A 62-year-old widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Okagbere, has made it to the semi-final of the “Made-in-Delta’’ Talent Search.
She is one of 20 semi-finalists, 10 of who will get N5 million contract each from the state government to further use their talents for the betterment of Delta State.
The widow, also a teacher, emerged as one of the semi-finalists through her acting prowess.
Mr Akpobome Ogude, Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa on Talent Development told newsmen in Asaba that there were 2,340 entrants when the search began on March 13.
The talent search was done across the three senatorial districts of the state to get the best.
Final auditioning will hold in Asaba on July 20.
Ogude said that having picked winners of the contracts, the other 10 talents would not be left in the cold as the 20 that would contest on July 20 would be used as some sort of “renewals’’ for the aging talents that abound all over the state.
“Talent is the new crude oil in Delta and the state government has the intention of harnessing the abounding talents to grow its economy.
“We shall not abandon the remaining 10 talents who would not make it to the contract level. We have seen potentials in them; 11 of the semi-finalists are musicians, four are comedians while five of them are actors.”
Okagbare said she started to exhibit acting traits while in primary school.
She said she could not nurture her acts because of family ties, pressure, and unavailability of the platform to showcase her talent.
Okagbare lauded Gov. Okowa for providing the platform even as it came after she retired from active service as a teacher.
Delta has produced world-renowned artists in various spheres. A few of them are ace footballer, J.J. Okocha, a comedian like Ali Baba, Actor Richard Mofe Damijo, and musicians like Oritz Wiliki and Daddy Shokey.
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