Nigerian artistes must not be comfortable with fame, fortune – Biodun Koya
Ladesope Ladelokun
America-based Nigerian Opera singer, Biodun Koya, says Nigerian artists should not be comfortable with the fame and fortune they have acquired, noting that there is need for them to go back to the assignment of hearing from God and propagating the messages of hope and positivity as messengers of God.
Koya said this while speaking with journalists last night during the presentation of an album she titled “Lift Up Nigeria” at the Intercontinental hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.She charged Nigerians to have the positive outward of Nigeria in their consciousness and portray it in their delings across the world.
The Nigerian superstar said it was the responsibility of all Nigerians to “Lift Up Nigeria” in all aspects of their endeavours at home and abroad. On what she intends to achieve with the album produced by highly rated Wole Oni, Koya said wanted to spark hope in the minds of Nigerians and send them the message that the task of lifting up Nigeria lies in their hands.
“We have to love ourselves and lift up Nigeria.We have to create a new path and a new world for the children unborn because we can’t leave the present situation to our unborn children. We should endeavour to work hard and create an amazing Nigeria for a new generation unborn, ” she said
Also, chairman of the day, front-rank economist and politician, Prof Pat Utomi,says the contribution of Nigeria in music and entertainment generally to Gross Domestic Product(GDP) is third after Hollywood in America and Bollywood in India, describing it as the fastest in in terms of velocity while speaking with journalists.
He said with proper regulation, encouragement and promotion, unemployment will be substantially taken care of and hard foreign currency will come into the country. Utomi, who was represented by Mr Akin Fatunke of the Music Minds Fraternity, which Utomi belongs, said: “Nollywood is contributing more than even what we have planned an envisaged to the GDP of Nigeria.
As a matter of fact, developmental economists will tell you that is one area that is still waiting to be harnessed. All over the world, Nigeria’s contribution to GDP is third after Bollywood in India, Hollywood in the US and then Nigeria.But Nigeria has had the fastest in terms of velocity that you can imagine and envisage,” he said.
The event also provided opportunities for guests to bare their minds on the state of the nation. Addressing the audience, former Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Mr Fatai Owoseni,lamented the decay that has permeated virtually every facet of national life. He, however, expressed reservations about the potency of state police, calling for the strengthening of the current force.
Among the distinguished Nigerians that graced the occasion were former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Odein Ajumogobia, Former Ogun governorship candidate, Mr Segun Odegbami, Mrs Yemisi Ransome- Kuti and Mr Allen Onyema, Chairman, Air Peace Airlines.
