FUNKE OSAE-BROWN
Something remarkable is set to happen in Nigeria film industry with the newly announced ‘‘Grooming Film Extrapreneurs with Kunle’, an initiative of the Sahara Group. It will be a big step towards helping to boost professionalism in the film industry as a PSCR project by the Sahara Foundation.
Speaking at a press conference to announce the project held at the corporate head office of Sahara Group, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria on Thursday, Anthony Youdeowei, managing director, Sahara Group, says ‘Grooming Film Extrapreneurs (with Kunle Afolayan)’ is a Sahara Group initiative that seeks to promote a hub of enterprise that connects budding film makers with stakeholders that can help hone their skills to enhance productivity, excellence and sustainability in their careers.
“The initiative,” he explained, “is the maiden project under Sahara Group’s Extrapreneurship Framework which is being driven by Sahara Foundation, the Group’s corporate responsibility vehicle. This is the beginning of a venture that we hope will outgrow us,” he said. “We believe the competition will create a hub of young entrepreneurs who will be associated with Sahara Group. We believe they will contribute to the economy and build a country we are all proud of. Today, we are starting with the film competition. Ultimately, we will have a hub of Sahara scholars. Ours is to create the environment where they can grow. This project will grow and evolve as we go along. It is to commemorate our 20th anniversary.”
Also, Babatomiwa Adesida, manager, Sahara Foundation, says extrapreneurship platform will help Sahara drive integrated economic empowerment programmes through strategic partnerships and support for innovative as well as scalable business ventures. According to him, over the next four years, Sahara Foundation plans to directly impact 12,000,000 beneficiaries and also create value through the identification, development and maintenance of relevant stakeholders through which beneficiaries can grow and sustain businesses.
“The Grooming Film Extrapreneurs initiative seeks to support young film makers by providing an enabling environment for them to develop self-sustaining businesses through exposure and collaboration with budding and established stakeholders in the film-making industry,” he explains.
Bethel Obioma, head, corporate communications, Sahara Group, says the essence of the competition is to groom film ‘extra’ prenuers who will be wealth creators.
“An extrapreneur,” he explains, “is an individual who applies himself creatively in his/her area of expertise and looks out for opportunities to connect with people driven by similar interests to maximize productivity and expand the scope of growth and sustainability of the businesses created.”
the essence of the competition is to groom film ‘extra’ prenuers who will be wealth creators.
He further explained that Sahara Group has decided to involve famous filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, as the lead faculty in the judging process because of his track record in changing the face of the Nigerian film industry.
“Kunle Afolayan, Multiple award winning film maker and producer and foremost entrepreneur in the film industry is working with Sahara Foundation to achieve the goal of discovering budding stars that will light up local and international film festivals with their creative productions.
“Kunle and his team will work on the entries to shortlist the first 20 and ultimate winner of the competition. In alignment with the concept of extrapreneurship, the winner will undergo a 6-month mentorship program with Kunle Afolayan, a platform that will give the individual access to first class and practical tutelage in film making,” he says.
For the maiden edition of ‘Grooming Extraprenuers with Kunle’, interested participants can submit a 15 minutes docu-film on the life of an entrepreneur(s) with the theme My Nigeria, My Platform…Nigeria through entrepreneurs’ eyes. The entry can be submitted on Sahara Group’s website. The project is open to young film makers (male and female) across the nation who must not be more than 35 years old. Out of the entries, top twenty entries will be selected out of which an overall winner will emerge.
“This theme is a concept targeted at redefining the perception of Nigeria as a country around the globe. The project will be used to shape a narrative for Nigeria that captures our enterprise and productivity as a people. Entry opens on July 1st, 2016 and closes on 25th of July, 2016.
Each entry will highlight the story/work young Nigerian entrepreneur(s) and how it is impacting positively on providing sustainable solutions, creating employment and promoting socio-economic development in the nation. To get further information about this initiative,” says Obioma.
The Videos will be subjected to scrutiny by selected judges, led by Afolayan. The participant who emerges as the winner will undergo a mentorship program with Afolayan for Six months.
Afolayan said being a part of the initiative is like a dream come true. “I believe this is just the time for me to give back. I see this as a very key partnership between Sahara Group and Kunle Afolayan. Making film is one craft, making money is as essential. If you are able to combine the two, you will be a rich filmmaker. This is one of the things the winner will learn from me during the internship. The winner will also be able to work with me on any project I am working on during his internship with me. I look forward to this partnership on a bigger scale,” he explains.
For more information on the project you can send an email to sahara.foundation@sahara-group.com
About The Author
