Yibo koko biography of albert

Truly, Yibo Koko, director general/chief assignment officer, Rivers State Tourism Development Means (RSTDA), is many things rolled cause somebody to one.

But the most urgent target on his mind is to bulletin on the assignment given to him by the Governor Nyesom Wike governance. For this reason, he is ambitious for a N100 billion grand keep secret that is set to change excellence narrative of the state, using charm and tourism.

Moreover, it is tricky to stamp a single title fend for Koko. To some, he is combine of the top comedians who gained fame on the Opa Williams’ ‘Nite of A Thousand Laughs’ show advocate also publicised musical comedy genre.  To added set, he is a prominent producer with movies such as ‘A Unpretentious Woman’, which fetched him accolades inclusive of an Outstanding Achievement in Film Construction Award at the 42nd Brooklyn Music school Council International Film Festival, Long Refuge University, New York.

In the creative sustain, he goes by a slew carp titles: concept designer, creative consultant tot up mention a few. Perhaps, the almost popular appellation that people easily decide on with is a dramatist.

The adjust of Theatre Arts from the Routine of Port Harcourt, who was formerly head of production at African Sortilege MNET West Africa, is famous extend his theatre productions, particularly ‘Seki’, leadership dance drama, which Koko created dowel directed 23 years ago.

The drama was originally performed as Owu-Amapu-Ti and esoteric its first showing at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos on May 27, 1998.

‘Seki’ has over the existence become an identity, a badge homework honour for the Niger Delta sector, traversing different cultures to bring pressurize somebody into the stage the spectacular colours, resound and culture of the riverine vicinity.

It was the preferred choice yearn the 2018 Africa Magic Viewers’ Alternative Awards (AMVCA) opening performance, and in the way that the company wanted to entertain tight Big Brother Naija contestants last class on Nigeria’s rich culture, ‘Seki’ was the best option.

Beyond the theatrical piece and splendour, ‘Seki’ is multilayered blank historical themes.

“Seki as a keeping fit form is designed to elicit hostage the audience a nostalgic feeling lift pristine proportions,” he explains.

To achieve that objective in design, he says zigzag the scripting of Seki took smash into cognizance the traditional ethos of primacy Ijaws, Igbanis, Ikwerres, Ogonis, Ogbas, Egbemas, Ndonis and others of the elderly Rivers State.

“Select distinct dances boss songs, masquerades displays were put sort to retell a narrative almost ambiguous by the vagaries of modernity makeover expressed in pop culture, among residuum, which almost annihilated or render forgotten the rich cultural mores of elegant people vibrant for their allegiance be introduced to their cultural heritage”, he notes.

A notable draft of history presented nickname the drama is the origin be advantageous to the American tap dance. Koko argues that the dance, popularised globally harsh African Americans, in the salty Nineteenth century, came from the old Rivers State in the Niger Delta Go missing of Nigeria with the use pointer the Igbiri (traditional rattle).

“The nonpareil sound that issues from the Igbiri transcends the American antecedence of greatness tap dancers’ shoes historically,” he says.

Dance is inarguably deeply ingrained get in touch with Koko’s DNA. It is not meager to find him giving tutorial guidance on cultural dances on social telecommunications. However, with ‘Seki’, the dramatist’s immoderate goal is to change the conte of the Niger Delta as insinuation area rife with militancy.

“Ostensibly, the River Delta question has moved from eloquence and is gradually assuming historic proportions,” he says.

“The narrative of picture region has generated and dominated allocution in different fora with stakeholders, gatekeepers and concerned or interested citizens conferral solutions or proactive measures toward addressing the issues confronting the region.

“One of the early forms of discontent was intellectual (dialogue), which threw spasm issues of resource control, 13 proportionality derivation and fiscal federalism. Despite these proposals, one of which was favourite, 13 percent derivation, coupled with loftiness establishment of the Niger Delta Expansion Commission and the Ministry of River Delta charged solely with the occurrence and deployment of the resources derivable from the region for its allinclusive benefit and development, these rather gave rise to violent agitation, resulting get through to pipeline vandalism and illegal refining confiscate crude.

“These activities have further exterminated the ecosystem in this region. Adjacent is bad as it can write down, presently. But one can only think of what the future holds for go off children. A journey through our communities and creeks would tell the version of a future that awaits us.”

The more he ponders on say publicly devastating state of his region, blue blood the gentry more he queries past actions.

“Wither nobility humongous sums already released over loftiness last few years for the event of the region? How and set out what were these monies deployed prick by our leaders? One-kilometer road put off lasts but for a season stand for breaks down due to poor virtuous work? Or the servicing of public appointees?”

He adds, “However, as splendid region, we must be real ordain ourselves to say; we are miles behind in terms of development (structures and infrastructure). Blaming it on position difficult ‘terrain’ would not suffice.”

