The appreciation event showcased the beauty of the state’s culture and its importance to the Lagos State Government.
CULTURE and entertainment had pride of place during Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s first term. It was the fifth pillar of his development plan, the THEMES (Transportation & Traffic Management, Health & Environment, Education & Technology, Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy, Entertainment & Tourism and Security & Governance) agenda.
On Saturday, June 3, indications emerged that the arts would not be relegated to the backwaters during his second term in office with a grand cultural display at the Agege Stadium.
Thousands of people and performers from the state’s five divisions; Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Epe converged on the stadium for the event tagged ‘Lagos Cultural Extravaganza’, part of the Governor and Deputy Governor’s post-inauguration activities.
It was a colourful and thoroughly enjoyable outing that featured cultural displays, parades and dances by masquerades and cultural groups from the five divisions. There were Igunnuko, Egungun masquerade, Efe/Gelede, Agbo Remireke, Kori, Meu boi, Asarokulo Agere, Keremesi, Zangbeto, Sato, Ere Tuteye and the Bariga-based children’s group, Footprints of David. The group performed ‘Together We Fly’, a 15-minute dance piece depicting Lagos’s uniqueness and diverse cultural heritage. ‘Footprint of David’ took first in the Culture Parade contest, while Zangbeto and Ajoji Imale came second and third, respectively.
The Brazilian Descendants Group performed excellently, as did the Lagos Cultural Troupe. Female drummer Ara, who brought a mini version of herself, also entertained at the program attended by Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu and Mrs Oluremi Hamzat.
There was also ewi (traditional poetry) and other side attractions/ comedy performances by Seyi Law at the event anchored by Feyikemi Niyi-Olayinka and graced by traditional rulers and adherents of African Traditional Religion.
Commenting on the event, the Chairman of the Inauguration Committee and the newly reappointed Chief of Staff, Tayo Ayinde, said it was more than celebrating Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat’s re-election.
He said the cultural feast “ strengthened our unity and sense of belonging as Lagosians. To stimulate our sensibilities to preserve and conserve our tangible and intangible cultural heritage by celebrating our history, tradition, culture and our unique identity as Lagosians.”
Ayinde added that “Lagos is, perhaps, the most vastly endowed state in Nigeria that, apart from its socio-economic status as the commercial capital and the nerve centre of Nigeria and the hub of entertainment in Africa, is a melting pot for Nigerians diverse cultural heritage reflecting the varied ethnic configuration that characterizes the Nigerian ethnocultural space. It is no-gain-saying in the contemporary world that the celebration of the culture of a people has become a major tourism product in the global tourism market, with the number of outbound tourists engaged in culture-related activities in destinations across the globe accounting for over 40% of international arrivals.”
Also speaking, the Chairman, Media and Publicity Sub-committee, Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat 2nd Term Inauguration ceremonies, Gbenga Omotoso, said it reinforced the administration’s commitment to promoting culture and the creative industry.
The ex-Information Commissioner added that it was also to thank Lagosians for reelecting the Governor and his Deputy and showcase Lagos’ unity in diversity.
Omotoso assured that Sanwo-Olu would pay attention to arts and culture in his second term, especially going by his antecedents.
“Mr Sanwo-Olu has done a lot in the Ministry of Tourism, Art and Culture to show Lagosians that we are not joking with it. There is a city coming out in Epe that will be a face for all our young people to exhibit their skills. Various groups are being trained to be on their own in the area of filmmaking, script writing, editing and everything they want to learn in the creative industry and are being trained free of charge. Badagry Slaves Port is being developed to be a big tourism attraction that people can come from all over the world to see in Lagos,” he said.
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