A new content promoter has joined the creative sector. Through the signing of a relationship with the Headies, the most prestigious Nigerian award, the Lagos State Government made its debut as a significant supporter of the music business.
The Lagos Government will support the 15th Headies Award, where local musicians, DJs, music video makers, and songwriters will be honored for their skills and originality.
The ceremony will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States, and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu will be there (U.S.A).
The Headies are an academy award that are modeled after the American Grammy award. Lagos State became the first government organization to promote them.
When the industry’s veterans and practitioners gathered for a pre-award event called “Lagos Constellation of Stars,” hosted by the State Government and Headies to honor 2022 award nominees, they could not contain their joy over the development.
Kenny Ogungbe, a seasoned music producer, called the Lagos State Government’s initiative a “strong turning point” for the industry and said that it may help launch many local artists onto the international arena.
Ogungbe, a co-founder of Kennis Music, noted that many record label owners had worked hard to invest their own money to produce the majority of contemporary songs that promoted Nigeria around the world. He emphasized that the Lagos Government’s intervention would go a long way in helping young producers to produce more talent.
“Kennis Music has created over 80 musical albums with a minimum of 12 tracks; these works were crafted with our blood and sweat. We were never given the chance to receive government funding. This is a significant turning point for the music industry now that we have a decent government that supports young people who are creative and believes in their future and their skills, according to Ogungbe.
Ayo Animashaun, the head of Smooth Promotions Media and creator of the Headies award, hailed the intervention as a “defining moment” and praised Sanwo-Olu for starting it.
The government’s decision to promote creative sector talent on a big scale, according to Animashaun, was a first. He emphasized that the intervention should not be interpreted as a political action.
“This should be regarded beyond partisan politics,” he stated, “if we have a Governor in the entire of Nigeria working with us and assuring the Government’s backing to what we do.”
For the 2022 Headies award to achieve the desired level of success, according to Animashaun, decision- and policymakers must support the event and buy into it.
“We are taking a large group to Atlanta; the participants will require some kind of protection. This can only occur when there is a friendly diplomatic connection between the governments, according to the Headies creator.
“This intervention is not just about the Headies; it’s about the entire creative business,” he continued. Even though we have come a long way, there is still plenty to accomplish when the system is working in our favor. Many abilities need to be displayed to the public on a grand scale.
We would have exported goods that the world would continue to demand, which would translate to growth of our GDP because those artists would not only be famous but they would also be earning money that would go into our economy, if these young Nigerian stars who will be attending the Headies award in Atlanta are accepted by the global audience.
Governor Sanwo-Olu emphasized that the growth of the Entertainment and Tourism industry was a vital pillar of his Government’s plan and that the intervention was a sincere effort by his administration to increase the output and capabilities in the creative sector.
The Governor made a point of pointing out that the Headies were not the first to receive support from the entertainment sector, noting that his government had worked with entertainment companies to develop talent and increase their capacity across the entire value chain of the sector, including script writers, film directors, and artists.
Sanwo-Olu claimed that the kids who benefited from the program received training from top-tier specialists in industry-specific skills, with training and tuition expenses covered by the government.
“It is not something we have just invented today; developing a thriving business for creatives in our entertainment industry is something that has been part of our economic agenda as Government from the beginning,” the governor declared. We are eager to work with the creative industry professionals to unearth new talent and export not only our culture but also our music.
The Headies Award is comparable to the Grammy of Africa. Given where the event will be hosted in a few days, it is local flavor turning global. Our decision to support the effort is strategic. Our entertainers and artists are being flown to Atlanta, where they will have more opportunities to showcase the rich culture and ideals that reflect Lagos.