Anambra State’s slogan is the light of the nation. The state, truly, is living up to its motto and slogan. Are the sons and daughters of Anambra State not excelling in their chosen endeavours? Anambra State holds aloft the compass, which shows other states in Nigeria the right path to follow. A great number of people, who hail from Anambra State, are trail-blazers in their undertakings and endeavours. Anambra State is immensely blessed with gifted human beings, who are contributing their quotas towards the betterment of Nigeria and their host countries.

In the 1980s, Mary Onyali-Omagbemi, the springy African sprints Queen of the tracks, dominated the sprint races in Africa. Onyali-Omagbemi hails from Anambra State. Anambra State is the home state of Chimamanda Adichie, a globally known and award-winning writer; as well as a host of other legends now departed, such as Nnamdi Azikiwe (The Great Zik of Africa),Chinua Achebe, Dim Emeka Ojukwu, and Chike Obi, and others.

Anambra people have contributed in no small ways to the evolution and growth of different genres of music in Nigeria. Anambra is the proud owner of Osita Osadebe, a highlife music maestro. His songs are philosophical teachings that serve as lodestars for the people. Osadebe had a sonorous timbre to his voice, and he sang soulfully and melodiously. He took the highlife music to a great height, globally. Not surprisingly, his musical accomplishments reverberated across the globe.

Music is part of the entertainment industry. The entertainment industry is composed of film acting, modeling, music, comedy shows, and others. Anambra State is ably represented in the Nollywood, which is concerned with film acting. Is film acting not the niche and forte of Pete Edochie? Pete Edochie, a man with deep guttural baritone voice, is loved for his film acting prowess. His eloquence, perfect articulation of English words and sounds, mastery of the English Language, and acting skills make him distinct among Nigerian-born actors and actresses. Wasky Oguegbu (Akaeze Obosi), an actor, hails from Anambra State, too. The good-natured and well-bred Bob-Manuel Udokwu, who is a great actor, is an illustrious son of Anambra State. Dapper and always well-turned-out, Bob-Manuel Udokwu has combined film acting with political leadership. Right from his secondary school days, he has been an ardent lover of the creative arts. And, over the years, he has garnered leadership experience.

Bob-Manuel Udokwu (fcai) is the SSA on Creative Media (Movie/Entertainment Industry) to the Anambra State Governor. His current political post is a holdover from the immediate past government in the state. It is a testament to his leadership qualities, versatility in the entertainment industry, and competence. He is saddled with the responsibility of reviving and strengthening the movie/entertainment industry in the state. He has set about the performance of his duties with great ardour. And, Governor Willie Obiano has created a conducive environment for the blossoming of artistic activities in the state, having purged and rid the state of kidnappers and armed robbers. A crime-free state is an incentive to the flourishing of artistic activities such as musical shows, film acting, modeling, comedy shows, and others.

As the state is no longer having security challenges, Bob-Manuel Udokwu has mapped out programmes that are aimed at discovering people who are gifted in modeling, film acting, music and others. Among the programmes is NAIJA NEW DAWN SHOW: RAISING NEW STARS AND CREATING JOBS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. Participants for the programmes were auditioned on May 22 and 23, 2015. The final audition took place on May 28 and 29 at Summit Splendor Hotel, Awka.

The NAIJA NEW DAWN SHOW will take place today, May 30, at Marble Arch Hotel, Awka. Over one million naira cash prizes will be won by participants. The show will herald the resurgence of artistic activities in the state.

The show will serve as a platform for the discovering of people, who are gifted in the areas of music, film acting, modeling, and comedy shows. I have no doubt that the SHOW will produce new stars, who can hold their own in the entertainment industry in the future. The influx of new entrants into the entertainment industry will reduce the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria. The entertainment industry has been offering jobs and employments to teeming millions of Nigerian youths, both directly and indirectly. Some globally acclaimed artistes of Nigerian descent were discovered and poached at such shows as the NAIJA NEW DAWN SHOW. They are now Nigeria’s Cultural Ambassadors in the Diaspora.

It is a known fact that there is a nexus between unemployment and criminal activities. An adage says this: An idle Mind is a devil’s workshop. A lad who is obsessed with writing songs and singing will not have the luxury of time to indulge in criminal activities. NAIJA NEW DAWN SHOW will help to re-focus the attention of our youths on sharpening and honing their latent artistic gifts and skills. When they are rewarded with financial gifts for their excellent performances at the NAIJA NEW DAWN SHOW, it will motivate them to seek careers in film acting, modeling, music, comedy shows, and others.

The NAIJA NEW DAWN SHOW is one of the programmes in a series of programmes mapped out by Bobmanuel Udokwu (fcai) SSA on creative media (Movie/Entertainment Industry) to the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano.

•Chiedu Uche Okoye, a poet and book editor, wrtes from Uruowolu – Obosi, Anambra State. Photo shows Governor Willie Obiano.

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