By Our Reporters
The Nigerian Entertainment Conference (NEC), a gathering and discussion point of players and stakeholders of the country’s entertainment sector, is in its third edition this year. Founded in 2013 by Ayeni Adekunle, CEO of BHM Group and Publisher, Nigeria Entertainment Today (NET), NEC has become the veritable ground for another look at the Nigerian entertainment scene.
What is NEC really all about? Well, who is most qualified to put that across than the founder, Ayeni?
Ayeni Adekunle said in the mission statement: ‘As the entertainment business the world over continues to see rapid, shocking changes, with the future of the industry increasingly relying on information technology and new ideas, Nigerian Entertainment Today is bringing practitioners in Nigeria together, to put our house in order, while taking concrete steps to study global trends, understand them, master them, and put them to use – for the benefit of practitioners, consumers, corporates and society.’
The maiden edition, which held in April 2013 at the prestigious Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos was tagged: ‘Role of Media In Developing The Industry Of Our Dreams.’ It was declared open by a former minister of information, Frank Nweke Jnr. Speakers at the event included Chris Ubosi (CEO, Megaletrics – owners of Beat FM, Naija FM and Classic FM), Amaka Igwe, Kenny Ogungbe, and Kola Oyeyemi.
In 2014, the venue remained unchanged, as did the goal of the event, themed: ‘Discovering Pathways To The Future,’ speakers at the convention included Pat Utomi, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Emeka Mba, and 2face Idibia. In her speech, Omotola stated that talent is not enough and urged entertainers in Nigeria not to neglect the importance of education.
This year, still at the same venue – Eko Hotel & Suites, some of the biggest names in the industry will again, gather to do justice to the theme: ‘Buying And Selling Nigerian Entertainment…And Everything In-Between.’
With another full day of workshops, master-classes, exhibitions and deliberations, featuring renowned and well accomplished entertainers, including Joke Silva, Mo’ Abudu, Davido, and Jason Njoku, the 2015 edition of Nigerian Entertainment Conference (NEC), is poised to yet again deliver on its mandate: To help put the Nigerian entertainment ‘house’ in order.
Other speakers for the 2015 edition of the event are Jason Njoku, Eldee, George Thorpe, Ayeni Adekunle, Tokunbo Adodo, Alex Okosi, and Seyi Akerele.
Jason Njoku, who launched iROKOtv.com in 2011 alongside his business partner, Bastian Gotter, has since raised $25m over five rounds from Tiger Global, Kinnevik and Rise Capital, to run his Lagos-based Nollywood (Nigerian Hollywood) VOD platform. He boasts a movie catalogue of over 5,000 movies/ 10,000 hours watched by movie fans in 178 countries around the world and with iROKOtv.com currently having offices in Lagos, New York, Johannesburg and Kigali, Jason is well suited to speak at NEC 2015.
Jude Abaga is better known by stage name, M.I. He is a Nigerian hip hop recording artist, who has won several awards, including the MTV Africa Music Awards 2009 and was nominated in the Best International Act category at the BET Awards 2010. Popular as the short, black boy from Jos, M.I rose to prominence in 2006 when his song, ‘Crowd Mentality’ became popular in his hometown of Jos. He is a music executive with Chocolate City Group.
Born as David Adeleke, the young man from Osun State is better known as Davido. An award winning Nigerian recording artist, performer and label executive, Davido is the co-owner of HKN Music along his brother. Despite being the son of a business magnate, he has gone on to become a trailblazer in the Nigerian music industry; a true ambassador of music and his Nigerian roots with several local and international awards to his credit.
Nigerian-born, US-educated media executive, Alex Okosi carved a niche for himself when he developed and launched MTV Africa in February 2005. Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa, Alex, according to Forbes ‘epitomizes Africa’s promise: young, gifted and very ambitious’. VIMN is a multichannel portfolio that reaches over 100 million viewers with channels like MTV Base, Nickelodeon, VH1, MTV, Comedy Central, and BET International. Alex is also credited as being the creative force behind the prestigious MTV Africa Music Awards a.k.a MAMAs.
George Thorpe is a regular speaker and facilitator and member of many professional bodies. A Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Marketing, George has 28 years of unbroken marketing and general management experience in industry, academia, consulting and training at local and international levels. This is capped with helping to put together the Integrated Marketing Services (IMS), the largest most reputable network of marketing support service firms in Nigeria.
Mosunmola Abudu is a talk show host, TV producer, media personality, human resources management consultant and entrepreneur. She kicked-off her career in the UK as a recruitment consultant in 1987 before rising to become a branch manager of a chain. She went on to work for the Starform Group, managing the Corporate Credit Management Exhibition from 1990 to 1992.
In 1993, she joined Arthur Andersen for Esso Exploration & Production Nigeria Limited (now ExxonMobil) to head their Human Resources and Training unit and left in 2000 to establish a privately owned specialist human resources development company, known as Vic Lawrence & Associates Limited (popularly known as VLA).
Lanre Dabiri, popularly known as Eldee (stylized as eLDee) is a Nigerian rapper, record producer and architect. ‘Lanre’ is a short form of the Yoruba name, ‘Olanrewaju’ (which translates to ‘Wealth is moving forward) and that has worked out well in the life of the music mogul. eLDee studied Architecture at the University of Lagos, Nigeria and was an original member of the rap trio, Trybesmen which was started in 1998 with rappers KB and Freestyle. He hails from Lagos State and has grown into multiple layers since those days of ‘Shake body.’
A consummate actress and leading light of Nollywood, Joke Silva has received several awards and nominations for her work as an actress, including the awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 2nd Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2006 and Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the 4th Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2008. She is looked upon by many in Nollywood and has a lot to teach younger, acting talents.
Seyi Akerele is popularly known as Shizzi, a Nigerian record producer and songwriter, who started off his foray into music as a drummer in the church but has gone on to produce various awarding winning songs.
His musical prowess has been recognized far and wide. Twice, he has been nominated for the highly coveted Music Producer of the Year at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards (NEA).
Panelists handling different sessions at this year’s event include Mark Redguard, Mai Atafo, Ayo Makun, Femi Falodun, Ifeoma Williams, Demola Ogundele, Wole Olagundoye, Shina Peller, Chika Nwobi, Daryn Wober, Deji Awokoya, Chioma Ude, Chike Maduegbuna, Bolaji Okusaga, Linus Idahosa, Tunde Laoye, Kemi Lala Akindoju, Bezhiwa Idakula, Theo Lawson, and Yetunde Babaeko.
Also, moderating the industry sessions are seasoned media practitioners like Buki Sawyerr-Izeogu, Olamide Adedeji, Zainab Balogun, ‘Dayo Odulaja, Oreka Godis, Osagie Alonge, and Ehizioje Okoeguale.