By Ayeni Adekunle
Two heads are always better than one. Several heads, actually, in the case of #NECLIVE.
I was discussing NET’s annual 300 list with one of my friends and confidants Kelvin Orifa, while waiting to board a flight to London in 2012, when the idea for a conference, something that had featured in many conversations in our circles, came up again.
By the time I finished with Kelvin and spent time chatting with our mutual friends and collaborators Abisoye Fagade, Dotun Ayeni and Chris Ihidero, I had no doubts a conference for the entertainment industry would be the most important project of my career yet, since organizing the youths awards for excellence in music (YAFEM) IN 1998.
My heart was beating fast, sweat dripping from my body, as I painted pictures in my head; as I imagined what we could achieve as an industry, if we were able to come together and sort out pertinent issues.
Having been around the music and media industries since 1995, I had a clear understanding of the issues bedeviling us. As a reporter, editor, media consultant, publicist, publisher, investor and entrepreneur, I have seen these issues live. I have shared ideas with some of the brightest minds around, I have had countless meetings with many stakeholders, with a common interest to fix issues like distribution, compensation, training and communication.
But as I sat on the plane, I wondered if I was ready for this huge project. I had doubts our young newspaper, Nigerian Entertainment Today, still a crawling infant, would be able to carry this big load on its shoulders.
As I soon realized, what has to be done, has to be done. And just over a year later, we’re here, witnessing the birth of a conference we all agree this industry badly needs.
Everyone in this room today has an idea, a dream of how we want the industry to be. The experts amongst us, the professionals who know the ABCs will show you blueprints and models we can learn and borrow from. And when we chose the theme ‘building the industry of our dreams’, it is to encourage everyone – from intern to veteran, to appreciate the work that needs to be done, the kind of house we need and have to build, so that we can all go back to our diverse segments of the industry and begin building our future.
We all have to be the architects and the builders of that shared future. Our speakers will give us insights and provide great perspectives. Our panelists will open our eyes and educate us. Our guest speaker will inspire and challenge us. The conference itself will motivate us. But we are the ones – you and I – who need to leave here with a firm resolve that it’ll no longer be business as usual.
It would have been a terrible waste of our time if by tomorrow, we cannot confidently say we have set foot on the road to our desired future.
Let me thank the friends I mentioned above, as well as the conference crew, the management and staff of NET newspaper and BlackHouse Media for believing in this project, and for being the reasons we can call today a success.
Special thanks also to our exhibitors, speakers, panelists, partners, and friends for the invaluable support.
Let’s have a great time!
Being text of the speech delivered by the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of NET Newspapers, Ayeni Adekunle, at the inaugural Nigerian Entertainment Conference which held on Friday April 26, in Lagos.
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