By Kelvin Ololo
The creative and entertainment community in Cross River State has received a significant boost as the Peter Bello Foundation organized a high-level seminar aimed at unlocking opportunities for young talents in photography, videography, content creation, and storytelling.
The one-day intensive seminar, themed “Opportunities for Creatives in Cross River State,” was held on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at the Prof. Eyo Ita Building along Ndidem Usang Iso Road. The event brought together emerging creatives, practitioners in photography and storytelling, as well as established industry players to share experiences and engage with aspiring talents across the state.
Speaking as a guest speaker and beneficiary of the foundation, Cross River-born travel journalist, photographer, documentary producer, and founder of Africa Fixer, Obaji Akpet, delivered a presentation on “winning international clients as a photographer and videographer.” He said, “ you don’t need to relocate to work globally, you need to position, package and present like a global creative”.
Sharing his personal journey into photography, Akpet revealed that he only succeeded in three out of nine business ventures he attempted. He encouraged creatives in the state to develop a niche, access the right information, and take risks with tenacity, consistency, and reliability. He added that “ Peter Bello Foundation empowered me. Whatever seed the foundation planted in me, it has germinated”.
Also speaking, the Community Lead of Wiki Niger Delta Community, Michael Diala, emphasized the need for states in the Niger Delta region to take ownership of their narratives by leveraging creative opportunities and platforms.
“There is a huge benefit when we tell our own story using our own media, our history and culture most of the time have been misrepresented globally, this is an opportunity for us to embrace our culture, tell our stories and show them to the world by ourselves for future generations.”
Other speakers, including Otome Onoge, Great Ogban, Maurice Otu, Israel Ophori, and John Etefia, provided participants with practical insights into navigating the realities of the creative economy, from building a personal brand to monetizing talent and leveraging global platforms.
They said “A camera is not just a tool, but equipment that brings your imaginations to reality. Film making is more psychological than in equipment. That’s why storytelling is all about the ability to interpret with creativity driven emotion in a motion form.”
Participants were urged to move beyond creating ordinary images to producing intentional content capable of shaping narratives about people and culture, while positioning themselves as voices in an evolving global space.
Reacting to the outcome of the event, the Co-founder of the Peter Bello Foundation, Thelma Kayode Bello, expressed satisfaction with the program. She disclosed that the foundation was established in memory of her late son, Capt. Peter Kayode Bello, who lived his dream but died at the early stage of his career.
Encouraging young people, she said, “Don’t give up on your dreams, try it again in a different way and it will happen. Be willing to learn, be trained and mentor.”
She added that the seminar is part of the foundation’s broader mission to empower young people through innovation, mentorship, and sustainable development in the arts.
In his remarks, the Cross River State Commissioner for Information, Erasmus Ekpang, described the event as more than a conversation, noting that it was a call to action and collaboration toward transforming ideas into reality and positioning the state on the global stage.
He also assured that the state government would continue to provide an enabling environment for creatives to thrive.
The event was organized by the Peter Bello Foundation in collaboration with Africa Fixer, an organization that provides logistics services to journalists, media organizations, and independent filmmakers across Africa.
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