By Zainab Oyekan
The Jos Community Film Festival says it is targeting no fewer than 500 restive youths in Plateau for restoration and empowerment.
It said on Friday in Jos that the initiative is as part of Catching Them Young programme of the festival.
Prof. Edward Ossai, the founder and Festival Director of the organisation, made the promise while speaking with newsmen in Jos.
Ossai, a lecturer at the Department of Theatre Arts, Plateau State University, Bokkos, expressed worry and concern over the involvement of some youths in drugs and criminality that could destroy their future and lives.
“This is why the festival’s main objective is to locate, restore and empower the restive youths to see them becoming useful to the society”, he explained.
He also said that the festival had been collaborating with Society of Nigerian Artists, Plateau State Branch, Dachung Musa Bagos Foundation, Jos Business School, Nigerian Film Corporation and Plateau State Tourism Corporation, among others.
“This year, our focus is on Tudun Wada youths, whom we shall train in the area of filmmaking and entrepreneurship.
“We talk them out of substance abuse, and encourage them to say NO to thuggery.
“The training is targeted at secondary school students, youth groups, and the unemployed within the community, bedevilled with crimes and criminality,” he said.
He noted that the festival would hold from Nov. 6 to Nov. 8 at Franzy Hotel and Suites, opposite Police Officers Mess, Tudun Wada, Jos.
Ossai, who gave the theme of the 2024 edition of the festival as: “Interrogating the Now and Predicting the Future,” said that the stage was set once again for a successful hosting of the festival’s second edition.
According to him, this year’s festival is diving into film’s power to reflect contemporary issues and shape visions of tomorrow among the youth.
“We are assuring the public that this edition is very promising with an unparalleled experience of creativity, insight and inspiration, ” he said. NAN
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