Lagos Govt Partners Afropolis To Host 9 Days Event To Be Held In October

The Lagos State Government and afropolis, have announced a nine-day arts festival taking place from October 26 to November 3 in the state.

The festival, named Afropolis Lagos 2024, will be held in Onikan and its surroundings at the J.Randle Centre For Yoruba Culture And History.

At the town hall meeting preceding the event, the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, expressed that the festival aims to celebrate the rich cultural heritage, creativity, and innovation of Africa.

Afropolis is expected to transform Onikan’s main street, J. Randle Road, into a vibrant hub of artistic and technological excellence. The festival will feature a curated marketplace, traditional and contemporary performances, exhibitions, and more, bringing together creatives, innovators, and enthusiasts from across the continent and beyond.

The event will include creatives of different genres showcasing their arts and creativity through exhibitions, open spoken poetry, music, dance, and stage drama.

The commissioner highlighted that afropolis 2024 provides a platform for African creatives to showcase their talents, exchange ideas, and collaborate on groundbreaking projects.

“The J.Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, in particular, stands as a beacon of our rich heritage and offers the perfect backdrop for this celebration,” she said.

According to her, “hosting high-profile events such as Lagos Fashion Week, Lagos Theatre Festival, and Lagos Photo Festival has also played a crucial role in putting Lagos on the global cultural map. These events attract international attention, foster collaborations, and showcase the immense talent and creativity that our city has to offer.”

“Afropolis, scheduled for the end of October through to early November, will transform Onikan’s main street, J. Randle Road, into a vibrant hub of artistic and technological excellence. The festival will feature a curated marketplace, traditional and contemporary performances, exhibitions, and much more. It will bring together creatives, innovators, and enthusiasts from across the continent and beyond.”

Speaking earlier, at the event which was attended by top government functionaries, prominent persons in the art and entertainment industry and the diplomatic corps including the Managing Director of the National Theater, Tola Akerele, the German Consul General, Weert Borner; India Consul General, Chandramaoni Kumarkern; the Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Lagos, Michel Deelen among others, the co-converner of the festival and founder of Afripolis, Qudus Onikeku, said the dream has been long in coming and kick-starting it will be a dream come true.

It will be a hybrid event held both virtually and physically, indoors and outdoors across the streets and roads around Onikan.

An app is being developed to facilitate easy navigation of activities around the event and seamless financial exchange.