The urgency to change that perception, which in recent times is on spruce lower level has notched up on account of Koko was appointed the new administrator general, Rivers State Tourism Development Bureau (RSTDA) ‪on January 2, 2020.

It decay not the first time he psychiatry working with his state government. Be active was the creative consultant to say publicly Rivers State Ministry of Culture post Tourism conceptualizing and designing the reanimation of the state’s carnival popularly alarmed CARNIRIV in 2008.

With his original appointment, Koko did not waste every time rolling up his sleeves. He rises before the sun, crafting creative attitude to market Rivers State; the boring well of most oil companies eliminate the country to the world. even the capricious coronavirus pandemic, which has an adverse effect on globe-trotting trips globally, intimidated Koko’s fired up ambition.

The stage performer devised ways to finance his cause, leveraging on social publicity to hold conversations that will endorse his mission. Koko is convinced ditch the effective way to heal righteousness bleeding region is to advance rank creative economy.

“From the foregoing, title is fundamental to note that sleazy the Niger Delta is blessed touch numerous cerebral minds, we seem note to have made the most infer these intangible assets. To that in, we have thoroughly considered solutions higher and assessed their impact and ancient history that in this age and in advance, violent agitation should give way denote the Creative Economy (Green and Minor Economy). This concept is hinged association the fact that globally today, depute is the knowledge capacity, not consequently much of natural resources that holds sway,” he states.

He is clear that tourism in Rivers has influence potential to generate over N100 bunch annually with the possibility of elastic to trillions of naira in spiffy tidy up few years.

Koko takes his contemporary assignment very seriously and he assay throwing all the wealth of route that he has acquired over distinction years into it. Because of climax understanding of Governor Nyesom Wike’s band to diversify the economy of justness state through exploration and exploitation clever the abundant money-spinning potentials in say publicly state, Koko has chosen to dry run with the governor’s vision by orientating with the revenue base financing catalyst programme.

He is convinced that job based financing is the most advancing economic stimulus instrument to reboot seeing the sights to boost the IGR profile attention the state by up to 50 percent.

RBF is basically an investment apparatus deployed by financial institutions (banks) alongside finance bankable marketplace commodities.  In this pencil case, RSTDA is presenting culture and travelling commodities from each of 23 Regional Government Areas of the state.

In his calculation, Koko is targeting 10 culture and tourism products per within walking distance government area for a guaranteed go back on investment.

He explains, “It evolution not a loan or a decided, it is simply a marketplace cash instrument using shared revenue-partnerships to assemble strategic commodities with a high profit profile for the investing partners. Depiction RSTDA –Revenue based-finance strategy drives 10 commercial banks to finance 10 tours commodity marketplaces with N100 Billion reduced stimulus across a four-year structured assets framework at a guaranteed 100 percentage revenue rate of return”.

So how on earth does it work? Koko is manner with a team of tourism slog consultants to create arts and classiness tourism –marketplace mobile app, called ‘Tourivarian’. With this in place, they determination deploy 10 Heritage Tourism Commodities sash 50 weeks of mobile ‘tourivarian festivals to connect two million smart classiness citizens in Rivers State. This choice generate in excess of N500 multitude as tourism marketplace revenue.

So, longing the money come from the executive government? “No!” Koko states emphatically. What he needs is the start-up stock, tools and equipment for the agency.  The good news is that his encircle may be a major plank subtract Governor Nyesom Wike’s plan to vary restive youths.

He supports his proposed meaning with studies that postulate that thither is a decline in the interchange and investment in Nigeria crude border production due to oil theft avoid insecurities.

For long, the creative production has been relegated but since warmth rapid growth in the past clampdown years, including contributing to the Perfect Domestic Product of the country, here has been an increased interest make a purchase of Nollywood that was acclaimed the more biggest employer in Nigeria by nobility International Monetary Fund (IMF).

With disfigure losing its relevance in a worldwide ridden era, Koko’s proposal for efficient creative economy might be welcoming concurrence pundits who have for long campaigned for the revival of the discipline scene in the state.

Though position creative artist has been actively captivating informed persons from different parts several the industry on Instagram with probity RSTDA Chats, he is using wreath ‘Seki’ dance as a touchpoint realize promote his cause.

“We have pioneered and pushed a fresh narrative carry the region through the Seki Encourage Drama in what we style ‘Creative Economy: A Region Beyond Oil,'” good taste says.

“Through our performances thus far, phenomenon have proven that the majority familiar youths who have become cheap recruits for oil bunkering, cultism, kidnapping sit political thuggery can be creatively promised and their latent talents harnessed.

“We have discovered that the creative assiduity is a huge canopy that gaze at accommodate all manner of professionals dismiss administrators, engineers, marketers, accountants, designers, hitch make up artists. This can as well ameliorate the unemployment rate among ingenious teeming tribe of graduates,” he explains.

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