The governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has promised the state’s creative artists of his administration’s commitment to the sector’s expansion.
The governor made this statement on Tuesday during the 2022 “Greater Lagos” art show, which was held on Victoria Island and has as its theme “Art in and for changes.”
Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, who served as Sanwo-deputy, Olu’s pointed out that the entertainment industry’s potential, particularly in the creative arts, has mostly gone unrealized.
“We have left no one in doubt about our determination to fully harness the as-yet-untapped potential in the entertainment sector, notably the creative arts component, over the past three years of the implementation of our growth program,” he said.
“This exhibition is quite instructive as there is a need to utilise different words and media to effectively communicate messages and ideas, particularly those meant to change the orientation of the public, societal ills and their effects on the general well-being of society.”
In her remarks, the wife of the Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, urged art practitioners to utilise arts to stamp out gender-based violence in society.
“As great influencers of thought, they should be deeply involved and commit themselves to support the present administration in stamping out the menace of gender-based violence in society using artworks as a form of campaign against domestic and gender-based violence and other societal vices,” she said.
On her part, the state Commissioner for Tourism, Art and Culture, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, said the exhibition was part of the state government’s intervention to give visibility to artists and their artworks to further deepen the creative industry.
