Imo State entertainment industry has not seen so much growth, probably because we misunderstand certain words. One of those words is ‘local’.
When we hear local in this part of the world, we believe we are going to see something cheap, low in quality produced with substandard equipment. Nothing local is original here and this mentality has made us destroy things we could have helped build. We have also ignored things that could have saved us and today we are paying the price.
Made-in-Nigeria products are considered ‘local’ while made-in-China products are considered foreign. But then, which has served us better? Are they not the same?
Because we prefer expensive things, Nigerians have moved their Aba factory to China to manufacture the same product of the same quality for us to buy at higher price. And what we fail to understand is that in China, Ikijimba Nig Ltd could mean Chon Jin Fa Ltd. Think about it.In Liverpool England, football stars like Steven Gerrard are considered as ‘local boy’ because they play in the same town they grew up, yet they are still celebrated, not just by the ‘local people’ in the City of Liverpool but all over the world.
Back to entertainment, how do we see our ‘local artistes’? Poor, ordinary and desperate people who want to make it. Sometimes we go as far as calling our best artistes in the state ‘wannabes’. If they are the ‘wannabes’ who are the real stars?
No matter where we see it from, these artistes are all we have, in the show-room and in the warehouse, nothing else can come out from anywhere, so let us support them by buying their CDs, attending their shows and in any other way we feel we could. Just call them ‘local artistes’ because they are from here, and not because they are substandard and can’t compete with the imported artistes, when we don’t even know that most of them come to Owerri to produce their songs.
Hot 99.9 FM has taken that bold step to help project these artistes by letting people know that one can still host a big show in Owerri without the likes of Tuface, D’banj, Wiz-Kid and others being present. This programme, the first of its kind is Easter Rave.
With Easter Rave, they are going to do this, and with the kind of popularity the programme has received you will know that it is not just a show, but a revolution, one that will turn the tables around and I want to say that it is a show that is worth attending.
With the likes of De Dukes, Big Chance, Cyphatyte, Acharama and Aisee and others placed on the A list of the event, you should know what to expect is nothing but the best. Give them the same cheering you would give the stars from Lagos and beyond, give them the same applause and as for me, I’m ready to scream my voice out tonight as we move to Valentino Night Club of the Rapour Hotel, Owerri where the revolution show will be taking place.
The question that ends it will be ‘Are you going to be a part of it?”
