President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday stated that Nigeria would overcome its security challenges, the President disclosed this during a meeting with a group of actors and actresses at the Presidential Villa.

The president said: "One of our greatest challenges is this security challenge. But we are working very hard. We have our frustrations, we have issues of sabotage - internal and external - but we are working very hard and by the grace of God, we will overcome."

"Most of us politicians are just busy generating negative issues. Everyday, they talk about corruption, governance and other issues. It is you people that pump the positive news in the system.

"You promote our culture and that is why Edem Duke has always been passionate about you. You even bring value reorientation which I appreciate so much in some of the films you act and some of the music you play.

"I recall as a Vice President, during one of our deliberations, one of the ministers raised concerns and urged you to reduce the voodoo and fetish things in your movies. But I said the way I see some of the films, they resemble the kind of things I use to read in Hardly Chase Novels when men were boys. In Hardly Chase, if you commit a crime you must surely pay for it.

"So, the way I look at the films, those who use negative powers never succeed in the end. Though I don't know much about the industry but watching it from my ordinary person's point of view, I have seen that they are rather preaching good values because negative powers will land you where you don't want to be and you should not go there. So I said you should be allowed to do what you are doing.

"You are much more than entertainers to people who want to relax. You are also changing the psyche of the youths and I know through your films and songs, some of them will begin to abhor making money through demons, making sacrifices, killing people because you will always pay a price for it. So I value that," Jonathan said.

"Before, it was a sector that was not even regarded but you have created so many jobs directly and indirectly. It is only the pirates that are a problem to us. So, you are a group we must adore, we must appreciate as true ambassadors actually if you talk about outside Nigeria.

"We thank you for what you are doing. We will continue to encourage and provide funds to assist those of you who may need some support to come up with what you intend to do because we believe in what you are doing.

"Yes, we have oil. Now, we are talking about budget. Everyday, we are shifting the benchmarks upward and downwards because you can never know the price of crude oil. An economy based on primary commodity will always have that problem and that is one of the key things about transformation."

He stressed that the nation must move from an economy based on primary commodities, to one based on creativity and knowledge.

"What you bring into the economy is not affected by temporary fluctuations or the price volatility of primary commodity like crude oil, solid minerals, diamonds and all that.

"Take Switzerland that has little or no natural resources, but has one of the most stable economies because of their creativity and knowledge. Japan for instance is almost sitting on a piece of rock and traumatised by seismic activities of volcanoes and other disasters every time; but their economy is solid because of knowledge.

"And that is why we are passionate about you. That is why I love you people so much and I appreciate what you are doing.

 “You have been very supportive of the government because of the creative minds and that is what it should be because a government must be encouraged to work for the people. Yes, there are challenges, every government has challenges but when a government is in place, a government should be encouraged for that period.

"We have challenges presently even in our infrastructure but we are committed to expanding it be it in transportation, aviation, ports, roads, power infrastructure," the President said.