As the new governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, settles down to governance, a word of advice has come to him from frontline comedian and creative entrepreneur, Atunyota Akpobome, popularly known as Ali Baba.
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In a post widely shared on his social media pages, Delta State-born Ali Baba highlights the low-hanging fruits in the arts and creative sector that can endear the new governor to many people.
Floating a new university with a creative school as well as building a museum of arts are top on the list of Ali Baba’s suggestions to Oborevwori.
“Delta State needs to bring Shell Back to Warri. It will trigger the economy again,” the Comedian writes.
“Delta State needs the port to be devoted to automobile imports and petroleum-related goods. So, instead of Cotonou, let the cars come through Warri.
“Turn the Ibru Air Strip, Agbarha-Otor, into an international flying school.
“Set up a Delta State University, School of Creative Arts. Locate three campuses in Sapele, Asaba and Ughelli. The school will be self funding. Because its creative works will be the source of revenue.
“Build a Museum of Arts, name it after Bruce Onobrakeya. You can, through this, grow the arts, celebrate the artists, attract tourists and create a platform to curate world-class artifacts from the state.”
According to Ali Baba, Delta State should have an International Swimming Competition that should be made big like the Lagos Marathon. Through that, he says, the state can discover many other Michael Phelps.
“Let’s start a Delta State Royal Tournament… all the Kings will choose youths from their community to take part. This will integrate grass roots. Promote culture and develop unity.
“Slaves were taken from Delta State. Ovie Owhe was deported to Calabar after he resisted the wicked slave trade at the time and fought against colonial masters. Let’s build the points of no return in Delta. The points were not the major shipment zones, but many were taken to the mother slave ship for onward transmission.
“The culinary arts of the state should be promoted globally. Masterchef Australia made $20m from advertising alone in the 2nd season. Just to cook. We dey cook fayaaaa for Delta State.
“Organize a state- sponsored trade fair. Not all those ‘moimoi’ fairs that are being hosted across the country.
“Every dry-cleaning business in Nigeria uses starch. ‘starch na san san for Delta’. Why not let us commercialize 60% of our starch for industrial use and 40% for consumption?.
“The Delta State Broadcasting space needs total creativity overhaul. Total! BBC had a global pidgin service before Delta State. Just imagine. ‘Them use that thing konk all of us. E pain pass back hand’.
“You and some of us grew up with #Wording… ‘Wetin be Wild n Out wey dem Nick Cannon dey take chop, that we cannon do in Delta?”
