Cameras are rolling in Aba. Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has made a public commitment to position Abia as a major entertainment hub in Nigeria, and the proof is already taking shape on the ground with the commencement of casting for a production called Chronicles of Enyimba.
The move signals that the Otti administration sees the creative economy as serious state business, not just a talking point. Aba, long known as the commercial heartbeat of the southeast, is now being looked at through a different lens, one that places culture and storytelling at the centre of its identity.
Chronicles of Enyimba is the project kicking things off, and the casting phase puts local talent front and centre from the very beginning. For creatives in Abia and across the southeast, this could be the opening they have been waiting for.
Whether this grows into something that genuinely competes with the established entertainment corridors in Lagos and Enugu will depend on what comes next. Abia has the history, the energy, and now, it seems, the political will. The real story is just beginning.
Originally published by BusinessDay.