28/06/2015
DIRECTOR-GENERAL TASKS IJAW FILM PRODUCERS ON MORAL BALANCE
Director-General of Bayelsa State Tourism Development Agency, Mrs. Ebiere Irene Musah, has tasked Ijaw film makers to reflect moral uprightness and fairness which characterize the Izon people, informing that “Izon” means truth.
The DG, who was represented by the Deputy Rector (Administration), International Institute of Tourism & Hospitality, Yenagoa, Mr Piriye Kiyaramo, during the World Ijaw Film Makers Day, organised under aegis of ‘Izonllywood’. at Ijaw House, Yenagoa, Monday, June 27, 2015, described the event as heart-warming, pointing out that Izonllywood, which started like a simple dream few years ago, was beginning to gather steam and taking shape.
She lamented that “over the years, we have come to see how the movie industry within and outside Nigeria has compromised the moral fabric of society on the altar of profit and modernity”,
According to her, the Yorubas, Igbos, and Hausas have succeeded in using the instrumentality of motion picture to tell their story, strengthen their language and propagate their culture, reiterating that the Ijaws, being the fourth largest ethnic group in the country, can use Izonllywood to transmit the essence of the Ijaw ethnic nationality to the younger generation.
While stressing on the need for cultural and moral balance in the art of movie production, Mrs Ebiere Musah applauded the birth of Izonllywood, describing it as an idea that would outlive the present generation.
The DG used the occasion to canvass for collective passion from all Ijaws in ensuring that the ideals of Izonllywood concept are sustained.
She called on Ijaw sons and daughters in the movie industry within and outside Nigeria to come up with initiatives that would create opportunities for the training of talented Ijaw youth in the movie industry.
The DG added that though the journey has been so tedious, Izonllywood, has come to stay as a veritable platform for Ijaw film makers, just as she expressed confidence in the concept of Izonllywood.
She hinted that the restoration administration of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, trained of over 200 Bayelsan youth in different areas of film making during the 2013 edition of the Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA), adding that quite a few of them have gone ahead to establish their own firms as a result of that training.
“As we speak, a firm owned by a Bayelsan from Odi community, has been given a job to put together all the beautiful locations, sceneries and tourist sites across state, with a view to marketing Bayelsa to movie producers within and outside the state” she reiterated.
Mrs Ebiere Musah maintained that the present administration in the state has always encouraged film producers to come to Bayelsa and shoot their movies, because of the tourism revenue that could accrue to the state, pointing out that the movie industry has the capacity to gainfully engage talented youths in the state.
