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Lagos Launches Afropolis2024 As Over 20,000 Attendees Set For Festival In October

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The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture, in partnership with Qdance is set to host no fewer than 200 international tourists from 11 countries and 20, 000 participants for the maiden edition of Afropolis Lagos Festival, slated to hold from Oct. 26 to Nov. 3.

The festival is meant to open doors to new possibilities, fostering connections that transcend borders, and showcasing the incredible potential of the creative industries to drive economic growth and cultural exchange.

Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon. Toke Benson-Awoyinka and the Artistic Director of Afropolis, Qudus Onikeku, announced this on Wednesday during a press briefing, held at J Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Onikan Lagos.

The commissioner said that the Afropolis Lagos Festival would be a celebration of Lagos people and Nigerian identity as well as a showcase of talents.

According to her, the festival would be a testament to the power of creativity to unite and inspire, and also, it will be an avenue for African creatives to come together, showcase their talents, exchange ideas and collaborate on groundbreaking projects.

She added, “From Oct. 26 to Nov. 3, Lagos will become the epicentre of African creativity, welcoming artistes, innovators, and enthusiasts from across the continent and beyond.”

According to the Commissioner, the opening day, Oct. 26, would kick off with a VIP preview and cocktail, followed by a grand opening ceremony at ‘The Vibez Stage’.

“We will be honoured to host a fireside chat with our esteemed Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, where we will explore Lagos’ role as a hub for the global African creative economy.

“On Oct. 27, the streets of Lagos Island will come alive with a vibrant carnival procession, embodying the spirit and energy of our people.

“The day will culminate in the Afropolis Global African Vibez Exchange (G.A.V.E), a testament to our commitment to fostering international collaborations.

“Oct. 28 marks a historic moment with the official opening of the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History. We will be privileged to have Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu lead us on a tour of this significant cultural landmark.”

She added that the festival will host daily film programmes, interactive art installations, and performances that span the spectrum of African creativity, from traditional to contemporary, dance to music, and visual arts to technology.

Speaking further, the Honorable Commissioner said that the closing weekend would feature an international performance, which would showcase the incredible talents of “Our Afropolis Tribe of 2024”, followed by a grand finale of ‘Afro House and EDM Rave’ on Nov. 3.

“To our young talents who are making significant strides on the global stage, Afropolis is your stage to shine. To our local and international visitors, prepare to be immersed in an unparalleled celebration of African creativity and innovation.

“As we launch Afropolis 2024, we are not just opening a festival; we are opening doors to new possibilities, fostering connections that transcend borders, and showcasing the incredible potential of our creative industries to drive economic growth and cultural exchange.

“I invite all Lagosians, Nigerians, and our international friends to join us in this celebration. Let us come together to experience the magic of Afropolis, to be inspired, to create, and to reinforce Lagos’ position as a global creative powerhouse,” she said.

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Speaking earlier, Qudus Onikeku, the founder of QDance Centre, and the Artistic Director of Afropolis, described the festival as an African diaspora-focused festival.

According to Onikeku, the festival with the theme “Within New Myth”, is a collaboration between QDance Centre and the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, will be celebrating the rich cultural heritage, creativity and innovation of Lagos state.

Onikeku added that about 200 artistes and tourists from over 11 countries, including South Africa, Togo, Benin Republic, France, the U.S., Ghana, Netherlands, Morocco, Ethiopia, Colombia and Brazil, are expected to participate in the festival.

“We are expecting 200 international tourists from 11 countries to participate in this festival. Over 20,000 local and international tourists are expected.

“Specifically, these people will be coming from Dakar, Cotonou, Lomé, Johannesburg, Marrakech, Addis Ababa, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Sao Paulo, Bogota, Cartagena, Saint Anne, New York and Florida.

“You will also have artistes from Lagos, Kaduna, Abuja, Asaba and more. We will have a large gathering of artistes, creators, technologists, innovators and tourists coming to be part of Lagos landscape for nine days.

“So, we are closing down the JK Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History road from October 26 through to November, to create a big festival arena.

“Also, in that festival, there will be visual art exhibition, dance performances, music concerts, dance competitions, pop-up arts spaces, children corner that we call the play zone.

“There will also be a tech zone that will be run by CC Hub. So, the way we have put it together is a real collaborative process between different components of the creative ecosystem in Nigeria and not just Lagos. We will have the comedians, poets and many others,” he said.

Reacting to question on how participants can register for the festival, Onikeku said that tourists could register to attend the festival through afropolis.org, as individuals would only be required to pay N3,000 per day or N15,000 for the nine days.

Mr. Gbenga Omotosho, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, on his part, affirmed that the festival is very significant to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, considering the positive impacts that the festival will have on individuals and the state in general.

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