Monrovia – hidden talents are on the verge of being unearthed, while those already discovered but lacking exposure should brace themselves for global recognition. Talented individuals in Liberia and others of African descent need not worry anymore, as opportunities to elevate their talents are now becoming available.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, FPA staff writer
The Africa Talents Nest (ATN), Inc., a nonprofit, non-governmental entertainment advocacy organization, is dedicated to discovering hidden talents and providing opportunities for global exposure to benefit talented Africans living in Liberia. Founded by Marennie J. Mitchell, the organization aims to harness and promote talents in Liberia while creating collaborative opportunities worldwide.
In a recent interview with FrontPage Africa, Mitchell shared insights into ATN’s vision and upcoming initiatives, emphasizing the importance of supporting talented individuals in Liberia and maximizing their potential through global collaborations.
As a newly registered nonprofit, ATN is on a mission to adapt and promote strategies to attract diverse global talent supporters, primarily Africans and individuals with African roots, to collaborate with the vibrant pool of African talents residing in Liberia.
“We intend to produce content that will significantly contribute to the preservation and growth of Liberian culture while empowering talents,” Mitchell said. “ATN is here to support all talented Africans living in Liberia by creating opportunities that will help them maximize their potential and collaborate with other talents worldwide.”
To erase the myth that “Liberians do not support their entertainers,” an annual transfer program is designed to relocate different batches of super-talented Africans from Liberia to Nigeria to blend with other talents and enhance and accelerate their careers. “ATN will rent a property in Nigeria, specifically in Asaba, for our talent house. It will be a multipurpose structure where they will live and engage in entertainment-related activities,” Mitchell explained.
One of the organization’s upcoming programs is a One-dollar payment and membership recruitment event titled “WE HAVE NOTHING OTHER THAN OURSELVES FOR OURSELVES.” On Saturday, September 7, from noon to 4 PM 2024, at Corina Hotel in Sinkor, a Weekly One-Dollar and Quick-impact Membership Recruitment Drive launching will be held to present a convenient fundraising tool that is created for ATN’s weekly one-dollar payments.
It is designed to promote inclusivity and eliminate the challenges entertainers usually encounter while seeking funding opportunities in Liberia. This tool is designed to make supporting our cause convenient and accessible, ensuring that no one is left out due to financial constraints.
Before the inception of ATN, creative and talented personalities of the Liberian entertainment sector would lose their physical attraction, respect, and confidence to negotiate in ways that should promote their professional growth, including impairment in their line of creativities because of the constant use of their limited resources to attend unsuccessful appointments with supposedly limited potential sponsors. The event will showcase the power of joint efforts.
It will showcase the non-marketed supportive side of residents of Liberia and Liberians worldwide when it comes to entertainment and influence them to develop the profitable value of investing in local talents for continental and global patronization that will significantly contribute to the Liberian economy and society.
The program will also pave the way for ATN’s 48-hour flagship event in 2025, aiming to break a Guinness World Record with the theme “Awakening the Hidden Strength for Extraordinary Societal Impact.” This event is designed to feature performances by notable local artists, and funds raised will support initiatives such as talent relocation to Nigeria, establishing a training house, and enhancing entertainment facilities in Liberia. The organization also aims to produce content, uniquely support and work with entertainment-related talents, and facilitate collaborations for their growth and exposure.
Africa Talents Nest envisions a vibrant entertainment industry in Liberia and aims to empower local talents through training, support, and opportunities for international collaboration. ATN’s initiatives seek to provide a platform for creative expression and talent development, ultimately contributing to the enhancement of the Liberian entertainment sector.
About the recruitment
ATN welcomes all, regardless of age, occupation, or skill level. Whether you have a background in entertainment or not, your interest in the importance and need for the profitable use of the nation’s human capital, fighting against unwholesome practices, job creation, knowledge exchange, collaboration, and shared accountability for causes that have the potential to make a significant impact on society is what matters. Your unique perspective and dedication are valued and will contribute to our collective potential success.
Our inclusivity strategy is designed to help rebrand the Liberian entertainment sector; ATN is set to rigorously market entertainers’ importance and crucial role in society, which tends to stimulate fostering cultural connection and emotional expression and often drives social change through influential platforms, etc.
We are reaching out to all residents of Liberia and people of Liberian roots worldwide, including entertainers, entertainment and media-related, the banking sector, the differently able community, corporate professionals, the national security sector, the religious community, the education sector, political and non-political, bilateral relations, the Agriculture and Mining sector, Aviation sector, Tourism sector, Health sector, Private sector, the Black and non-negro communities to join the preparation for this first-of-a-kind event in Liberia.
At the recruitment event on September 7, 2024, at Corina Hotel, Mitchell mentioned that the event would be launched and Co-launched by Mr. Zubin L. O. Cooper and Actor Gregory A. Frank and feature performances by artists such as Nigger Blow, alias Mighty Blow, providing engaging entertainment. Plans include inviting dignitaries to offer their support and encouraging institutions to participate in the sponsorship, as Corina Hotel and Samba Juice are currently sponsoring the event. The targeted fundraising goal of $30,000 will be used to financially engage ultimate initiatives, including securing the venue and preparation for the 2025 flagship event and properties for administrative, training, and rehearsal grounds in Liberia and Nigeria. The training facilities will ensure that crew members receive professional training and development in different aspects of entertainment, both locally and online, enhancing their skills and capabilities in the industry.
