The future of any nation is first written in the minds of its children and in Nigeria, a growing number of creatives, cultural leaders, and development advocates are beginning to explore how storytelling, music, film, and other creative expressions can play a deeper role in shaping that future from the earliest years of life.
That conversation came to life in Lagos on February 28, 2026, when stakeholders from across Nigeria’s creative, cultural, and child development sectors gathered at Ogidi Studios. The event, themed “When Entertainment Meets Early Childhood,” served as the launch platform for the Creative Industries for Early Childhood Development Coalition, an initiative spearheaded by the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) in partnership with the World Bank and Ogidi Studios.
Bringing together filmmakers, entertainers, policymakers, and child advocates, the gathering focused on a simple but powerful idea: Nigeria’s creative industry can become a vital partner in building the country’s human capital by shaping the values, imagination, and learning of children during their earliest years.
Leading the call was CBAAC Director-General, Aisha Augie, who reminded participants that long before modern classrooms existed, African societies already understood the importance of culture in raising children.
She noted that in traditional communities, education was woven into everyday life through storytelling, music, rhythm, and family interaction. According to her, the earliest lessons that shape leadership, creativity, and character often begin long before formal schooling.
“The first classroom was never a building,” she explained. “It was a mother’s lap, a father’s drum, and a grandmother’s folktale. The brain that will one day design empires or lead nations is wired between conception and the age of five.”
Her message underscored a central theme of the gathering: the first five years of life represent the foundation of human capital development and when supported with the right environment, culture, and learning tools, those early years can help nurture confident, creative, and socially grounded citizens.
The event’s keynote speaker, actress Fadakemi Olumide, expanded on this idea by encouraging Nigeria’s creative community to draw strength from the country’s cultural heritage. She urged filmmakers, musicians, and storytellers to preserve indigenous values while also embracing digital platforms that can make educational content more accessible to children.
Several prominent figures from Nigeria’s entertainment industry were present at the gathering, including Anto Lecky, Cobhams Asuquo, Charles Novia, Hilda Dokubo, Munachi Abii, and Biodun Stephen, while media personality Mimi Onalaja hosted the event.
Beyond the conversations and collaborations, the broader message was clear: Nigeria’s creative sector holds more than entertainment value as it carries the power to inspire young minds, transmit cultural wisdom, and help shape a generation capable of driving the nation’s future growth especially in a country rich with stories, rhythm, and imagination and that possibility is only just beginning to unfold.
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