After a spectacular outing in last year’s edition, which was hosted by Ekiti State, the National Festival of Art and Culture (NAFEST), premier art and culture event in the country, is set for another promising round.
This year, the 31st edition of the festival holds more considering that it will be hosted by Lagos State, which is acclaimed to be the hub of art and culture in West Africa.
Living up to its billing as the ‘Centre of Excellence’, Lagos State has put in several months in preparations for a festival, it claims Nigerians will not forget in a hurry.
To ensure that the festival enthralls visitors from November 7-13, 2022, the state has renovated some facilities at the National Sports Institute, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, venue of the one-week festival.
According to Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, Commissioner of Tourism and Culture, Lagos State, the state is ready to host a colourful NAFEST.
The commissioner, who spoke after the inspection tour of the performance facilities and accommodation offerings for the delegates, put in place by the state for the 2022 of the festival, assured of the readiness and passion to host Nigerians in a cultural razzmatazz.
Earlier in the preparations, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos State, boasted he is going to organise the best NAFEST that is going to be difficult for any state to beat in Nigeria in the next 10 years.
The commissioner thinks the feat is easily achievable considering what is on ground; from venues, accommodation, the number of participating states, the quality of performances, security, among others.
“State has been able to rebrand our iconic National Stadium to ensure a world class venue for NAFEST 2022.
“With what you are seeing here today, you willknow that Lagos State has put into action its promise of providing good facilities for the festival.
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“We are waiting for as many people as possible within Nigeria that want to come to Lagos for NAFEST and we are 100 percent ready to receive each and every one of them and I am assuring them that they are going to have the best of fun here in Lagos ,” the commissioner said after the inspection tour.
The development is in the favour of the National Sports Commission, which Lagos will hand over the renovated facilities to after the festival.
As well, the state has earmarked many hostel facilities that will accommodate the delegates and is willing to increase the number if the number of delegates increases beyond the organiser’s projection.
Beyond the facilities, Lagos as the hub of entertainment, according to Akinbile-Yusuf, will spice NAFEST with quality entertainment offerings, amid featuring many music stars, offering different stages, among other activities.
On security, the commissioner noted that the fact that Lagos is the 56th Safest City in the world means that the state is safe.
She also commended the NCAC, the organiser of the festival, for finding Lagos worthy of hosting the festival this year, and also offering many who have not visited up to 15 states in the country to visit the 36 states and Abuja in just one venue at NAFEST 2022 in Lagos.
On the other hand, Segun Runsewe, director general, National Council for Art and Culture (NCAC), confirmed Lagos’ readiness to host the festival.
Runsewe, who also took part in the facilities tour of the venue and hostels, expressed satisfaction with the quality of the facilities put in place by the Lagos State government.
Measuring the level of readiness, Runsewe said that Lagos State is over 85 percent ready to host NAFEST.
He said that the governor is a person who matches his words with action, adding that the state will spring surprises at the event.“The Commissioner has told me that we are going to have an entertainment city, medical centre and more. When we go to other states, we hardly have enough space for the cultural market,” the NCAC director general said.
Considering the new look some facilities are wearing at the National Stadium, which was abandoned for 25 years, Runsewe said that Lagos State government is making a big statement in tourism, art and culture with NAFEST.
He is excited that Lagos State is coming up with something different that will ensure all round activities.
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