Oscar Awards: VP Shettima ralies Nigeria’s support for ‘Mai Martaba’

* Says creative fund access is open to all

By Editor

VICE President Kashim Shettima has pledged the federal government’s support for Nigeria’s Oscar campaign with access to the USD$618 million Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises Programme (iDICE) as Nigeria positions Mai Martaba to clinch the nation’s Academy Award. Specifically, the vice president revealed that creators will have access to the USD$618 million iDICE project aimed at boosting investment in digital and creative industries. This was recently disclosed by the Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media and Communications (Office of The Vice President), Stanley Nwokocha in Abuja.

Speaking during a meeting with the film’s team led by the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy Hannatu Musawa at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday, VP Shettima noted delightfully that “it’s a good day to be a Nigerian. We will make sure that the kaleidoscope that represents all the colours in our nation is carried along. Let’s fuse into one and support this project. There is more that binds than divides us. Within the ethnic groups, you don’t know where the boundaries end. We are essentially one people,” emphasising national unity through the film industry.

He charged the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy to “lead the campaign to mobilise all resources to ensure Nigeria’s success at the Oscars. By the end of the century, Nigeria will be the most populous nation on earth. There is beauty in numbers. I want to reiterate my unflinching support for us to get the Oscars.”

Mai Martaba, directed by Prince Daniel, has been officially selected as Nigeria’s entry for the 2025 Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category. The film explores themes of power, love, and female leadership in an ancient African kingdom.

While speaking earlier, Musawa, said investors were already committed to building the creative industry, adding, “We’re working with investors who have already committed to building the creative industry. We have just concluded agreements with South Korea, UK, Japan, China, and France to sign co-production agreements. We hopefully will have a media city, which is going to be a one-stop shop for nine sectors across the whole industry. The whole world is interested in Nigeria – not because of our oil, but because of our talent, content, and creativity.”

Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima (left); Chairperson of Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC) for the Oscars, Stephanie Linus; Mniister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Masuwa and director of Mai Martaba, Prince Daniel

Addressing funding challenges, Musawa noted: “The fact is that many in the industry do not have infrastructure to be able to do the kind of first-class movies they require. Every single Nigerian, no matter what part of the country they come from, even if it’s a rural setting, has the ability to create content on their phone, to empower themselves for decent job futures.”

On his part, Prince Daniel noted the industry’s remarkable growth, saying, “We found something very interesting in the creative industry. Broadcasting contributes more to GDP than oil does combined, reaching 12.3%. The creative industry and broadcasting in April 2020 did more than oil and mining combined. We’ve created over 500 jobs and created work for almost 100 people overall. We’re excited because we want to go for the next Oscars.”

Discussing the campaign’s important needs, Daniel said, “For every country aspiring for an Oscar, federal government backing is crucial, not only because it is capital-intensive but also because it requires high-level lobbying and diplomacy. Look at South Africa’s Tsotsi‘s Oscar win in 2006; it opened up their entire industry. Today, there’s no part of Africa catching up with South Africa.”

Also, Chairperson of Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC) for the Oscars, Stephanie Linus, emphasised that it is a wonderful feat, as it is not just about international recognition.

According to Linus, “This isn’t just about international recognition. We need to start building our presence on the global stage now, not in one or two years. The Oscars represent the biggest platform for celebrating cinema,” she stated.