By Jonathan Ugbal
Following reports that the proposed Kano film village to be named after President Muhammadu Buhari was stopped by the president to please hardline Muslims, Callywood’s director Egor Efiok has suggested the project be sited in Cross River State.
Egor, in a short and dramatic message to CrossRiverWatch urged those criticizing the president to desist from such acts and called on Nigerians to respect the cultures and traditions of others while pleading the art and film village since it has being budgeted for, should be relocated to Cross River State where governor Ben Ayade had already incorporated Callywood, a special purpose vehicle for the entertainment industry in the state.
“We should learn to respect other people’s religious views and cultures. It does not matter how many billions the Federal Government want to invest in the state of art film village in Kano.
“The people of Kano State have rejected it because their culture does not support it…please respect that and stop berating the president for bowing to pressure to scrap the idea.
“Dem say dem nor want… na by force? The Federal Government should please invest those billions in Callywood instead…we want am…we need am…no need to fight mbok…just come to Callywood…you’d be welcomed with open arms. Ehen (sic)” Egor said.
The proposed art and film village, a project promoted by the member representing Bebeji/Kiru Federal Constituency in Kano, Abdulmumin Jibrin was designed to be a 20-hectare centre equipped with state-of-art facilities and equipment for film making modeled after the Indian film city and Chinese film centre.
Jibrin told stakeholders in an interactive session that 1 billion Naira was already earmarked by the federal government and will be released soon for the kick off of the initial stage of the project.
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