The Director-General of the African International Documentary Film Festival Foundation (AFIDFF), Malame N. Mangzha, has announced plans by the Foundation to collaborate with the Kebbi State Government to train no fewer than 50 youths in digital content creation, documentary filmmaking, cultural heritage preservation and related creative skills.
The Director-General disclosed this on Thursday when the Kebbi State Governor’s Media Aides, led by the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed BK, paid a courtesy visit to the Foundation at its office in Abuja.
She said the proposed collaboration would strengthen the capacity of young people in digital technology, documentary filmmaking and cultural heritage documentation, while creating opportunities for them to develop sustainable careers in the creative industry.
Mangzha explained that the African International Documentary Film Festival Foundation (AFIDFF) is a non-profit, non-religious and non-political organisation established in Nigeria in 2018, with a mandate to discover, train and promote young, underrepresented and undiscovered documentary filmmakers and storytellers across Africa and the African diaspora.
She said the proposed training would also contribute to the preservation of Kebbi State’s cultural heritage by equipping young people with the skills to document historical landmarks, cultural practices, festivals and other elements of the state’s rich cultural landscape.
According to her, AFIDFF works closely with local communities to document, protect and promote heritage sites and cultural landscapes, while supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening heritage conservation and cultural preservation.
The Director-General commended the people and government of Kebbi State for sustaining the Argungu International Fishing Festival and other cultural festivals, describing them as important platforms for promoting the state’s cultural identity and tourism potential.
She assured the Kebbi State Government of the Foundation’s readiness to collaborate in promoting the state’s tourism communities and documenting its cultural heritage for wider national and international visibility.
Mangzha said AFIDFF’s approach to authentic storytelling was designed to empower Africans to tell their own stories through objective and professional documentary filmmaking, thereby ensuring that African experiences, histories and perspectives are properly represented.
She also disclosed that the Foundation collaborates with the UNESCO World Heritage Volunteers (WHV) Initiative and engages young volunteers in practical heritage conservation, environmental education and cultural documentation projects.
She added that AFIDFF promotes tourism destinations and operates a heritage-site documentation initiative through which communities are supported to record, preserve and promote their cultural landscapes.
The Director-General explained that the Foundation’s mission is centred on telling African stories, preserving heritage, amplifying voices and driving social change through documentary filmmaking, particularly by addressing social issues, promoting justice and contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including quality education and reduced inequalities.
“Our vision is to build a vibrant and globally recognised film and creative industry that reflects the diverse cultural, social and political landscapes of Africa, changes negative narratives about the continent and ensures the sustainability of creative dreams,” she said.
She further identified the Foundation’s key objectives as promoting cinematic art by providing fair and competitive global screening platforms for African documentary filmmakers; empowering young people by transforming their mindsets and equipping them with entrepreneurial and professional skills in film and creative enterprise; and promoting cross-cultural understanding by building bridges between African memories, local communities and international cinema industries.
Speaking, the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Culture, Yakubu Ahmed BK, thanked the management of AFIDFF for the proposed partnership and assured the Foundation of the Kebbi State Government’s commitment to promoting cultural diversity, heritage preservation and sustainable tourism development.
He said the state government was particularly interested in the proposed training programme because of the growing importance of digital content creation and the creative economy in empowering young people.
“We are interested in training our young people, particularly in digital content creation and the creative opportunities provided by digital transformation. Governor Nasir Idris has done a lot in promoting culture, tourism and the preservation of our heritage, and we are ready to support initiatives that will further equip our youths and showcase the rich cultural identity of Kebbi State,” the Commissioner said.
He expressed optimism that the partnership would provide young people in Kebbi State with practical skills while creating a platform for documenting and promoting the state’s cultural heritage and tourism assets to audiences within Nigeria and beyond.
