Veteran comedian, Ali Baba, in a recent interview on Channels Television, stated that Nigerian musicians have significantly boosted the country’s national awareness, surpassing the efforts of any official ambassadors.
He expressed disappointment that, despite the substantial contributions of entertainers, the entertainment industry has been overlooked in the government’s economic plans.
Ali Baba cited a forecast by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group that omitted the entertainment and creative sectors, stressing the global value of the creative industry.
He praised Burna Boy, noting that the artist has elevated national awareness more effectively than any ambassador could.
He said: “Two years ago, the Nigerian Economic Summit Group looked into a forecast of the Nigerian economy in the next five years, and the entertainment and creative industry was not considered.
“A booklet of about 200 pages was done and the creative industry was not considered. The value of the creative industry in Nigeria is beyond the country.
“Burna Boy has done a lot more for Nigerian national awareness than any ambassador that has been posted to America, the UK, or any other place.
So Nigerian artists are creating national awareness and making other countries know about us than any ambassador would have done.”
Olaitan Ibrahim