By Olamilekan Okeowo
The Lagos State government through its Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has expressed its readiness to partner with La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort for the maiden edition of the Ipada Carnival.
The carnival, an initiative which signifies mass return of the people to the motherland, is the brainchild of the Founder and President of La Campagne, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye.
The carnival is scheduled to hold between November 27 and December 7, 2024, at La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort in Ikegun Village, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.
The Lagos State government in a formal letter to the organisers from the office of the Special Adviser on Tourism, Arts and Culture, to the Governor, Idris Aregbe, noted that its decision to recognise and partner with La Campagne in this maiden carnival is because it is in tandem with the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration, which is partly to create an enabling environment for talents to thrive.
‘‘In line with the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda of this present administration which is to support and create an enabling environment for creative talents to thrive which the organisers of the Ipada Initiative and Ipada Carnival has keyed into.
‘‘The Lagos State government through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture hereby announces partnership with the organisers of Ipada Initiative and Ipada Carnival,’’ adding; the maiden edition initiative which is scheduled to hold from 27th November and 7th of December 2024 at Ikegun, Lagos State, is designed to foster a connection between African continent and people of African origin who live in the Diaspora, who have also become largely disconnected from the continent due to historical events” it disclosed,
Besides, what is also imperative to the state government is the economic potency of the carnival. This is as it stressed, ‘‘Lagos State is seen as a portal through which these Diasporas can access whatever part of the continent they wish to connect with, inclusive of Nigeria. The Ipada Initiative and Ipada Carnival is projected to generate economic benefits especially forex income flows from tourists, youth employment opportunities, grassroots stakeholders’ participation and local entrepreneurs inclusion.’’
Following this, the Lagos State government assured the organisers of its full support and partnership in birthing this event, which it described as laudable. ‘‘The Lagos State government is assuring you of their full support and partnership as the initiative is a laudable one that is channeled towards tourism development and social inclusion of the youths in the grassroots.
‘‘The Ministry of Tourism through the officer of the Special Adviser is willing and ready to work with you on this initiative and ensure that the Ipada Initiative and Ipada Carnival achieve its goals and also create the envisaged economic and social benefits for Lagos State and Africa at large.’’
It is to be noted that Akinboboye, which since last year began the unveiling of 52 tourism products, with one product weekly, for the Nigerian tourism market from his vast creative repertoire, recently unfolded the Ipada Initiative and Ipada Carnival as one of his 52 tourism products.
