AMAKA IGWE ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR BOBTV 2012
… “The Creative Industries: Nigeria’s Untapped Wealth”
Lagos| Nigeria: Africa’s leading Film and Television Programmes Expo known as BOBTV which holds annually is back for its ninth edition.
The international event which attracts over 5,000 delegates including content-makers, programme developers, and auxiliary industries practitioners from around the world will provide an all-round platform for business networking.
Organisers say the expo will also attract top government personalities, policy influencers, opinion moulders as well as notable figures from the Nigerian movie and music scene.
The three-day event which will showcase various exhibitions on the creative industries, provide master classes, market screening, capacity building and business networking will hold between Tuesday, March 13th and Friday, March 16th, 2012 at the Ladi Kwali convention centre, Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja.
"The past eight editions have been amazing in many ways. We are convinced that, now more than ever, we need to begin to see the entertainment industries as creative industries and bring about worthy growth” says Amaka Igwe
According to the UN Creative economy report 2012 “the Creative Industries are proliferating in Europe and North America, revitalizing the economy of urban centres through cultural and social developments offering attractive jobs, particularly to young people. The turnover of the European creative industries amounted to 654 billion Euros in 2003, growing 12.3 per cent faster than the overall economy of the European Union and employing over 5.6 million people.”
Igwe continues “the aim of this year’s Expo is to work towards a repositioning of the Nigerian entertainment industries which is rapidly growing in Nigeria and Africa, to a more robust and sure footed Creative Economy in line with world best practices by 2015”.
Apart from exhibitions, trainings, workshops, conferences and seminars, BOBTV has since inception, recognized various individuals who have excelled in their service to various industries and rewarded them with the BOBTV Honours List Awards. Past awardees include: Mr. Peter Igho, Executive Director, NTA (2007), Mr. Andy Amenechi - Film Director (2007), Liz Benson - Actor (2007). In 2008, Late Mr. Sam Loco Efe, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, and Dr. Umar Farouk also received awards. In 2009, pioneering Nollywood producer, Okechukwu Ogunjiofor, Lekan Ogunbanwo, Nkem Owoh, Bukky Ajayi, Zainab Bewal, Efere Ozakor and the Cast and crew of MNET’s Jacob’s Cross also received awards.
Last year’s BOBTV Honours list includes Chairman Silverbird Group Ben Murray-Bruce, Nollywood movie marketer Ossy Affason, copyright lawyer Efere Ozako and Make-up and special effects Virtuoso Dagogo Diminas.
This year’s edition will begin with a Music Fiesta hosted by Storm 360 and Party to be hosted by Celebrities. Past editions have been hosted by the likes of the Bayelsa State Culture Ministry, Soundcity and Lagos State Tourism Board. There have also been performances from top artistes like P-Square, 2Face, M.I, Mamuzee amongst many others.
“BOBTV 2012 seeks to prepare Africa to address “The Content Question in a Digital Economy” and expects the participation of various telecommunication services like mobile networks, digital broadcasters, ISP’s, Broadband services, and DTT platforms. Workshops and seminars will also be organized for participants at the Expo.” Executive producer Amaka Igwe says.
BOBTV started in 2002 by the pioneers of the Nigerian Film and TV Programmes Industry who wanted to create structures that facilitate the foundation and exchange of high quality TV programmes. The first edition held in Lagos at the Sheraton Hotel Ikeja; supported by the National Broadcasting Commission and Multichoice Nigeria.
Subsequently, the demand to participate required a much bigger venue and BOBTV moved to the Ladi Kwali convention Centre in Abuja; the biggest convention centre in Nigeria today.
By 2005, the African film and Television Programmes expo had become an international event, attracting visitors, participants and resource persons from Canada, Zimbabwe, Namibia, England, United States, South Africa, Ghana and many more.
This also revealed the wide gap in the infrastructure that should support the growth of the audio-visual industry in Africa.
"BOBTV is always fun and I'm looking forward to even more fun this year as we exchange ideas and reinvigorate the system’’, Igwe concludes.
A schedule of activities for 2012 is to be released next week, according to the organizers.
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