Osinbajo: No sensible politician can ignore entertainers

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has reassured stakeholders in the entertainment industry of the federal government’s commitment to support them to enhance national growth and development.

Osinbajo gave the assurance at an event organised for entertainers and tagged ‘An Evening with the Vice President’ in Lagos on Friday.

NAN reports that hundreds of entertainers including actors, comedians and musicians were among the creative artistes present at the event.

Osinbajo said: “No sensible politician can ignore entertainers; if you do, you do so at your own risk. Entertainers also cannot ignore politicians; it is impossible. If you do, you do so at your own peril.”

He noted that some entertainers were already in politics and urged others to participate, in order to make a change and a difference.

The vice-president said he had met frequently with entertainers with a view to developing policies around the industry for economic growth.

He said the government decided to create Technology and Creativity Advisory Council to see how the government could move the industry forward through proper policies.

Osinbajo said one of the policies raised was how to address the issue of piracy.

“Already, there is a lot going on. Your industry has to respond to what is going on. This industry is important and crucial to our economy,” he said.

“We must set up the environment that will make it happen. No environment is completely ready; whatever it is that we have at the moment, we have to make the maximum use of it to grow this industry.

“Your support is actually important. What we need to do is to sit together and solve the problem. The country is what it is today because some people stole the treasure.”

Osinbajo said the federal government had signed treaties with some other countries in a bid to grow the industry.

He, therefore, urged the industry to support the government in the anti-corruption campaign.