…over 20,000 expected for nine days
Lagos, the entertainment and culture hub of Nigeria, is alive with exciting activities at the 2024 Afropolis Festival of Arts, Culture and Tourism.
The festival started yesterday October 26, 2024 and will last till November 3, 2024.
Announcing the festival during a media parley at J. K. Yoruba Cultural Centre, Onikan, Lagos, recently, Toke Benson Awoyinfa, Commissioner for Arts and Tourism, Lagos State, disclosed that over 20,000 people are anticipated in attendance.
In addition, 200 foreign visitors and high profile individuals, including from Latin America, are expected to shut down the streets of Lagos Island for the 9-day festival.
The conference was at the instance of Gnenga Omotosho, Commissioner for Information and Strategy; Qudus Onikeke, festival’s director of creativity and innovation, among others.
However, the theme of the festival, ‘Within New Myth’, reflects the cultural and creative spirit that defines the Lagos metropolis, which will also spotlight Nigeria on the global map throughout the period of the event.
Furthermore, it is a celebration of Lagos as the black cultural melting point in the world, a city that continues to lead in various creative sectors including music, fashion, gaming, technology, design, film, dance, AI and research.
Speaking at the conference, the tourism commissioner said that the festival is more than just an event, as it celebrates identity and talents with demonstration of creative power to unite and inspire people of the state.
“During the period of the festival, Lagos will become the epicenter of African creativity, welcoming artists, innovators and enthusiasts from across the continent and beyond,” Awoyinfa stated.
She stressed that the festival is opening doors to new possibilities, fostering connections that transcend borders, and showcasing incredible potential of the creative industry to drive economic growth and cultural exchange.
She urged talented youth in the state, who are making strides at the global space, to leverage on Afropolis opportunity to excel, as the festival offers both local and international visitors unparalleled celebration of creativity and innovation.
Activities of the festival, beginning from the opening day, include; a VIP preview and cocktail, followed by a grand opening ceremony of the vibe stage.
On October 27, the streets of Lagos Island will be painted red with a vibrant carnival procession, embodying the spirit and energy of Lagosians, culminating in the Afropolis Global African Vibes Exchange, a testament to the state’s commitment to fostering international collaborations. October 28 will mark the official opening of the J. Randle Center for Yoruba Culture and History with Governor Sanwo-Olu to lead a tour of the international cultural landmark.
Throughout the festival, there will be daily films, interactive sessions, installations and performances that span the spectrum of African creativity from traditional to contemporary, from dance to music and from art to technology.
The closing weekend will witness an international performance, showcasing credible talent of the Lagos Metropolis Tribe of 2024, followed by a grand finale of the Afro House and EDM Rave on November 3, 2024.
In the same vein, Gnenga Omotosho, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, tasked the media to tell the narrative of the Afropolis festival, to market the tourism and cultural potentials of Lagos to the global world.
Omotosho emphasized the importance of the event, as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s government is committed to supporting culture and creative industries to maximise their potential.
On his part, Qudus Onikeku, artistic director, Afropolis Lagos 2024, stressed that the festival would put Lagos on the global stage of arts and culture, marketing the natural talent of the people in arts, creativity, innovation and technology.
Onikeku described Lagos as the hub of cultural heritage of the black race, adding that the festival would provide a platform to market the potential of the state globally.
He said that artists, creators, innovators and technologists would be part of the festival, which is targeted at boosting the state’s gross domestic product.
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