Oduah to bring in more youths for the August training. The number of the trainees keep on increasing to show you that it has been bearing fruits that is why more people are participating,” Okpalaeze said.
The Director ABS Film Academy, Mr. Paschal Osubor, said that the participants were equipped with requisite knowledge and skills to earn a living for themselves with out waiting for other white collar jobs.
He said: “We know the entertainment and creative industry have become the greatest and huge business in the world in general and Nigeria in particular. So many films are being produced everybody in the country and that is why we have this Academy to train youths in the area for wealth creation and to add to GDP of the country.
“This will make the participants to be creative and writes about their environment and make money from the short dramas, comedies or produce and edit for others in the field and make a living and we commend Senator Oduah for this initiative and urge her to continue with the programme.
“This film academy is the cheapest among other academies in the country because Anambra state government subsidized it to N32, 000 for the two months compared to what is obtainable in other places.”
Osubor said that 236 youths were registered for the training but 136 participants, who successfully completed their courses, graduated with certificates and other incentives given to them.
He said at the end of the training, five best graduating students emerged namely; Amaka Chinweze, Chisom Omokachi, Obiora Jombo and Paul Nwokedi, who were given certificates.
The over all best graduating students, Mis Amaka Chinweze, in her remarks, thanked Oduah for the opportunity to discover her talent in acting and film production.
“I didn’t know much about film making and acting though I have interest in that field. This training has exposed me and I have learnt a lot from this programme. I was part of auditioning of the Nollywood in Abuja and I was selected as one of the best after the audition due to the knowledge I garnered from this training.
“During the auditions, they asked me whether I studied Theater Arts in the university but I told them no, that I was only undergoing training at ABS film academy Awka sponsored by Oduah and they were amazed at my performance.
“I have learnt a lot in this training like, script writing, acting, photograph and broadcasting journalism. With this certificate the sky will be my starting point to excel in this field of my dream. I say thank you to senator Oduah for this opportunity and may God continue to bless you in your future endeavours” she stated.
Other participants Obiora Jombo, Glory Odita, Peter Onyeka who were very happy commended senator Oduah for the training, saying that she has given them job to create more jobs through the film programme.
