Beautiful A’ibom, A Lost Entertainment Paradise?

By UbongAbasi Ise

Akwa Ibom State is aptly considered to be a home of beauties, place of exquisite delicacies, the land of exciting cultures, rich histories and all manner of hospitability. However, the just concluded Face of Akwa Ibom 2019 organized in Uyo by the management of Slyz-B Movies Music Production & Modeling  Agency has desperately called for the fervent interrogation to find out why the state is still wobbling under the burdens of identities despite its huge potentialities. The pageantry served as an ample reminder that, beyond the beautiful faces of Akwa Ibom ladies, there are natural, raw talents in the state that are yet to be tapped by the ever-demanding entertainment industry. There was a clear message that Akwa Ibom is still virgin and open for the exploration for talents. As excitable as the state could be,   yet there is palpable lack of stride in the area of entertainment, and by extension, tourism industry. The story of Akwa Ibom entertainment appears to be a tale of a paradise being overtaken by barren wilderness and aridity that leave nothing to desire about. Looking at a state that is naturally endowed with essential resources, blessed with clement all-year round climate accompanying with lush of greenery, exquisite beaches and idyllic scenes, there is no competitive heights Akwa Ibom would not have attended. All that could matter would be a vibrant entertainment sector that would have amplified the beauty of the state to all corners of the earth.

                We could ask what the gain of the state would be if its salubrious ambiance and its splendour are flaunted to the world.  As the state is seeking rapid industrialization, there is the need for investors to bring in capital and assets needed for industrial growth. The question is how could an investor outside the shores of the state and country identifies Akwa Ibom as a safe clime to do business? The answer is not farfetched: it is entertainment industry that could market the image of the state through media and then attract the attention of the world to its huge industrial and tourist potentials. Just as international and club football matches at magnificent Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo often brought Akwa Ibom to the global attention, adequately sponsored music fiestas, movies, pageantries, and carnivals could also sell the spicy culture and the beauties of the state to the world. The significance is that, foreigners have natural tendency to fear unknown cultures, therefore it is the media spotlight on an entertaining culture of a people that could break the barriers of enigma surrounding any given society. Sadly enough, entertainment industry in Akwa Ibom, which could have been a veritable tool for marketing of culture and tourist potentials, seems to be ailing and left almost unattended to.

                Those from Akwa Ibom State that found themselves struggling with the trappings of entertainment circle could well offer empirical explanations on the drawbacks that make the industry in the state less viable. In his recent interaction with our correspondent, Mr. Silas Edidem Bassey, one of the movies and music production big guns in the state, while interacting with our correspondent, stressed how his company put up about 38 contestants pageantry with the endorsement of the state government through Tourism Board without companies queuing up to support the event, except Hummer Hotels and Watbridge Hotels & Suites both located in Uyo. He was of contention that when corporate bodies and individuals are not sponsoring entertainment, the industry ails, and tourism suffers.   Bassey believes that, with the newly sprung-up companies in Akwa Ibom under Governor Udom Emmanuel, entertainment industry in the state wouldn’t have lacked corporate sponsorship because as companies strengthens entertainment so as entertainment industry could boost companies by way of attracting outsiders to the state.

                Mr. Silas Bassey noted how the Igbo in the Southeast of the country are able to sell their culture to the world through Nollywood movies and how the same medium is also utilized to market some beautiful locations in Lagos to the world in that virtually all the scenic sites in Lagos have been used up for movie shootings. According to him, if the attention of Nollywood is shifted to numerous attractive locations in Akwa Ibom, there would be a chance of selling the beauties, culture and historical relics of the state to the world. And this could be one way of boosting tourism.

Also, Miss Rita Essien, who emerged the second runner-up in the Face of Akwa Ibom 2019 pageantry, while speaking with The Sensor, said there is probably lack of trust and a wrongful perception of an average Akwa Ibom persons by outsiders, which apparently make it difficult to trust capital into the hands of Akwa Ibomites or invest in any venture domiciled in the state. According to her, with the proper image laundry of Akwa Ibom State citizens through entertainment and media apparatuses, the bad and stereotypical perception of the citizenry of the state could be changed, while strong appeal could be sent to the outsiders to come and really understand the sincerity, trustworthiness and ingenuity of Akwa Ibom people.

                In concluding terms, Akwa Ibom State government should change its recreant attitude towards entertainment and tourism and fully restrengthen its Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The commissioner, Mr. Uno Etim Uno, may have something new to offer, but if he is not given proper enablement through increase in annual budgetary allocation to his ministry, he would only be seen, and not heard by way of performance. Government should identify citizens with passion, professionalism and pizzazz, and allow them to be organizing events instead of leaving such events in the hands of government officials. Also, it is time to invest in our talents instead of allowing them to be leaving the state in wants of greener pastures but end up skivvying at another man’s land. The likes of Ini Edo, Ime Bishop, Presh, Ikpa Udo, Pastor Goody Goody, and other celebrities of note, made names outside the state, it is time to bestir tourism and make Akwa Ibom conducive environment for the grooming of its sons and daughters into stardom. The time is apt totransform the state into the mecca of entertainment and preferable world destination. 

Yes! I am UbongAbasi Ise. For comment, please send SMS to 08189914609 | Email: ubongabasiise@gmail.com