Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Mr. Obi Asika has endorsed the South East Creative Economy Summit billed to hold in Umuahia, Abia State from 19th to 20th November, 2024.
Mr. Asika gave the endorsement when the Summit Coordinator and CEO of Ojemba Media and Entertainment Limited, Mr. Victor Nwokocha paid him a courtesy visit on the sidelines of the recently concluded Stakeholders Engagement Forum on National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy (NIPPS) held in Abuja.
In his words, “This Summit is a timely intervention. It resonates with the policy of the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, and the NCAC towards ensuring that every single creative industry practitioner across the country is connected with global trends in intellectual property rights protection and talent monetization, especially as the Federal Government drives towards sustainable economic diversification from oil. This is a bold initiative which I find very commendable. You have my assurance that we shall do the best we can to lend our support to make it a success.”
Speaking earlier, the Summit Coordinator informed the Director-General that the Summit is themed ‘Intellectual Property, Entertainment Technology and Wealth Creation: Imperatives for Enhancing the South East Creative Economy’. He explained that the Summit, in partnership with key agencies of government and private sector institutions, is bringing international experts to enlighten creative industry practitioners and commercial users of copyright content in the South East on the imperatives of intellectual property protection as a fundamental pillar of economic growth.
Mr Nwokocha informed that the historic Summit, first of its kind in the South East since the era of Old Eastern Region, shall seek ways to enhance the administrative structure of the South East Creative Industry and evolve data-based blueprint to facilitate planning, investment, regulation and performance audit in line with statutory protocols at the national and sub-national levels.
He emphasized that the Summit shall further explore functional mechanisms for more extensive enforcement of Nigerian Copyright Laws particularly in the South East, as well as a broader application of intellectual property instruments to boost economic growth.
He thanked the Director-General, Mr. Obi Asika for identifying with the Summit, assuring that it is not a mere talk shop but a practical intervention to upscale the development of Nigeria’s creative economy and a significant platform to drive the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.