Nollywood is a tool for economic empowerment

Abuja - Screen writer, Akinwale Adekunle, on Thursday in Abuja said the Nigerian film industry should be
Adekunle said this was because the industry had helped in the propagation of the nation’s heterogeneous cultural heritage. He described the industry as the purveyor of Nigeria’s art and culture.
"It shows the new generation what our diverse culture entails,’’ Adekunle said.
He said the film industry had remained the only veritable vehicle of promoting the nation’s indigenous languages.
Adekunle said however that priority was no longer being given to indigenous languages in most schools.
The writer also described the film industry as currently being the largest employer of labour.
He said the socio-cultural and economic import of the video film phenomenon in Nigeria was monumental.
"An appraisal of the industry’s benefits to the nation’s economy indicates that it is a source of livelihood directly or indirectly to millions of Nigerians,’’ Adekunle said.
He said the industry has helped to facilitate the activities of foreign investors through cross-border trade, saying it currently contributes a huge balance of payment surplus to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
utilised as a tool for national rebirth and economic empowerment.