Veteran stand-up comedian Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, popularly known as Ali Baba, has asserted that Nigerian musicians have done more for national awareness than any of the country’s ambassadors.
However, he lamented that despite the significant contributions of entertainers to the nation, the entertainment and creative industries are not included in the government’s economic plans.
Ali Baba made these remarks during a recent interview with Channels Television.
“Two years ago, a forecast of the Nigerian economy in the next five years was looked into by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, and the entertainment and creative industry was not considered.
“A booklet of about 200 pages was done and the creative industry was not considered. The value of the creative industry in Nigeria is beyond the country.”
He said further: “Burna Boy has done a lot more for the Nigerian national awareness than any ambassador that have been posted to America, the UK or any other place. So Nigerian artists are creating national awareness and making other countries to know about us than any ambassador would have done.”
