The Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) says it is set to produce film
documentaries on Nigeria’s wildlife in partnership with the National
Park Services (NPS) to showcase the nation’s rich ecosystem and tourism
potentials.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dr Chidia Maduekwe,
Managing Director of the Corporation stated this when the
Conservator-General of the NPS, Ibrahim Goni, paid him a courtesy visit
on Friday in Abuja.
According to Maduekwe, such films will foster social integration and
cultural harmony and promote Nigeria’s ecotuorism, tourism directed
towards exotic natural environments, intended to support conservation
efforts and observe wildlife.
“The NFC needs to work with the National park to create the awareness
and sensitization for the environment to be better conserved and
utilized its benefits.
“In keeping to its mandate, the Nigeria Film corporation will produce
a documentary of the ‘flora and the fauna’ of our great country in a
manner to seek for its conservation, protection and utilise it to
promote tourism and peaceful coexistence.
“We are normally told that pictures speak in a thousand words; however a movie speaks in a million words.
“Peace, security and environment are linked together, and most of the
time one cannot appreciate the challenges or beauty of an environment
when it is not captured visually,’’ he said.
Maduekwe stressed the need to promote National parks and wildlife
components across Nigeria because it has very robust bio diversity and
that can be a basis for future ecotourism.
He added that if the nation’s wildlife is showcased in a film, that
will attract tourists from around the world and generate revenue for
national development.
“We have special species of monkeys, baboons, Guerrilla and other
wild animals that people will want to see, and even make them to want to
visit such places.
“For instance, the unique Dagona Birds Sanctuary in Yobe State is
where birds of different species from Europe and other continents of the
world come to roost during winter, among others.
“When these are properly showcased, Europeans and tourists from other
parts of the world will come to watch their birds in Nigerian, and that
will generate revenues well.
“Our efforts at the NFC will be to highlight all these things through
our lenses so that our people, and indeed the world, will be aware of
our rich national heritage,” he said.
Maduekwe further said that the NFC has secured a dedicated broadcast
channel called “Lamingo TV” on TSTV platform to project its programmes,
adding that wildlife will form parts of its contents.
In his remark, Goni, noted that the partnership was necessary since
film played an important role in the promotion of a nation ecosystem,
and tourism in general.
“This partnership with NFC will ensure proper utilisation of National
Parks across the country as national treasures by generating public
interests that will fast track the fulfillment of National Parks
objectives.
“The interface will ultimately increase the national parks in Nigeria
from the present paltry seven locations, compared to smaller countries
like Tanzania and Kenya which have 12 and 26 respectively,” he noted.
The two Chief executives noted that there were locations across the
country that ought to be tapped and developed into national parks, but
left fallowed over the years, which made them haven for insurgence and
other criminal elements.
They therefore agreed that both organisations will set up a bilateral
committee to work out the modalities for the proposed partnership.