… As Sol Beach Replaces Eko Atlantic Venue
By Eva Irewole
The popular music fiesta that holds simultaneously across the five divisions of Lagos State is back again this year.
But unlike its normal eight-day run, this edition, christened ‘Lagos Countdown (Greater Lagos Fiesta) will be a 72-hour event running from December 29 till the wee hours of January 1, 2024.
The commissioner for Tourism Arts & Culture, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka, made this known on Friday at a press conference to formally announce that the music fiesta will return this year.
She said the three-day end-of-the-year event would serve as an integral part of activities conceived to herald the year 2024 with an anticipated number of participants of over 25,000 who will be thrilled with different types of entertainment including cultural performances, and shows at the children’s corners, amongst others.
However, while the fiesta will retain its traditional five-venue format across Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Epe, the venue for the Lagos Island division, according to the Commissioner, will move from Bar Beach/Eko Atlantic City to Sol Beach in Iruland.
She said the reason for this is to use the fiesta to also market the state’s beach potential.
According to her, the grand finale which was usually held at Eko Atlantic City would now be held at Sol Beach in Iru-land “as a way of exposing the state’s rich beachfront potential to fun lovers and tourists.”
She added that interested participants who might still want to join the countdown event at the Eko Atlantic City venue would be provided with a large viewing screen where activities at the Sol Beach can be transmitted live, in addition to a dedicated channel on DSTV that would stream the event’s activities throughout the three days.
The Commissioner, alongside the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe, and Permanent Secretary Mrs. Oloruntoyin Atekoja, also assured participants of adequate security at all the designated venues of the countdown event.
She said: “We have put a lot in place for security, we are working actively with all security apparatus of the state, the Nigeria Police, DSS, Civil Defence, LASTM and Neighbourhood Watch, among other security operators in the state.
“The Lagos Countdown 2023, #Greater Lagos Fiesta, has become an annual tradition, a celebration of music, entertainment, and the vibrant spirit of Lagos. This year, we are taking the event to a whole new level, with three days of non-stop excitement from December 29, 2023, to January 1, 2024.
“We are intentional in our focus of deliberately positioning Lagos State to favourably compete with developed cities of the world in terms of hosting tourism and entertainment events”, she added.
While noting that the annual fiesta has over the years proven to be a very engaging and mind-blowing event, providing fun activities and entertainment for Lagosians in their various localities across the five IBILE divisions of the state, the Commissioner maintained that the event is beyond just a musical show or fun event.
“Let me emphasise that this event is not just about the music. The end-of-the-year countdown, #Greater Lagos Fiesta, will also showcase the best of our local cuisine, arts and crafts, and traditional performances. Participants will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the sights, sounds, and flavours that make Lagos such a unique and vibrant city.
“The Lagos Countdown 2023 (#Greater Lagos Fiesta), will continue to serve the purpose of discovering and nurturing new talents, exposing young talented entertainers to bigger platforms while also serving as a mechanism for curbing youth restiveness that often characterises the festive period”, she stated.
She listed the venues of the event as Badagry Grammar School in Badagry; Agege Stadium, Agege; Ikorodu Town Hall Ikorodu; Sol Beach Oniru and Epe Recreational Centre, Epe.
“We have lined up an incredible array of music stars who will grace the stage and thrill all fun lovers from Badagry to Epe, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, and Ikeja featuring homegrown talents to international sensations, the best of Afrobeats, Highlife, Juju and Fuji’’, the Commissioner stated.
Originally known as the One Lagos Fiesta during the Akinwunmi Ambode administration, the annual musical show in its current form started in 2015 as a five-day, five venue fiesta but grew into an eight-day, five-venue event from 2016 with Eko Atlantic City always serving as the grand finally every December 31st.
However, covid19 pandemic did not allow the fiesta to hold in 2020 amd 2021, while a pruned down version of it managed to hold last year.