MTN Restates Commitment to Empowering, Uniting Nigerian Youths Through Entertainment

Bassey Inyang in Calabar

Telecommunications giant MTN has once again expressed its commitment at empowering, and connecting young Nigerians by supporting their talents and creativity in the entertainment industry.

MTN gave fresh vent to its resolve in promoting the culture of entertainment among the Nigerian youths as the telecoms service provider sponsored a two-day “Calabar Entertainment Conference and Festival” staged recently in partnership with Hit FM located in the city.

The MTN featured as a sponsor of the entertainment event held at the Hogis Royale Hotel and Apartment; and the Mirage Hotels in Calabar, on Friday, and Saturday, respectively.

Represented by Chibuzor Akuchie, Regional Manager, MTN, Calabar, Cross River State, the telecommunications service provider indicated that the company would continue to support the entertainment industry in Nigeria.

In the views of the MTN representative, the entertainment industry is a platform for connecting youths across the country, thereby promoting unity, empowering them as well as contributing to the overall economy of the Nigeria.

The sponsorship of the weekend entertainment event, said their involvement the involvement of MTN in the entertainment conference and festival represented a new dimension in promoting, and encouraging young people to break barriers and succeed in the entertainment industry.

For about two decades, the MTN has supported entertainment and tourism in the state, by sponsoring the annual Leboku New Yam Festival which has been held annually in Ugep, Yakurr LGA, Cross River State.

Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Hit FM, Calabar, Mr. Patrick Ugbe, who spoke at the venue of the event on the essence of essence of Calabar Entertainment Conference and Festival said: “This event is the Calabar Entertainment Conference and Festival. This is the 9th edition, so we’ve been doing this every year since nine years ago.

The event started as Calabar Entertainment Conference, and eventually it morphed into a two-day event. One day for the conference which happened on Friday 17th and the second day for the festival where young people gather to enjoy themselves in a food, drinks and music festival.

The essence of this event is to impact on the entertainment sector, the creative sector in the South-South region of the country. What we do is every year we bring in professionals in the sector from Lagos, those who have achieved to come so that they can help us develop our own young people so that they can play effectively in the creative sector.”

Speaking on the partnership between the Hit FM and MTN in staging the entertainment event successfully, Ugbe said the involvement of the foremost telecommunications company in Nigeria is a sign that the project is growing steadily.

“So, we’re very happy this year that we have a number of corporate organizations that are supporting us. One of them is MTN Nigeria. MTN started with us last year. And they are back with us this year.

“And as the event is getting bigger and bigger, we believe that they will continue with us. And we thank them for the support that they are giving to the event,” the Hit FM, CEO said.

The two-day entertainment event featured mentorship and lectures from experts to young entertainers and youths on their career path, and the second day of the entertainment festival was spiced with unwinding, dancing, fun, and other forms of enjoyment.