By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, has praised the management of Terra Academy for The Arts (TAFTA) for its contribution to helping the government to solve the unemployment crisis in Nigeria.
Speaking last Friday at a ceremony in Lagos for the graduation of the first cohort of the organisation, he promised that the government would support TAFTA so as to lift more youths from poverty.
TAFTA is a provider of world-class creative education, career support, and entrepreneurial opportunities. It is an initiative of Terra Kulture, headed by Ms Bolanle Austen-Peters.
Its goal is to build and empower a community of young Nigerians who will impact the economy and society by transforming the creative industry.
TAFTA offers an innovative curriculum with specialised courses in sound design, stage lighting, animation, and scriptwriting, all of which were incorporated with entrepreneurship modules.
In his keynote address, Mr Mohammed said, “Nigeria’s creative industry is the new crude oil. Today, Nigeria has taken the world by storm and found itself in the global space, be it through music, movies, fashion, literature, or theatre.
“As Nigeria’s population comprises a 70 per cent youth demographic, many of whom are unemployed or underemployed, TAFTA could not come at a more auspicious time.
“I can say with conviction that TAFTA is contributing its quota to the efforts to solve the unemployment crisis in Nigeria.
“I also want to congratulate the graduates and admonish them to make the best use of this rare opportunity afforded to them.
“TAFTA continues to be a partner of progress, and its efforts are impressive and highly commendable. The Ministry looks forward to exploring greater means of partnerships with TAFTA to extend their invaluable training across the length and breadth of Nigeria,” the Minister said.
In her speech, Ms Austen-Peters explained that, “The dream of TAFTA is a story of possibilities. It was during the pandemic when industries were shutting down, and few were harder hit than the creative industry, that we realized how important it is for us to use our creativity to create wealth.
“As Terra Kulture, we trained hundreds of talents each year who have become superstars in their respective fields, an opportunity we wanted to extend to the greater public.”
Speaking further, she said, “TAFTA was established as a gateway to impacting the lives of young Nigerians. The training we provide allows our graduates to build their entrepreneurial skillsets, ensuring that they are capable of providing for themselves and their families.
“I am delighted that what was thought impossible has been made possible. My sincere congratulations to our graduates today who have taken the next steps to transform their lives.”
Terra Academy for the Arts was launched in 2021 with the mission to upskill 65,000 underserved Nigerian youths through innovative, creative education and practical training strategically designed by handpicked experts in the creative industry.
The initial program runs for six weeks, with an additional two-week practical workshop designed to ensure the hands-on application of the course materials.
Notable alumni from the academy include Moshood Fattah, best known for his role as ‘Michael’ in Netflix’s hit series “Far From Home”; Queen Celestine, Theatre performer and Miss Nigeria Universe 2014; and Bunmi Olunloyo, actor, dancer, and fitness instructor.
Present at the graduation ceremony hosted by Akah Nnani were Prof. Duro Oni, President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters; Rev Olasupo Ayokunle, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN); Femi Odugbemi, award-winning Filmmaker; Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, actress; Deyemi Okanlawon, actor; and Mike Afolarin, actor; amongst other key players in the industry.
