Otti vows to position Abia as entertainment hub in Nigeria

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has assured of his Administration’s commitment to supporting the creative industry and positioning Abia as a major hub for film production, entertainment, tourism, and cultural promotion.

…Chronicles of Enyimba begins casting in Aba

Governor Otti made this known at the weekend in his office while receiving a delegation of Nollywood practitioners led by Francis Ifeakandu, who is currently working on a film entitled “The Chronicles of Enyimba City”, an Aba-made film project, to showcase the history of the commercial city.

The visit, which was equally a homecoming for the Aba and Abia-born Nollywood Movie stars, saw the actors and actresses touring around almost all the major projects executed by Governor Alex Otti in Aba, as well as some ongoing ones.

Governor Otti commended the team members for their resilience, creativity, and dedication to the film project that seeks to showcase the rich cultural heritage, history, and development of Abia State, especially Aba, the Enyimba city.

He described the initiative as timely and one that aligns with his Administration’s vision of promoting investment, tourism, and economic growth through the creative sector.

He said, “I am always careful about the promises I make. I assured you of support, and that support remains available. Government will continue to provide an enabling environment and work with stakeholders to ensure that initiatives capable of promoting Abia and creating opportunities for our people succeed.”

Drawing from his personal experience in the film industry, the Governor recalled his involvement as a movie producer in the 1990s, emphasising his understanding of the challenges and opportunities within Nollywood.

Governor Otti further disclosed that his Administration is actively pursuing plans to establish an Entertainment City in Aba, a project designed to provide world-class infrastructure and facilities for filmmakers, creative professionals, and investors in the entertainment industry.

According to him, the government has already commenced necessary processes, including land acquisition and compensation, to bring the project to reality.

Francis Ifeakandu, leader of the delegation and the producer of “The Chronicles of Enyimba City,” earlier expressed gratitude to Governor Otti for his continued support of the project and his transformative leadership across the State.

He informed the Governor that the production team had successfully conducted auditions across all local government areas of Abia State and extended the exercise to neighbouring States and cities.

Ifeakandu noted that the project, described by industry consultants as one of the largest film productions in Africa, is designed to tell the story of Abia, promote its culture, and project its positive image to the global audience.

He revealed that the film project features over 2,000 cast members and is structured into 6 seasons with 5 episodes each, capturing various aspects of the State’s history, culture, tourism potential, and developmental strides.

He commended Governor Otti’s infrastructural achievements, particularly the transformation of key roads and public facilities, noting that members of the visiting Nollywood team, who had not visited Abia for a long time, were impressed by the remarkable changes they witnessed during their tour of the State.

The producer appealed for continued government support towards the successful completion of the film project, stressing that the film would not only restore Abia’s historical prominence in Nigeria’s movie industry, but also generate employment opportunities and attract investments into the State.

Obi Okolie, a veteran actor and director, who grew up in the Ogbor-Hill area of Aba, after their tour of road infrastructure in Aba, expressed shock at the transformation of the commercial city under 3-years of Governor Otti’s administration.

“The roads I walked on as a little boy are now mega towns. I’ll advise other governors to take a trip to Abia and see how it’s done, let them come and see the transformation. ”

Sharon Ifedi, a Nollywood actress who also grew up in Aba, said that she’s shocked to see the amount of changes in the city.

Ifedi said that before she left the city, the movie industry in Aba was shaky, stressing that Aba wasn’t looking this beautiful back then.

“I’m happy to see what the governor has put in place in a short while. There is much improvement, I must confess.”

She recounted her childhood in a city richly blessed, but marred by poor road infrastructure that made it impossible for her career to blossom unless she sought alternative places.

“I saw Port Harcourt Road, but I could not recognise it. It was like a lake before, because we lived around that Port Harcourt Road axis. I wasn’t really the type that moved around back then,” she said.

Uwuoma Uche, deputy vice chancellor, Gregory University, who is a member of the production team, described the movie as a panoramic view of Aba, as a city, its origin and all the things that make it thick.

“You should know that the origin of anything called Nollywood today is Aba. So, it’s a homecoming for all of them to be here, and we are going to tell the story of how they all started here. So, whatever that makes Aba thick is what the movie is all about.”

The high point of the visit was the presentation of a gift to the Governor by the leader of the group.