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The Ladima Foundation, a Pan-African not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and promoting women in the film and TV industries, has announced the appointment of Lydia Idakula Sobogun as Project Manager for the Ladima Film Academy in Nigeria. With this appointment, Sobogun becomes a member of the Foundation's management team in Nigeria.

The organisation, whose aim is to bring together African women and women around the world to support African women filmakers, is also a platform that celebrates tolerance, diversity and Afro-positivity through the art of filmmaking and related fields. In a statement released on Tuesday by Lara Utian-Preston, CEO of Ladima Foundation and Owner of Red Flag Media, a South African marketing communications and PR company, the Foundation has identified Nigeria as one of its key regions for active interventions in support of women in film and television.

Lydia Idakula Sobogun is a trained lawyer, arts enthusiast, and a TV/film and stage producer. Her organization, Gbagyichild Entertainment, owns Taruwa, which produces the monthly open mic performance evening. The event, which brings together spoken word artistes, musicians, poets, lyricists in Lagos, holds at Bogobiri House in Ikoyi. Other initiatives by Gbagyichild Entertainment include a yearly magazine, an annual performing arts festival, as well as an online platform.
 
According to Ladima, Sobogun’s passion for the arts has seen her become a strong advocate for the growth of the Nigerian contemporary arts. She has organised and worked on a number of exhibitions, projects, workshops, showcases, and festivals through her company and for other organisations, including the British Council, SPAN (Society for the Performing Arts in Nigeria), Life House and Individuals.

Edima Otuokon, a Nigerian, is Co-Founder/Executive Director of Programmes at Ladima Foundation. Among the Foundation's programmes in Nigeria are the recently-launched Ladima Film Academy, an initiative that was created in partnership with the Nigerian Film Corporation to increase the number of qualified and professional female filmmakers in six specific areas in Nigeria. As Project Manager for the Ladima Film Academy, Sobogun will handle the planning and roll out of the project as well as related management responsibilities.  

"I am deeply honoured and excited to join the Ladima Foundation team,” said Sobogun. “I am particularly thrilled about the work we will be doing through the Ladima Film Academy for women as well as other exciting projects we have lined up over the next couple of years."

The Ladima Foundation, working with the relevant government agencies in Nigeria, also aims to develop and implement Film Clubs with a specific focus on cinematography at Federal Government Girls Colleges across the country.  

"Ladima Foundation’s goal to support and promote women in film across Africa is a vision I believe in and I am glad that I get to be a part of something truly phenomenal,” the Taruwa founder added.

Other programmes by Ladima Foundation include the A-List, considered Africa's largest searchable database of women professionals. The platform currently has over 750 registered professional women.