Press Releases

We Will Encourage Growth of Immigrant Cultures, Assets - Fashola

Jan 11, 2008 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Thursday stated that his administration would continue to encourage the growth of immigrant cultures and assets in Lagos State , saying their existence had prospered the state for many years.

Fashola particularly said the state government would give favourable consideration to partnering with the French Government in carrying out an expansion of the French Cultural Village in Badagry.

Speaking while receiving the out-going French Ambassador to Nigeria , Mr. Yves Gaudeuli, the governor said it was in the interest of the state to continue to promote such growth because great cities of the world today, such as New York , developed on immigrant cultures and immigrant personnel.

“It is not only the indigenous personnel who developed Lagos, so we cannot be left out in promoting international relationships”, the governor said.

Noting that the French Cultural Village has made ‘major contribution to the inter-cultural and international relationship between Lagos State and the French Government and people”, Fashola declared, “The request for expansion of the French Cultural Centre is a thing that we will be favourably disposed to consider and partner with you. It is in our own interest to do so.

“We are an international city state. This is the one city in the country in which you have all the ethnic nationalities that constitute corporate Nigeria .

“We have all the international cultures, the French, the Indians, the Chinese, and South Africa and so on, based here”. 
Going down memory lane, the governor  recalled that in his days as a young person, the Alliance France on Kingsway Road , Ikoyi, was very dear to his heart as he was always an active participant in the annual music festival held there every June.  

He urged the French Government to continue to sustain it promising that his administration would assist the French Embassy in whatever way necessary to do so.

Wishing Mr. Gaudeuli God’s speed in his future assignment, Fashola, who described the relationship between Lagos and the French Government as a very happy one, urged the out-going Ambassador to “be an ambassador for Lagos wherever you go so that you can help project Lagos ”.

Earlier, in his remark, Mr. Gaudeuli had told the governor he was pleased with the relationship which he enjoyed with the present administration in Lagos State adding, however, that he would like it to be even better in future.

 Also in his remarks, President of the Alliance France, Chief Okoya Thomas said he was pleased to be part of the growth of France-Nigeria relationship. He urged the governor to grant the Embassy a piece of land to relocate the Alliance France.