Press Releases

Fashola Calls For Creation Of A Festival Calendar For Lagos

Mar 28, 2009 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Saturday joined thousands of indigenes and invitees to celebrate the Eebi day in Epe, advocating the creation of a festival calendar for Lagos.

According to Governor Fashola who spoke at the colorful ceremony held at the town’s playground, the calendar will include festivals like Eebi, Eyo, Igunuko and Fanty, such that it can be predicted what will take place at a particular time.

The Governor added that with such a calendar, the state can set a target to bring in one million visitors from outside the country to Lagos State.

Said he: “One million visitors into Lagos every year during the season of festival means that one million people will have to be housed, will have to be served, one million will have to drink water, one million people will have to be transported, one million will need toiletries, sanitary wares and beddings”.

He added that this is the economy waiting for Epe to take hold of and waiting for Lagos to assist it in actualizing this.

Governor Fashola said on a yearly basis, he marvels when people go on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, a country which produces nothing yet its citizens leave their homes every year and rent it out for millions of dollars for a month to visitors.

The Governor reiterated that this represents the kind of economy that can come into Lagos State, saying the same thing is happening in Brazil and London with the Rio De Janeiro and London carnivals, adding it should not be different here.

Governor Fashola added that the festival should not be seen as merely a cultural exchange but a big opportunity around which everyone could develop enterprise and commerce, adding that it lies with us to take it to heights unimaginable.

Said he: “I see commerce, I see economy and new jobs because some people have had a fortune of providing all of the food that we are eating, the canopies, the decorations, the lightings, the band and to provide all of the unseen support which has put bread on butter and yam and food in various homes within and beyond Epe”

He emphasized that the Ijebu Epe and Eko Epe branding must end with the festival as there are so many possibilities in celebrating not only culture but in holding festivals like the Eebi.

He promised the Oba of Epeland that all the requests which he made on behalf of the people are in tandem with the ten points agenda of the state Government and would be implemented assiduously.

Speaking earlier, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly who is also an indigene of Epe, RT Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji commended Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) for the wonderful job he is doing in Lagos.

He also advised the people of the town to eschew rancor and in-fighting among themselves as it is only unity that can bring progress to the area.

Also speaking, Oba of Epeland, Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun gave kudos to Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) for progressively continuing from where Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu stopped.

The festival which witnessed different cultural displays was chaired by foremost medical practitioner and entrepreneur, Dr Sonny Kuku and attended by many dignitaries including members of the State Executive Council and State House of Assembly.