A SPEECH BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COA MEDIA AND CONVENER OF THE “PLATEAU GOT TALENTS”, AMB. CLETUS, AKHIMIEN, ON THE OCCASION OF THE 2022 EDITION OF THE PLATEAU GOT TALENT, HELD ON 14TH AUGUST, 2022, AT THE CREST HOTELS AND GARDEN, JOS.

It is a great pleasure to respectfully welcome you all to this historic and unusual event- Plateau Got Talents: The Maiden Edition.

Plateau Got Talents is a deliberate innovation and a laudable project initiated by COA Media, the organizers of Plateau Man of the Year Awards, Face of Plateau, and Plateau Leadership Summit. The timely youth driven investment is targeted at scouting, brooding and exporting the great talents on the Plateau to a global audience.

Over the years, Plateau State has exported a lot of talents and skills across national and international frontiers. Big names like Tu Face Idibia, P-Square, Sound Sultan (of blessed memory), M.I. Abaga, Ice-Prince Zamani, Ireti Doyle, and a host of others all began their startling entertainment career from the city of Jos, Plateau State. Year in and year out, these legends have contributed billions of naira to our nation’s GDP while making an enviable living from their talents. Their success stories have continued to inspire many others who are adding a great luster to the arts and entertainment industry.

As a media and entertainment outfit, therefore, our primary objective is to discover, harness, refine and export the new generation of talents on the Plateau to a global audience as a way of supporting the government in lifting thousands of our teaming youths out of the streets while boosting the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

The market is large with the capacity to turn the fortunes of our dear state for the better. To this end, we humbly call on the government, organisations and well meaning individuals to find reasons to partner with us in making this beautiful dream come to reality. On this note, I wish to acknowledge the supports of our consultants, I.T. and publicity Partners. Our special thanks go also to: Rep. Dachung Musa Bagos, Member representing Jos South-Jos East Federal constituency. Dr Jemchang Fabong, D.G. PLASCHEMA, Barr. Gyang Zi, L.P. flag bearer, Plateau North Senatorial District; Hon. Ziphion Chrysanthus, PDP flag bearer, Pankshin, Kanke, Kanam Federal Constituency; Hon. Henry Jon Gotip, Executive Chairman Kanke LGA.

And many others.

Now, to the 2022 finalists, I congratulate you for achieving this feat. You have put so much work, sacrifice and discipline right from when the project kicked off, sometimes in June, with over 200 entries. Your belief in yourself is a rare virtue that is worthy of our commendation.

However, as it has always been with competitions like this, many will contest but only one will take the prize. So to that prospective winner of the ONE MILLION NAIRA WORTH OF STAR PRIZE, I congratulate you in advance, while wishing everyone of you the very best. You should all bear in mind that the outcome of this competition is not in any way the outcome of your future or career. Keep pressing on until the world comes to reckon with you!

In conclusion, I wish to use this medium to call on all of us, especially the youths and women, of Nigeria to get their PVCs and vote for leaders who will move this nation forward in the coming general elections.

Thank you and remain blessed.