Heritage Bank Plc has reiterated its commitment to the growth and development of Nigeria’s creative industry because it is a major contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
In an assessment of the industry’s performance done recently, Nollywood defied recession and had grossed an amazing N1 billion from a record 50 indigenous movies in 2016 – its best box office returns ever.
Group Head, Corporate Communications, Fela Ibidapo, re-echoed this in an interview with journalists after the viewing of Part One of a movie titled: “A soldier’s story return from the dead” at Genesis Cinemas in Shoprite, Lekki, Lagos recently as part of activities to herald part two of the movie.
He said the bank prided itself in its ability to hand hold different sectors of the economy in order to nurture them and help them to grow, remarking that the bank’s participation in the recent Nigeria’s creative summit had further given it a boost as it was now more committed to supporting the entertainment industry.
Ibidapo noted that the creative industry was one of the major contributors to the country’s GDP and Heritage Bank was committed to supporting it because it was part of the country’s heritage.
According to him the bank was proud of the entertainment industry and would continue to stand by operators in it by supporting them and watch them grow.
“We had worked with Mekloss Production & Frankie Ogar Film to produce the first edition of the movie -A soldier’s story return from the dead- and we are also committed to work with them in the production of the second edition of the movie,” he said.
He remarked that the Nigerian entertainment industry had come of age as there were now more exposures with many of them now showing in cinemas.
The producer of the movie, Mr. Martin Gbados, said they got support from Heritage Bank to make the first edition and they also felt they should still involve the bank in the production of the second edition which would involve a leading American movie star, Eric Roberts and other international and local stars such Akin Lewis and Segun Arinze among others.
Gbados said the entertainment industry needed support from the federal government and investors to be able to produce films in the country so that much of the money that went into film production could retained in the country.
The central theme of the A soldier’s story return from the dead is about the sacrifices that soldiers and other security agents make in the cause of carrying out their duties.
