Nigeria and Jamaica are in talks over Audio-Visual Film Production Agreement.
The proposal according to a statement by the Ministry of Culture and Creative Economy was tabled during a meeting between the Minister, Hannatu Musa Musawa and the Jamaican High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Lincoln Downer.
Musawa, the statement which was signed by her media aide, Nneka Ikem Anibeze also said Nigeria is interested in other areas of cultural collaboration with Jamaica.
The Minister stated: “There is a natural partnership between Nigeria and Jamaica especially in arts and culture. I am happy about the cultural exchange being proposed by the Jamaican government and the positive values that can come out of that.
“We are interested in the Audio-Visual Film Production Agreement proposed by Jamaica. I am excited about your Film Development initiative which is just like Nigeria’s IDICE, which empowers creatives to flourish through financial support.
“We are looking forward to discussing other opportunities that can support creatives in the industry”.
On his part, the Jamaican High Commissioner, said Nigeria is recognised as not only African cultural hub but global hub.
Downer also revealed that his country had benefited from other collaborations with Nigeria including exchanges in areas like Batik and jewelry-making.
He said, “There is a lot of scope for collaboration, particularly in the area of film and animation. Nigeria has supported Jamaica over many years in the creative industry through the technical eco-program, where artisans have been dispatched to Jamaica for exchanges in areas of Batik and jewelry-making.
“We are hoping that sometime in the future, these collaborations can be expanded. We also note that Nigeria and Jamaica are in very close relations when it comes to entertainment. A lot of Nigerian entertainers like Burner Boy and Whiz Kid, have come to Jamaica, and even Victor Thompson who was in Jamaica last month. We are looking forward to these sorts of exchanges between both countries and to see how we can establish a framework for deeper collaboration between the two countries.
“On Monday, we celebrated 54 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Jamaica. We are interested in future collaborations with Nigeria because we recognize Nigeria as not only the cultural hub of Africa but of the globe. We also have a rich culture so we are interested in forging a stronger alliance with Nigeria”.
Earlier, the Director of International Cultural Relations, Mrs. Zainab Ali-Biu, sought Jamaica’s support for proposing an International Day for Afrobeat Music to UNESCO
