Lagos State Govt to acquire film maker's entertainment gallery

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode had promised to acquire seasoned filmmaker and former director-general of the Nigeria Film Corporation, Chief Eddie Ugbomah's entertainment gallery.

Ugbomah, who celebrated his 76th birthday recently, requested that the state acquires a gallery he founded in 2006 to celebrate important achievers in Nigeria's entertainment industry

He told Punch Newspaper that the gallery named the 'Music and Movie Hall of Fame' was inspired by his visit to the Library of Congress and the J.F Kennedy Centre in the United States in 2000.

"The records of historical achievements by artists and athletes, including actors, producers, boxers, swimmers, American footballers and the records for all books and films made in US and the world, were kept there," he said.

Noting that such facilities were not properly established in Nigeria at the time, he had made up his mind to found one. According to him, with the support of Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Jimi Odumosu, Jimmy Atte, Femi Lasode, Brendan Shehu and Rasheed Gbadamosi, among others, "the first and only registered Movie Makers Hall of Fame" was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Abuja.

After all his attempt to maintain it became unsuccessful, he added that he appealed to Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode in his autobiography to acquire the gallery.

The Governor replied through the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, promising to acquire the Hall of Fame legally and get it registered and ready before the Lagos @50 celebration.

According to Punch Newspaper, the gallery contains about 178 portraits of movie makers and 78 colour portraits of famous Nigerian musicians, among other important historical items.

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