Press Releases

Let’s Put Eyo On World Tourism Map, Fashola Enjoins Lagosians

Apr 23, 2009 - As preparations reach the final stages for the staging of the most glamorous Eyo festival on the Lagos Island, the State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Thursday tasked Eyo masquerades, spectators and indeed all residents of Lagos State to play their roles well in order to place the Eyo Festival on the international tourism map.

Governor Fashola, who spoke at a press conference he addressed at Lagos House, Ikeja on preparations for the Eyo festival billed to hold on Saturday, 25th of April, at the Tafawa Balewa Square, added that the current investment in the festival by the state is within the context of uplifting the play to an international standard with an eye for its potential economic impact on the lives of the residents of Lagos State.

He explained that the Adamu Orisha play which is expected to hold from 6am to about 6.30 pm is an event of beauty, which in the views of many international spectators rank in pageantry on a higher plane than the Rio Carnival in Brazil.

Said he: “The Eyo festival day is a joyous day of gaiety and splendour during which Lagos Island is filled with the exuberance of young Eyo masquerades and prayers and sobriety of the older practitioners”.

“The decision to stage the parade at the Tafawa Balewa Square with the blessing of the Oba of Lagos is intended to provide for larger viewership within a relaxed, safe and entertaining atmosphere without distracting from the elegance of the play”, Governor Fashola added.

He also said the coming festival is intended to be a little different from past performances as the TBS will be transformed to a big picnic arena with the parade holding from about 11am to 5pm.

The Lagos State Governor added that there will be free BRT/LAGBUS transportation to and from the TBS from Ikorodu, Badagry, Epe and the larger metropolis while dedicated car parks will be provided along the Marina from which buses can convey people.

He assured that security would be heightened from Friday through Saturday night in the car parks in and around the TBS and on the Island, warning that Eyo masquerades who do not abide by the rules of performance will be guests of the Police Commissioner.

The Lagos State helmsman assured visitors to the festival that there will be many forms of food such as suya, asun, barbeques, snacks and formal dishes with traditional drummers (Korogun / Karajagba) to entertain as well as souvenir shops where collector items will be up for sale.

Governor Fashola said the innovations being brought into the Eyo festival has been necessitated by the need to re engage the society to the festival and return its previous standards without change to festival values and precepts.

He listed some of the dos and don’ts of the festival to include spectators not opening umbrellas near the masquerades, or smoking pipes or cigarettes near the masquerades

Others include not riding bicycles or motorcycles near the masquerade or adorning caps, hats or any other head gear near the masquerades, with religious headgears being the only exception.

Governor Fashola also warned that no attempt should be made to take the photographs of the four main Eyo masquerades namely Adimu, Alakete Pupa, Oniko and Ologede as it is forbidden by tradition.

He thanked the Oba of Lagos, Titled Chiefs and the Elders of the Awe Adimu for their support and guidance and also extended same to the sponsors whose advertising and promotional desires were self-curtailed in order not to distract from the values of the play.

The Governor said the festival is being organized in honour of Baba Oba of Lagos, the late Otunba Theophilus Owolabi Shobowale Benson who made useful contributions to the efforts that led to the creation of Lagos State in 1967.

Also speaking at the briefing, Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Mr. Tunde Balogun, said adequate security would be provided by regular law enforcement agents and those drawn from the different Eyo conclaves, adding that all those participating have signed undertaking to be peaceful in conduct.

He assured that this year’s festival which has taken on a new flavour will be a spectacle to behold by everyone.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa said 310 high capacity LAGBUS and LAMATA buses would be provided and will be departing from 52 different locations in and around Lagos.

He said there would also be restriction of vehicular movement into the Lagos Island from all major highways including but not limited to the Third Mainland Bridge, Eko Bridge, Idumota Bridge, Onikan Road and inner Marina between 7am and 8pm.

The Special Adviser added that traffic management would be provided by 800 strong LASTMA personnel, 50 LASTMA patrol vehicles, 50 LASTMA high powered motor bikes, 300 hand held 2way radio communication and other traffic control devices.

Opeifa gave the details of the vehicular diversion to include traffic from Third Mainland to be restricted at Adeniji Adele Junction and Simpson Junction while other access on Third Mainland Bridge to Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Obalende remain unaffected.

Traffic on Eko Bridge is to be restricted at in-ward Ebute Ero (Gorodom) even as access to Outer Marina is unaffected while traffic on Carter Bridge inward Idumota to be restricted and access to Outer Marina is unaffected, Opeifa added.

He also informed the gathering that traffic from Onikan Road into TBS will be restricted while access to Marina Bridge and Ahmadu Bello Way is unaffected.

The Special Adviser also informed that effective deployment of traffic information would be made with scrolling of informative messages on LTV8, Eko FM, Radio Lagos and two other radio stations.

The Chairman of the organizing committee, Mr Disun Holloway while addressing the issue of frequency of the Eyo festival when compared with Rio De Janeiro Carnival in Brazil said it is a programme that could hold on a frequent basis as there have been cases in the 18th Century when it has been held four to five times in a year.

Mr Tunde Balogun also informed that 10 LASAMBUS would be provided to take care of emergency health needs of spectators of the Eyo Festival.

The press conference was attended by members of the State Executive Council among other top government functionaries.