Wiki-Imagine Lagos Webinar, Thursday, gathered journalists, tourism experts, and cultural enthusiasts to explore the role of journalism in promoting and preserving the state’s rich cultural heritage.
The event was highlighted by the official launch of the highly-anticipated Wiki-Imagine Lagos Writing Contest for travel writers and enthusiasts, just as the virtual session also featured an engaging panel discussion, insightful presentations by tourism experts.
The writing contest is part of the larger Wiki-Imagine Lagos initiative, conceptualized by Toke Benson-Awoyinka, Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, in collaboration with the Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation, the local affiliate of Wikimedia Foundation, owners of Wikipedia, the world most referenced online encyclopedia.
The initiative aims to digitally document Lagos’ underrepresented cultural landmarks, festivals, and tourist sites.
Speaking at the virtual event, Isaac Olatunde, secretary, Board of Trustees of Wikimedia Nigeria, who declared open the session, reaffirmed Wikimedia Nigeria’s dedication to preserving Lagos’ culture and history.
Barakat Adegboye, the project’s Wikimedian-in-Residence and Webinar host, presented an overview of the Wiki-Imagine Lagos Project as she highlighted the project’s mission to document Lagos’ tourism assets on Wikipedia, ensuring global accessibility and visibility.
She further introduced the Wiki-Imagine Lagos Writing Contest, encouraging journalists to publish articles in notable media outlets that spotlight Lagos’ underrepresented heritage.
The contest will run until November 30, 2024; the event organiser will reward the top three publications.
The webinar’s panel discussion, moderated by Hairat Abdul-Rahmon, featured insights from prominent experts, including; Ambassador Olaniyan, chairman, Board of Trustees, Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation, who described the initiative as a groundbreaking project documenting Lagos’ over 160 tourism assets.
He emphasised that over 70 percent of these resources require media spotlighting, which has reduced their public awareness. The initiative includes embedding QR codes at heritage sites, which links visitors to detailed Wikipedia pages.
“This is not just about improving visibility; it’s about empowering youth, fostering cultural pride, and amplifying Lagos’ global presence,” he said.
On his part, Pelu Awofeso, CNN/Multichoice African Journalist awardee, hailed the project as a historic move to showcase Lagos’ cultural vibrancy. He emphasised the need to make heritage sites more accessible and better documented.
Also remarking, Okorie Uguru, publisher, Africa Travel Herald, highlighted the media’s critical role in promoting Lagos’ tourism and called for digitising archival stories to enrich Lagos’ digital presence.
Melvin Iteghete, Information Technology expert, praised the project as a transformative model for using technology to bridge tourism gaps and enhance global access to Lagos’ cultural sites.
Commenting, state commissioner, Benson-Awoyinka, emphasised journalism’s global reach as an invaluable tool for amplifying Lagos’ tourism assets.
“This partnership with Wikimedia User Group Nigeria ensures that Lagos’ cultural heritage is preserved and appreciated worldwide,” she said.
According to the commissioner, the state ministry has been identifying key tourist sites and installing plaques with historical details, supported by Wikimedia’s technological expertise, adding that ‘this collaboration promises to revolutionise how locals and visitors experience Lagos’ rich heritage.’
The session concluded with closing remarks from Barakat Adegboye, who encouraged attendees to join the contest and contribute to documenting Lagos’ cultural treasures on Wikipedia.
The Wiki-Imagine Lagos Writing Contest is ongoing and will see writers compete for prizes ranging from N500,000, N300,000, to N200,000, based on the quality of your entries.
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