Gov. Sanwo-Olu Unveils J Randle Centre For Yoruba Culture and History For Public

Yomi Durojaye 

...creative centre where you can dream dreams - Commissioner for Tourism, Toke-Benson 

The Lagos State Governor, Mr.  Babajide Sanwo-Olu has unveiled the newly renovated J Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History.

R-L: Gov. Sanwo-Olu, Mrs. Toke-Benson and Qudus Onikeku

It was unveiled during a a week long  maiden edition of Afropolis Lagos Festival, an international festival of arts, creativity and innovation, as part of activities to mark the festival.

Sanwo-Olu also announced the appointment of Nigerian multimodal international artiste, Qudus Onikeku, as the Centre Director for the J Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History.

Sanwo-Olu said: “Qudus Onikeku will now be the Centre Director for the J Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History. 

“Qudus is fit to manage this place. We are going to be relying on your expertise and skill for the proper management of this centre.

“He  brought the idea of this Afropolis festival, for players in the creative sector to express themselves because we are aware that Lagos is home to lots of creative minds.

“This is a destination for the entire creative sector and people of innovation. It is appropriate for research, meetings, relaxation with lots of hospitality.”

According to him, it is a centre for the younger creatives to develop their talents.

“This is not a localised space, what we have here are things that bring the entire south west states together; you will see Obatala, Oranmiyan and other deities in the Yoruba kingdom.

“I am using this opportunity to say that we are deliberate in christening this place, it is open for the entire Yoruba race, everyone who wants to showcase anything creativity,” he added.

Speaking during the interview, The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, described the creative centre where a creative entrepreneurs can dream their dreams.

Token-Benson said the centre is not just about Lagos culture but embedded a collective dream, a dream of unity, understanding, and appreciation for the nation’s shared cultural identity.

“The John Randle Centre will serve as a beacon of knowledge, highlighting the profound contributions of our ancestors and the enduring spirit of our culture.

“It envisions a space where the stories of our forebears come alive, a place resonating with traditional music, showcasing intricate artistry, and sharing the vibrant narratives of our history.

“This centre is designed to foster a deep sense of connection and pride among all who visit.

“Importantly, this initiative is not only about preservation, it is about innovation.

“We invite our youth to engage with and reinterpret our heritage in contemporary ways, bridging the gap between generations and ensuring our culture remains dynamic and relevant,” she concluded.

Creative entrepreneurs, Historians, fun seekers were advised to visit J Randle Cultural Center where Afropolis Lagos Festival is currently going on to showcase their talents.

Agege LG Partners Nollywood Super Star, Antar Laniyan

...To Empower Youths in Film Making, Acting and Audio-visual Productions

In a bid to ensure youths in Agege Local Government Area are gainfully and positively engaged, management of the council under the leadership of Alhaji Ganiyu Kola Egunjobi, is set to partner Veteran Nollwood actor, Antar Laniyan.

This was disclosed yesterday when Mr. Anta Laniyan paid courtesy visit on the Execuitve Chairman of Agege LG, Alhaji  Egunjobi.

Recall that Egunjobi, during his electioneering, had promised to design various empowerment programmes that would prevent youths from illicit and immoral engagements.

Agege Pulse reliably gathered that the partnership with the Nollywood star would take the youths out of the street through empowerment in the area of Art which includes acting, scripting writing, film making and audio-visual production.

Speaking at the meeting, Antar Laniyan said: "We want the youth to know their potential and what they are capable of doing because we started raw with little or no resources".

"The best time to achieve this is now that Agege Local government has an amiable chairman who is a good listener". Antar Laniyan concluded.

On his part, the chairman asserted that his administration is mostly interested in sustainable development of the youth, which is beyond giving peanuts to them.



In a brief chat with Agege Pulse, Antar Laniyan revealed that he spent part of his teenage years in Agege, hence understands the myraid of potential deposited in Agege youths.

He said the proposed youth empowerment initiative tagged: 'Annual Agege Youth Festival (AAYF),' would serve as a way of giving back to the community that made him.

LASG enlists Asa festival into annual cultural calendar

...making the state a hub of historical attraction.

AgegePulse Magazine

In continuation of its unwavering effort to promote the culture and tradition of the people in the State, the Lagos State Government has enlisted the Asa Cultural Festival as one of the major annual festival celebrated in the State.

The festival which coincides with the unveiling of Asa Statue tagged, ‘Celebrating Ikorodu Division’s Heritage’ at Ikorodu captured the essence and origin of the local people and the need to teach generations unborn the relevance of our culture.

The Asa Arokolo (a man on a delicate stick) is one of the aged long celebrated Deities/ Festivals in Ikorodu and its environ invoking memories of the origin of the people of the town and the impact made by their ancestors during their lifetime.

Presenting the certificate of endorsement to the organizers of the festival, the representative of the Governor on Arts and Culture, Hon. Adebimpe Akinsola congratulated the people for propagating the Yoruba tradition and making the state a hub of historical attraction.

Adebimpe, who is the Special Adviser to Governor on Arts and Culture, disclosed that Asa plays an important role in the affairs of man and the community, explaining that apart from being the deity of fertility and happiness, it serves as entertainment and spiritual purpose which are beneficial to the people.

He further said that Asa serves as the fulcrum of social mobilization of the youth and society as a whole.

The Acting Commissioner assured the people that the Governor is interested in the development of arts and culture in the State, as he is determined to support events that promote unity and peaceful co-existence of all residents in the state.

According to her, Governor Ambode is pleased to have many cultural festivals because he believes that these would promote the indigenous culture of the people as well as attract both the local and foreign tourists in order to propel the state’s drive for economic prosperity.

She enthused that in line with the policy of the present administration, Asa and other cultural display at the festival will be listed for the State’s Cultural Road Map for 2018.

The Asa carnival was organized by Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly and prominent indigenes in Ikorodu as part of the efforts to revive Ikorodu culture and tradition.