ATN’s 2025 Event
The 2025 event is planned as a continuous 48-hour event at Paynesville Town Hall. The main hall, known as City Hall, will host the event with a live scoreboard and financial representative present throughout. The target for the 2025 event is one million United States dollars, aiming to engage one million Liberians to contribute at least one dollar each to kickstart the project. Funds raised will support initiatives such as relocating talents to Nigeria, establishing a talent house in Liberia, acquiring properties tailored for entertainment purposes, and modernizing ATN’s entertainment facilities in Liberia.
Ms. Mitchell mentioned that talents being scouted include musicians, comedians, and other interested individuals who will participate in the event at the Paynesville Town Hall garden. “The aim is to showcase their skills and energize the program outdoors while fundraising activities are conducted indoors,” she said. “The goal is to raise one million dollars within a designated 48-hour period to potentially break a Guinness World Record. Despite challenges faced as one of the world’s poorest countries, this achievement will spotlight Liberia-based African talents and potentially attract opportunities for further exposure and collaborations.”
The plan also involves opportunities for talents to travel to Nigeria for professional engagements, such as acting roles or musical performances, focusing on skills evaluation and development within the Nigerian entertainment industry. The organization aims to provide support and resources to empower talents to excel in their respective fields. Following successful achievements abroad, individuals will be granted the autonomy to pursue their careers independently.
In Liberia, the initial goal is to produce a diverse range of content, including one international hit song, one international movie, thirteen locally made movies, and a series of live comedy shows to merge African Liberia-based comedians with live stage performance comedy locally and internationally on an annual basis. Additionally, initiatives are in place to promote musical talents by facilitating opportunities for one musician to sign with a music label abroad each year, aiming for a hit song before the end of the partnership.
Rallying support
Mitchell says the Liberian entertainment industry, for too long, has been under-supported, managed, and promoted, leaving talented residents hopeless, under-empowered, and fading out without adequate achievement to both the public and the talents themselves. As a non-profit and semi-continental African organization, ATN is determined and focused on discovering and working with growth-oriented individuals, entities, and societies to revamp the Liberia entertainment industry to benefit all.
Guest and dignitaries expected at this event include officials from the office of the Executive, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Ministries of Information, Cultural Affairs & Tourism, the legislative caucus, Commerce, Education, Justice, Health, Transport, Gender, Labor, Agriculture, the Liberia Airport Authority, The University of Liberia, United Methodist University, Stella Maris Polytechnic, Cuttington University, AME University, AMEZ University, the Liberia National Oil Company, Liberia Aviation Authority, Liberia Land Authority, National Port Authority, and the Armed Forces of Liberia. Other entities that are expected to be represented include the Liberia Maritime Authority, Liberia Revenue Authority, Liberia Telecommunication, the Liberia National Police, Liberia Immigration Service, civil aviation and airport authorities, Liberia Marketing Association, National Election Commission, the Liberia Electricity Corporation, Liberia Broadcasting System, the National Oil Company of Liberia, Embassies, the non-negro community, Fire Stone Natural Rubber Company, LIBTELCO, Lone Star MTN, Orange GSM, All print and electronic media, the Liberia Council of Churches, the Muslim community, the United Nations, the Liberia Immigration authority and the Liberia Business Association, IB Bank, Access Bank, GT Bank, Ecobank.
She calls on the media for a special partnership in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which recognizes the entertainment sector’s ability to inform and influence societal changes, and calls on the media and entertainment sectors to support the SDGs through the “Media Compact.”
She says ATN’s initiatives are in support of the Liberian government’s ARREST Agenda, “unlock the potential of the tourism sector,” and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“We want this communication to particularly claim the attention of the government of Liberia and the United Nations as ATN is set to simplify and promote the significance of critical components of both parties’ national and universal agendas to gain the involvement of the people for whom these agendas were made, for adequate achievable,” she says.
“Liberia is the host country and the primary beneficiary of the organization’s overall outcomes; therefore, the first line of support that enables it to get off the ground has to come from the Republic of Liberia. Subsequently, all African countries will be encouraged to extend support whenever they are called upon.”
She also said that the September 7th event, which is the prelude to ATN fundraising activities, was not designed for speeches due to inadequate time and the need to meet its target. Its intended purpose is exclusively to accrue the necessary financial support for the 2025 48-hour flagship, at which adequate time will be allotted for representatives of all entities to speak during the presentation of their support.
Note: The September 7th event will commence at noon prompt and end at 4:00 PM. Representatives of all institutions are encouraged to come on time and should please put their contributions in envelopes that boldly bear their entities’ names. Ensure the envelope is adequately sealed with its original sealer and enforce its security by stapling the opening space three times. All envelopes will be spread on a flat surface to be video recorded for additional record-keeping. This will be used to commence motion picture documentation to display pioneer supporters in ATN’s future museum. Once the envelopes are eventually opened, the Treasurer will work with a designated representative of ATN’s primary financial institution to open the envelope and provide the public with the total amount raised before the deposit.
For more information, please contact: Operation site A: Mamba Point, Old CID Road Monrovia-Liberia; Operation site B: Fahn Town, Robertsfield Highway, Margibi County -Liberia; Tel. +231770186165/+231880657227 (WhatsApp); EMAIL: [email protected] and Mobile money: 0555 494 418 (Africa Talents Nest Inc.).
