News
Film factory: Gov. AbdulRazaq vows to deepen creative industry
Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara has vowed to deepen the state’s creative industry in order to expand its economic base.
AbdulRazaq made the vow in Ilorin on Wednesday during his visit to the trendy Sugar Film Factory.
The governor described the sugar film factory as one of his administration’s iconic projects targeted at refocusing the state’s economy for job creation, youth empowerment, and improved standard of living.
He said it was designed to make Kwara a hub in the last-mile movie production and creative industry in West Africa.
According to him, the facility earns its name from the nostalgic Tate and Lyle Sugar Factory which collapsed in the 1990s, in what underscored the governor’s rich sense of history.
The governor said that the project was one of those being funded from the bond the state accessed in 2021.
He noted that contents from Nollywood are increasingly dominating the world, saying that efforts must be geared towards improving production quality for them to compete with Hollywood and Bollywood.
“Our huge investment in the creative industry is to expand the economic base of the state and deepen the creative industry.
“Everyone sees our state as a civil service state. We want to change that perception. We want to make this state a destination for high-quality movie production.
“It is about thinking outside the box. It is important for Nollywood to move from what some may call videos to cinematography.
“We have very rich contents but we need to invest in the quality of our production. Our facility offers this.
“Gradually, we are getting there. You’ve seen our films on Netflix and other global platforms but we want more of our films there. What India has done is to improve the quality of films, that’s what we want to offer here in Kwara,” the governor said.
AbdulRazaq echoed the need to expand the quality of Nigerian movies to feature more on the international scene.
He expressed satisfaction at the progress of work done, hoping that the contractor would deliver it for operation in the next few months.
The governor said more equipment are coming in and assured that film production would soon commence in the state.
The sugar film factory is carefully linked with the visual arts centre whose components include a Dolby-fitted studio.
It is indicative of an emerging local economy built around creative industry, innovation and enterprise dominated by young people.
Gov. AbdulRazaq was conducted round the facility by the Project Manager, Mr Kamaldeen Abolarin.
Headline
Prince Harry visits sick Nigerian soldiers in Kaduna
Prince Harry and his team visited the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to interact with wounded soldiers who are receiving treatment.
The Duke of Sussex is in Nigeria with his wife to champion the Invictus Games, which Harry founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans.
Nigeria joined the Invictus Community of Nations in 2022 becoming the first African country to join.
Prince Harry’s visit to Kaduna came 68 years after his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II visited the state during the time of the late Premier of Northern Region Sir Ahmadu Bello.
News
Senate approves death penalty for drug traffickers
Senate on Thursday, May 9, approved the death penalty for those convicted on the charge of drug trafficking in the country.
The punishment prescribed in the extant NDLEA Act is a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The resolution of the Senate followed its consideration of a report of the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and Drugs and Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
The Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights & Legal Matters presented the report during plenary, Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno North).
The bill, which passed its third reading, aims to update the list of dangerous drugs, strengthen the operations of the NDLEA, review penalties, and empower the establishment of laboratories.
Section 11 of the current act prescribes that “any person who, without lawful authority; imports, manufactures, produces, processes, plants or grows the drugs popularly known as cocaine, LSD, heroin or any other similar drugs shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for life” was amended to reflect a stiffer penalty of death.
Although the report did not recommend a death penalty for the offence, during consideration, Senator Ali Ndume moved that the life sentence should be upgraded to the death penalty.
During a clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, put the amendment on the death penalty to a voice vote and ruled that the “ayes” had it.
But Senator Adams Oshiomhole objected to the ruling, saying that the “nays” had it.
He argued that matters of life and death should not be treated hurriedly, but Barau said it was too late, as he failed to call for division immediately after his ruling.
The bill was subsequently read for the third time and passed by the Senate.
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