By Oluwaseun Sonde
Lagos State Government has promised to extend its warmest hospitality to visitors that will be attending world event while giving assurance of Lagos’ readiness to collaborate with Federal Government to use the avenue to create lasting positive impression for the country.
Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu made the pledge on Thursday, as Nigeria hosts the maiden United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Global Conference on Tourism, Culture and the Creative Industries which will hold at the National Arts Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos, between November 14 and 16, 2022.
Receiving the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who is on a courtesy visit at the State House in Marina, Sanwo-Olu disclosed that November would be a full month of cultural and tourism fiesta in Lagos, put preparations on top gear to host the National Festival of Arts and Culture in collaboration with National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) in the same month.
He also revealed that Lagos State will be commissioning the biggest art museum, J.K. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, in November, making the whole month a period in which the rich heritage of Lagos will be highlighted.
The Governor said the State’s strategic investment in the arts and creative industry was deliberate in order to boost the tourism market in Lagos and drive cultural renaissance, while giving the youths new lease of life to hone their talents in the entertainment sector.
According to him, "The month of November has been christened the month for arts and culture in Lagos. We will be witnessing a huge influx of people from the Diaspora to participate in all the cultural and art activities that will be taking place in the period.
"Lagos will be hosting NAFEST and we are unveiling an art museum, which will be about the biggest in Africa. UNWTO global conference will be the crescendo of the whole events. We will be using the opportunity to showcase some of our best in class of arts and also project parts of the country not seen before.
"This is part of ensuring that we utilise what we have not only for the development of our State and the country, but also to give our teeming youths opportunities to flourish, using their God-given talents.
"Entertainment and Tourism industry is seen as a rallying point for great number of the youth who continue to display their talents in arts, culture, music, technology and all the spaces they have excelled. We are turning around things in this sector to ensure our country remains the destination for the best talents in entertainment and tourism.”
The Governor was excited at the opportunities the cultural fairs would be giving residents to project their heritage and contribute their quota towards advancing culture and civilisation. This, he said, is in line with Tourism and Entertainment pillar of his administration’s development blueprint.
He reiterated the State Government’s commitment towards the effort to restore the old glory of the National Arts Theatre, which is currently undergoing massive regeneration and upgrade, adding that the State Government would continue to engage the Federal Government to turn around abandoned assets for better use.
“Lagos will be willing to be a partner of the Federal Government to host the coming global tourism conference and give international visitors lasting positive impression. I assure that our citizens will be accommodating and extend the warmest hospitality of Lagos to the participants,” Sanwo-Olu said.
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