The Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture officials have visited Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, seeking collaboration to host the the 45th anniversary of the National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST).
The team was led by the Ministry’s Commissioner, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf.
Akinbile-Yusuf said that the collaboration was expected to deepen the economic potential in the sector and create job opportunities for the younger generation.
“We want the first lady to partner with the Ministry in areas of arts and crafts which can create job opportunities for the teeming youths of the state.
“It is very clear that the first lady is so passionate about the youths in Lagos State and has been at the forefront empowering and training them to be useful to the state,” she said.
The commissioner noted that diplomats, tourists and other stakeholders in the arts and culture sector would be part of this event.
She said the exhibitions would showcase different artworks such as those made with tie and dye materials as well as others made of tin, plastic and rubber to beautify the body.
Akinbile-Yusuf noted that during the recent best of Lagos familiarisation tour organised by the ministry, one of the tourism sites visited was the Oshodi Arts Gallery in Ikorodu which housed so many artefacts.
She said about 50 of such exhibitors would participate in the forthcoming event to generate revenue and ultimately improve the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the state.
“We want to bring facilitators that will come and explain all the things we can do with our arts and crafts like the adire.
“There are so many things we can use it to achieve, we can use it for bag making, we can also use it for shoemaking aside from just wearing it and with this, we can empower so many people in the state,” she said.
Akinbile-Yusuf also gave an insight into the 45th anniversary of NAFEST which had been approved by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to be hosted by Lagos State.
The Commissioner notified the first lady of her nomination as ‘Mama NAFEST’, being the co-host of the event.
She said during the festival, a day would be set aside for children at the Teslim Balogun Stadium for training on different arts and crafts, in addition with a prize-winning competition for youths.
Responding, Sanwo-Olu assured them of her full support, expressing appreciation for the way the ministry had promoted tourism to aid development.
She advised Lagos residents in the Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas to participate in the upcoming event and display their culture.
She said that everything peculiar to Lagos would be showcased at the event.
Officials on the entourage included the Senior Special Assistant on Tourism, Arts and Culture to Gov. Sanwo-Olu, Mr Tunji Seymour as well as Directors from the ministry.(NAN)
