US, UNILAG strike ‘window on America’ deal

By George Aluo

As part of efforts to deepen her relationship with Nigeria in the area of education, the United States has struck a deal with the University of Lagos to open a hub…’Window on America.’

This much was disclosed on Wednesday by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Lee Satterfield who is on a working visit to Nigeria.

Below are the remarks made by Satterfield at Unilag.

It was made available to newstap.com.ng by the Press Office, US Consulate General in Lagos.

Thank you, Vice Chancellor Ogunsola for that warm introduction. I would also like to acknowledge Consul General Stevens and Felicia Ejiah, an amazing 2019 alumna of the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program.

Felicia you are a true testament to the powerful connections between the people of the United States and Nigeria.  Your inspiring story gives me incredible hope for the future – of our two nations and beyond!

Good afternoon, everyone. On behalf of President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken, it is my honor to be with all of you today on the campus of the University of Lagos, a premier institute of higher learning in Africa’s largest country.

Earlier today, I had the privilege of joining the Vice Chancellor and Consul General Stevens at a meeting where the United States and the University of Lagos agreed to open a ‘Window on America’ – a hub right here on campus that will be open to all.  The center will offer information about studying in the United States, opportunities to participate in workforce development trainings and experience American culture, as well as access to fast and free Internet to university students and faculty.

The Window on America is an important part of our partnership with the University of Lagos, which has been a strategic educational partner to the United States, and home to scores of Nigerian Fulbright alumni and a reciprocal host to that has welcomed more than 30 U.S. Fulbright scholars over the years.

The deep partnership between the United States and Nigeria goes well beyond just our governments – in fact, at the heart of our relationship is our people. It is each of you in this room, it is the more than 17,000 undergraduate and graduate students from Nigeria who studied in the United States just last year; it is the artists and athletes – from Afrobeats sensation Davido to WNBA all-stars Chiney Ogwumike and her sister Nneka– who bring together our rich cultures and celebrate peace through music and sport; it is the entrepreneurs, engineers, programmers, and scientists that spur innovation in technology. It is these people – and even more – that comprise the partnership between the United States, Nigeria, and countries across the continent of Africa who – together – are working to advance peace, economic opportunity and equity, and security.

We see that work come to life through Felicia and the Fulbright Program, as she shared earlier.

We also see it through the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. Now in its 10th year since President Obama started the program, we not only celebrate the amazing impact more than 6,000 Mandela Washington Fellows, over 600 of them from Nigeria, have made across the continent, but also very much look forward to the next 10 years.

We also recognize the shared opportunities that lie ahead.

That’s why today, I’m pleased to announce that the United States is building on our partnership with Nigeria through the Fulbright Program and the Mandela Washington Fellowship to pursue new opportunities to expand further into the creative industries and technology and innovation.

For over 75 years, the U.S. has connected with people through culture, sharing our struggles and successes with the world through movies and music. Now, we are seeing the same global phenomenon with Nollywood and Afrobeats. The world is paying attention to African culture, African music, and African stories. 

The United States recognizes the tremendous potential of the creative industries to create economic opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic.

American entertainers are increasingly collaborating with their Nigerian counterparts and U.S. creative companies like Netflix, Disney, Paramount, Sony, NBC Universal, and YouTube to fuel growth across Nigeria’s creative industries. 

And yet, we recognize that the opportunity isn’t for just entertainers, but more importantly for what the film and television industry calls ‘below the line jobs’ – from set design to sound and editing to promotion and production.

The U.S. government is supporting Nigeria’s creative industries because they offer economic opportunities for millions of people from Hollywood to Nollywood.  

Today I want to announce the launch of the Africa Creative TV initiative (ACTV), a new professional development program that will focus on TV writers, producers, and below the line professionals. ACTV is a partnership with the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts and was created as a result of President Biden’s 2022 Africa Leaders Summit and is in recognition of the creative industry’s influence and impact in Africa.  

ACTV will focus on professional development and network building for television writers, producers, and those in other technical fields such as art direction, cinematography, editing, line producing, and more. For 2024, the Africa Creative TV initiative will select eight TV projects for a four-week residency in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California. While there, participants will work with U.S. professionals to develop skills and prepare for writing, development, and production. Participants will bring works-in-progress to develop during the residency with mentoring by American TV writers, producers, and industry experts.

Another new program I want to highlight focuses on the business of music. The American Music Mentorship Program (AMMP) – a partnership between the U.S. Department of State and the Recording Academy – better known to most of us as the GRAMMYs – and will bring international mid-career music industry professionals to the United States for mentorship and networking opportunities, with an aim to cultivate a professional music industry ecosystem locally, support creative talent, and strengthen the creative economy globally.  It will leverage the networks and experience of Recording Academy professionals and members to provide international participants mentorship opportunities, boost their technical skills, and build the foundation for professional networks.   

Today, I’m pleased to announce that as part of the first-ever American Music Mentorship Program there will be five participants from Nigeria.

Finally, as we look to unlock the creative economy both here in Nigeria and in the United States, we must also elevate the importance of education. That’s why I am proud to announce that this year, we will launch a one-year film-focused Community College Initiative program to take participants through the script to the screen process. The program will include four Nigerian filmmaking students and will support our broader efforts to build capacity in the creative economy, particularly through the lens of technical education.  

The film, television, and music industries continue to evolve at an unprecedented pace, fueled by relentless innovation from an increasingly interconnected world.  U.S. tech giants like Google, Meta, and Microsoft are investing heavily in Nigeria, supporting the development of local tech talents, and promoting inclusive economic growth and development. Through opportunities like TechWomen and TechGirls, we can bring together the best and brightest from both the U.S. and Nigeria to meet the moment and pursue next gen innovations in technology.  

In closing, I invite you to learn more about these opportunities – check out our U.S. Mission’s social media pages @USinNigeria. I am confident that as we pursue greater progress through the U.S.-Nigeria partnership – we can pursue solutions to our shared challenges, such as economic equity and opportunity; democracy and good governance; climate change; food insecurity; and public health. Being here with you today makes me hopeful, knowing that you will be at the forefront, forging a new future for Nigeria and Africa, yes, but also for the world.