Abuja- President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday commended Creative Professionals for using their works to promote the country’s global image.
Jonathan gave the commendation at an audience with a delegation of the Creative Professionals at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the nation’s creative professionals represent a blessing to the country, adding that they use their themes to promote good values.
“You promote our culture and that is why Edem Duke has always been passionate about you.
“You even bring value reorientation which I appreciate so much in some of the films you act and some of the music you play.
“So, you are much more than entertainers to people who want to relax but you are also changing the psyche of the youths.
He said government would continue to encourage film production through provision of funds and other forms of support.
Jonathan also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to moving the country from the vagaries of crude oil to a knowledge-based one.
He cited Switzerland and Japan, which he said, had little or no natural resources but run stable economies.
The president said that the creative industry was key to economic diversification, hence government’s passion about developing it.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Nollywood actor, Mr Segun Arinze, said they were at the Villa to thank the president for his support to the creative industry.
He said that never in the country’s history had the creative community received the kind of attention and support as the Jonathan administration had been doing.
While lauding the president for his maturity in the face of “unfair opposition, tyranny and cynics”, Arinze urged him to remain focused and to continue with his good works.
“Your uncommon transformation has seen the many of us travel to the best film schools around the globe to receive training we could only have dreamt about.
“We have received grants to make better films whereas we could not previously access loans.
`Under your administration, many of our members have received national honours, gotten political appointments and venturing into politics, something never heard of artiste in these parts.
“At a time like this, as you prepare to come back and seek the mandate of Nigerians for another term, you can be rest assured that we are with you,’’ Arinze said.
Vice President Namadi Sambo also thanked the creative professionals for the positive global image they had created about the country, and urged them to do more.
He urged them to support the Jonathan administration in the 2015 elections to enable him fully achieve the transformation agenda.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the delegation included movie and music artistes, producers, writers, makeup artists, among others. (NAN)
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