May 28, (THEWILL) – The Lagos State Government, on Monday, said it empowered no fewer than 3,748 youths in the last one year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term administration.
Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, who disclosed this during a ministerial press briefing unveiling Sanwo-Olu’s achievements within the period under review, said the youths were trained in various areas of filmmaking.
The Commissioner disclosed that Governor Sanwo-Olu had further approved the training of over 5,000 young men and women to run for the next three years.
“The Lagos State Government is currently in partnership with four different creative academies to enhance the capacities of young creative practitioners in Lagos State. As of today, 3,748 Lagos youths have benefitted from the training.
“The academies in partnership with the state government for this training programme are: Dell-York Film Academy, GiDi Creative Academy, Ebony Life Creative Academy and African Film Academy.
“This gesture by the government is informed by the need to bridge identified skill gaps in the creative sector and to position residents of the state who are in the creative field to compete globally with their contemporaries when it comes to film production.
“The testimonials of the beneficiaries are very encouraging and the training, which ordinarily would have cost the beneficiaries several millions of naira, is at no cost to the participants,” she said.
The Commissioner said the Ministry is currently working on beach regulation law to enable it to regulate and build a compendium of beach operators in the state. She said this was particularly to build resilience around the safety of visitors and provide the necessary infrastructure around it.
“The Ministry is recovering tourism land, assets like the Topo Island in Badagry, Ilashe Beach Resort, Eko Tourist Beach Akodo and more,” she said.
Benson-Awoyinka hinted that the Ministry, under Governor Sanwo-Olu’s leadership, had encouraged international tourism promotion as she and her team attended the 2023 World Travel Market held at Excel, London.
She said the Ministry also engaged, partnered and positively impacted the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) within the period under review.
“In the last one year, the Ministry collaborated, endorsed, sponsored and supported several tourism-related, arts, culture and entertainment events.
“Some of these events include Eebi Festival 2024; Ikorodu Oga; Felabration, an annual celebration of the life and music of the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti; Nigerian Travel Week and The King Must Dance Naked, a grand stage performance in collaboration with Lufodo Production,” she said.
Others, according to the Commissioner, are Kurunmi, the stage play by Unilag Students Culturati; Lagos Street Food Festival; KAYOKAYO, Lagos Cocktail Week; Badagry Heritage Festival; Badagry Descendants Arts and Culture Festival; Door of Return and more.
She said the Lagos theatres in Epe, Badagry and Igando were currently functioning and had been playing host to different activities, adding that the burnt Lagos Theatre in Oregun had been awarded for reconstruction.
“The Ministry is currently negotiating the inclusion of cinema facilities in all our theatres and also negotiating lands for the construction of a befitting facility in the Ikorodu division of the state.
“Freedom Park and its surroundings were cleaned up so as to ensure a clean and breathable environment for tourism to thrive.
“Also, Glover Memorial Hall Lagos, refurbished and restored by Governor Sanwo-Olu, is equally living up to its expectation in playing host to different cultural and tourism events. The Hall is being managed by a private firm.
“I am filled with gratitude for the unwavering commitment and passion displayed by our team, partners and stakeholders in advancing the course of tourism, arts and culture.
“Let us carry forward the spirit of collaboration, innovation and inclusivity as we continue to transform challenges into opportunities and dreams into realities.
“Together, we can build a legacy of cultural excellence that enriches lives, inspires generations and leaves an indelible mark on the world,” she said.
