GREATER LAGOS FIESTA: LAGS Unveils 72-Hour Non-Stop Fun Activities For Countdown 2024

… Reveals Plans to Promote Beach Tourism 

Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, has unveiled plans to hold a 72-hour #Greater Lagos Fiesta - a non-stop entertainment show beginning from the 29th of December, 2023 to the early hours of 1st January, 2024.

The three-day end-of-the-year event is part of activities conceived to herald the Y2024 with an anticipated number of participants of over 25,000 who will be thrilled with different types of entertainment including cultural performances, and children's corners, amongst others.

The State Commissioner for Tourism, Art and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, who made this known on Friday at a news conference in Ikeja said that the Ministry will use the annual end-of-the-year event to also market its beach potential.

According to her, the grand finale which was usually held at Eko Atlantic City would now be held at Sol Beach in Iru-land as a way of exposing the State’s rich beachfront potential to fun lovers and tourists.

She added that interested participants who still want to join the countdown event at the Eko Atlantic City venue would be provided with a large viewing screen where the activities at the Sol Beach can be transmitted live, in addition to a dedicated channel on DSTV that would stream the event activities throughout the three days.

The Commissioner, alongside the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe, and Permanent Secretary Mrs. Oloruntoyin Atekoja, also assured participants of adequate security at all the designated venues of the countdown event.

She said: “We have put a lot in place for security, we are working actively with all security apparatus of the state, the Nigeria Police, DSS, Civil Defence, LASTM and Neighbourhood Watch, among other security operators in the state. 

“The Lagos Countdown 2024, #Greater Lagos Fiesta, has become an annual tradition, a celebration of music, entertainment, and the vibrant spirit of Lagos. This year, we are taking the event to a whole new level, with three days of non-stop excitement from December 29, 2023, to January 1, 2024.

“We are intentional in our focus of deliberately positioning Lagos State to favourably compete with developed cities of the world in terms of hosting tourism and entertainment events”, she added.

While noting that the annual fiesta has over the years proven to be a very engaging and mind-blowing event, providing fun activities and entertainment for Lagosians in their various localities across the five IBILE divisions of the state, the Commissioner maintained that the event is beyond just a musical show or fun event.

In her words: “Let me emphasise that this event is not just about the music. The end-of-the-year countdown, #Greater Lagos Fiesta, will also showcase the best of our local cuisine, arts and crafts, and traditional performances. Participants will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the sights, sounds, and flavours that make Lagos such a unique and vibrant city.

“The Lagos Countdown 2024 (#Greater Lagos Fiesta), will continue to serve the purpose of discovering and nurturing new talents, exposing young talented entertainers to bigger platforms while also serving as a mechanism for curbing youth restiveness that often characterises the festive period”, her words.

She affirmed that the three-day event, apart from showcasing the cultural activities and nurturing up-coming talented youngsters in the entertainment and creative industry, will also positively impact the State’s economy through massive sales of goods and services to thousands of fun and entertainment lovers throughout the event.

She listed the venues of the event to include Badagry Grammar School in Badagry, Agege Stadium, Agege, Ikorodu Town Hall Ikorodu, Sol Beach Oniru and Epe Recreational Centre, Epe.

“We have lined up an incredible array of music stars who will grace the stage and thrill all fun lovers from Badagry to Epe, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, and Ikeja featuring homegrown talents to international sensations, the best of Afro Beats, Highlife, Juju and Fuji’’, the Commissioner stated.

Toke Benson-Awoyinka also revealed that interested corporate sponsors ready to collaborate with the State Government to make the event a success are welcome.

#GreaterLagosFiesta

#entertainmentandtourism 

#AGreaterLagosRising 

#LASG

Greater Lagos Fiesta will discover, nurture Talents – Tourism Commissioner

….Olamide, Zlatan, Niniola, Patoranking Other Top Artistes Billed To Perform

...Event To Hold Simultaneously For 5 Days In Five Locations

AgegePulse Magazine

The Lagos State Government, in furtherance of its commitment to boost tourism and entertainment, is set to hold the 2019 ‘Greater Lagos’ fiesta in a grand style.

Addressing reporters on Monday, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Shulamite Olufunke Adebolu, stated that the 2019 celebration has additional features that will help to discover and nurture talented performers to become celebrated stars across the country.

The event, usually celebrated annually is an entertainment funfair highlighting the State's rich talents reservoir and promoting the relevance of entertainment and tourism as a major driver of the State’s economy.

According to the Commissioner: “This year, Greater Lagos Fiesta is more than a show, it is all encompassing. That is the reason we want to cement our position as Lagos being the absolute place for top-notch entertainment and tourism in Africa. For the first time on the continent of Africa, we are going to be experiencing a proper show that can rival any show in Dubai, the United States and the United Kingdom.

“In addition to that, it is very critical to understand and nurture the talents we have in Lagos State. Many international artistes that are up for Grammy Awards are home grown talents. To this end, the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration realises that there is need for a platform for our talents to thrive.

“This year, we have injected some addition to the formula on ground whereby Lagos actually identifies a talent, nurtures and grows the talent to become the future stars.”

The show, which will hold from 25th to 31st of December, was described as a family event where everybody is expected to attend with members of their family.

She announced that the show will hold in five locations simultaneously and two winners that will contest at the Grand Finale will emerge from each of the five locations.

She said: “Across the five Ibile Zones – the locations where these events will be holding, there will be competition such as talent hunt. There will be two last contenders in each of the five zones that will contest at the venue of the Grand Finale at Eko Atlantic City. We will ensure that by 2021, these artistes will perform as big shots in the country.

“The bottom line is to engross us with the culture, talent and diversity of Lagos. We are diverse and we need an avenue to display it. Mr. Governor is offering it this year, taking the greater Lagos platform to another level.”

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, assured that the issue of insecurity would not be a barrier noting that Lagosians have nothing to fear while attending the shows.

“It is not the kind of show you will be afraid to attend or take your kids and family members to. There is no room for negativity at the shows.

“I want to also reaffirm that it is going to be a show like never before because it is well planned. New stars that will go into the shoes of the already established stars in the country will be discovered,” he said.

He further explained that entertainment is the big game changer in the economy.

Notable artistes like Olamide, Naira Marley, Zlatan, Patoranking, Niniola are expected to perform at the events. In addition, popular artistes in each locality of the Ibile would be allowed to perform.