Lagos scales up activities in arts sector

Lagos State is forging ahead with plans to make arts and tourism a cornerstone of its economy with the inauguration of four new community theatres by December, a Ford Foundation grant for a new museum and a tourism master plan among others.

FOUR out of the six community theatres being built by the Lagos State Government would be completed before the end of the year, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Steve Ayorinde has said.

Speaking at the 2018 ministerial press briefing held on May 7, to mark the third anniversary of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in office, at the Bagauda Kalto Press Centre, the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, Ayorinde disclosed that the theatres would serve as a boon to artistes across the state.

He said: “The ongoing construction of six theatres across Lagos is a project conceived by this administration to serve as a platform to encourage creativity and assistance to upcoming artistes across the arts and culture sectors. Four out of the six theatres located at Ikeja, Badagry, Igando and Epe are about 70% complete and will be delivered by the contractors before the end of the year. Work is expected to begin at Ikorodu and Lagos Mainland having identified locations for them.”

Apart from the theatres, the government is also intensifying its efforts in the area of preserving cultural heritage through a holistic renovation of existing museums and the construction of new ones. The dilapidated Badagry Heritage Museum, originally built in 1863 by the British colonialists, has been fully upgraded.

“The structure was converted and commissioned as Badagry Heritage Museum in 2002 to preserve abundant slave relics and historical narratives about the trans-Atlantic slave trade,” Ayorinde noted. “It has served as a major attraction to visitors to Nigeria, especially Blacks in the Diaspora in search of their ancestral roots. The upgrading has been completed with the restoration of the main museum building; construction of a new multi-purpose hall, conveniences and a security post. The museum has additional facilities such as a new children arena, provision of 60KVA generator, as well as the upgrading of the exhibition stands,” he added.

The Commissioner stated that the state had also secured a $600,000 grant from the Ford Foundation for the Lagos Museum Project.  The grant, he explained, “is expected to aid the architectural design of the proposed Lagos Museum to be sited at the new Eko Court, Marina. The approval for the grant was disclosed at a symbolic meeting between Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and the Ford Foundation team led by Hillary Pennington, the Executive Vice President of Ford Foundation in February 2018.

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“The Ford Foundation also indicated readiness to join the state on a global roadshow to generate additional funding for the museum. The grant is a confidence booster for the state in the quest to create iconic cultural space, facilities and expand the vista of opportunities in tourism and cultural promotion.”

Ayorinde highlighted the importance of the ongoing redevelopment of the J.K. Randle Centre for Yoruba History and Culture, at Onikan, Lagos Island. He said it would, “create an important gateway into the rich, untapped aspects of culture and tourism previously consigned to history. The location of the project offers vast potential for urban regeneration, vital for unlocking the tourism and cultural possibilities as well as public recreational benefits.”

The Commissioner, who touched on other achievements of his ministry since last year, further said that a tourism master plan, to prepare Lagos ahead in terms of ideas, long-term investment, top-notch infrastructure and human capacity development, would be ready by the end of May.

He said, “Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, in his resolve to leave a legacy of solid tourism-driven economy conceived the idea of a tourism master plan of 15 -20 years that will drive the tourism potential of the state. The masterplan is being prepared by Messrs Ernst & Young and will be delivered at the end of May 2018. It will focus on six sectors that include culture and heritage, film, art and entertainment, business tourism, nature and adventure, medical and wellness, beach and leisure.”