Lagos stages carnival, black heritage festival…Closes 10 major roads on the Island

Fashola gave the assurance on Tuesday during a press briefing to intimate members of the public about the carnival and Black Heritage Festival week. He said the state Police Command had pledged thousands of policemen to give holistic approach to all forms of crime that some unscrupulous Nigerians may want to unleash on the visitors, […]

Fashola gave the assurance on Tuesday during a press briefing to intimate members of the public about the carnival and Black Heritage Festival week.

He said the state Police Command had pledged thousands of policemen to give holistic approach to all forms of crime that some unscrupulous Nigerians may want to unleash on the visitors, adding, “We won’t allow our guests to be exposed to any kind of insecurity.”

The governor also said that the entire LASTMA officials have been mobilized to ensure smooth traffic during the carnival noting that eight roads on Lagos Island would be shut for the purpose.

Speaking on why the carnival was organised, Governor Fashola explained that the state government decided to leverage on the enormous tourism and economic development potentials of these carnivals by integrating them into the World Heritage Festival.

According to him, Lagos would be using the carnival as the high point of a week of exposition of African culture and heritage where millions of people from various part of the world were expected to come and participate.

In his own remark, the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Mr Dosun Holloway said the carnival was fashioned after the one in Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago saying, “The carnival is capable of generating several millions of naira and creating employment.”

Holloway added that the maiden edition of Lagos Carnival had given job opportunity to about 15,000 residents of the city. He said subsequent editions of the event would fetch Lagos more revenue and boost the nation’s economy.

“Everything that you will see on display and some of those that you’re already seeing were made here in Lagos by our people. Our hotels, restaurants, event centers will experience a rewarding time as visitors will book rooms, order food and drinks, buy souvenirs and contribute to our economic prosperity,” Holloway noted.

Contributing, the state Commissioner for Tourism and Inter-Governmental Relations, Senator Tokunboh Afikuyomi explained that Lagos had all it took to stage a rewarding carnival. He said the carnival and Black Heritage Festival would make Lagos tourists designation in the nearest future.