Lagos Fanti Carnival: Lagos Embossing Symbol of Unity Through Tourism, Art & Culture

Lagos State government through the Ministry of Tourism, Art and Culture has once again emboldened the richness of culture and tradition of the state as a symbol of unity in diversity.

This comes following an excitement ambience created at the main bowl of Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Island where Lagosians thronged the venue to celebrate the culture, music and spirit of Lagos at the 2026 Fanti Carnival.

Cladded in elegant costumes, different communities made processions to the delightful attention of the guests, including the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his Wife and other dignitaries, from both local and international.

Ceremonial parades by the communities in attendance, included Lafiaji Fanti Association, Epetedo United Youth Movement, Okepopo Fanti Association, Okoo-Faji Carnival Association, Isale-Eko Woro Carnival Association, Olowogbowo Fanti Association among others.

The Commissioner for Tourism, Art and Culture, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka said that the celebration was designed to embossed the symbol of unity, resilience and artistic expression that is showcasing Lagos unique identity.

Benson-Awoyinka mentioned that the cultural event is a testament to the state's rich Afro-Brazilian Heritage while emphasising the commitment of Lagos State through the Ministry to continuously harnessing cultural tourism as a path to economic growth and social cohesion.

She said "From pulsating drums to dazzling costumes, every detail reflects our cultural richness. We are celebrating community, bridging past and present and embracing our diversity. Immerse yourself inhthr experience, feel th rhythm and connect with others as we celebrate our heritage and showcase Lagos as a beacon of creativity."

This initiative according to a tourist expert, Kazeem Balogun, is a way to protect the cultural linkage and rich Afro-Brazilian Heritage by the Lagos State government and to strengthen the relationship between both cultures.

The atmosphere was charged by popular local musicians who thrilled the participants to some of their old and current tunes.

"The drums, highlife music and scintillating  performances by the communities is a pointer to the richness in our culture and here today, we have people from outside the country coming to see what we have and this shows how valuable our tradition stands in the global community." Balogun said

Bunmi Aribisala is one of the participants, she acknowledged the power of unifying the people through the carnival, stressing that the celebration of culture and tradition is very key to achieve global exchange of ideas about tourism.amd hospitality.

The Lagos Fanti Carnival is one of the oldest cultural traditions on Lagos Island, which is rooted in the legacy of Afro-Brazilian returnees, formerly enslaved Africans who made their way back from Brazil in the late 1800s. 

With support from the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the Brazilian Descendants Association, the Fanti Carnival is being revived by a memory of Lagos that is being rooted in culture.

Adebule advises students to keep abreast of global current affairs

AgegePulse Magazine

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule has called on pupils and students of public schools in the State to always arm themselves with information on happenings around the world as a way of deepening their knowledge and make informed decisions on issues that affect their development as individuals and group of people.

The Deputy Governor gave the advice at the finals of the Year 2017 Lagos State Government Current Affairs Quiz Competition, held at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

She explained that the State Government came up with the competition on current affairs because of the observation that there was a lapse in students’ performance in the area as revealed by their response to questions posed to them during the Science, Arts and Craft Exhibition and Talent Hunt organised as part of the activities marking the Eko@50 celebrations.

According to her, the world is now a global village and there is the need to keep abreast of happenings all around the world to guide the people in taking an informed decision on issues bordering on development.

“We stand to learn from scientific, technological, social, economic and political developments the world over, this will surely influence how we make decisions and respond to issues as they affect us as individuals and group of people” Adebule stated.

The Deputy Governor expressed delight at the level of improvement exhibited by the students, expressing the hope that the competition would create healthy rivalry to ultimately develop the standards of education among participants in the competition.

“There is no gainsaying that , Lagos State Quiz and Debate competitions have over the years produced many very brilliant students who have gone ahead to study their courses of choice in various institutions of higher learning both at home and abroad and I am positive that this brand of the competition will further help our students to learn fast and be abreast of the happenings around them,’’ she said.

While reassuring the public of the State government’s commitment to the implementation of sustainable educational policies, Adebule disclosed that 18 libraries in public schools have been renovated and upgraded to provide unlimited access to digital content on the online portal.

In a keenly contested quiz competition, Isaiah Joseph and Olaniyi Ibukun from Ansar –UD -Deen Senior High School, Falolu, Surulere emerged overall best winners in the Senior schools' category, while Lagos State Model College, Kankon came second.

Similarly, in the Junior Schools category, Adedokun Salamat and Adedokun Abdullah from Lagos State Junior Model College, Igbo Nla came first to defeat Elegbede Mustakim and Sholuade Adebayo of Aje Comprehensive Junior School, Sabo, Yaba.

In the Primary School category of the competition, Ireti Primary School, Apapa represented by Ajisebutu Samson and Ndubusi Edith defeated their counterparts from Federal Housing Estate Primary School, Victoria Island with a slim margin of 18 to 16 points.

The winners were presented with gifts and trophies to encourage better performance in subsequent editions.