Olamide, Kaffy, others storm V.I. for Lagos street party

In the next two days all roads in the Lagos metropolis will certainly lead to Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island where the first ‘Lagos Street Party’ will be staged. December 3 and 4 are remarkable days in the anal of the state as over one million fun seekers are expected to enjoy unlimited fun and pleasure.

The Lagos Street Party is being packaged by White Stars, a private body, in partnership with the Lagos State Government to as a way of boosting tourism through entertainment. Between tomorrow and Sunday fun seekers will have a field day; they will relax and have their boredom extinguished, in consonance with the adage, which says: ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

The Lagos Street Party, TLSP, will usher in a fun-filled Yuletide period for Lagosians. Unlike One Lagos Fiesta conceived and driven by the state government, the Lagos Street Party is purely a private initiative. Though with support from the state government, White Stars came up with the initiative to enable residents herald Yuletide with some amusement.

All is now set for the great event, with much publicity and awareness already created. Executive Director of White Stars, Mr. Akin Akinyelure said the street party “is to provide a platform for the residents to relax and enjoy themselves within two days,” saying that it would indeed offer real entertainment, live music, diverse cuisine and creative indigenous games in a beautiful environment.

He said the first day of the event would feature colourful cultural parades, displays, acrobatic acts and live performances by several musicians from Nigeria. He named some musicians that would at the party to include Olamide, Phyno, MI Abaga, Kaffy and Ice Prince while some of the DJs are Humblesmith DJ Spinall, and DJ Lambo.

Akinyelure assured that the street party would truly be two days of amusement and fun, noting that the organisers would not limit the artistes “to a particular number. Several artistes will perform at the two-day party. While some will perform briefly, others may perform more.”

The carnival will not leave any category of people behind, according to White Stars director. He said that there “is provision for senior citizens and elder statesmen at the carnival. We are planning something special for them in terms of high life music in order for to relax and enjoy themselves within the two days.”

Besides entertaining and fun-making, the carnival offers upcoming artisans and tradesmen to exhibit their skill and talent, which Akinyelure said, fit into the agenda of the state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode. So, he said, there will be an exhibition section at the carnival, though the park exhibitions will a mini type.

“There is a bigger plan coming up soon. It is the governor’s idea to help artisans and tradesmen, who do not have platforms to exhibit their skill and talent. We have decided the carnival will provide an avenue for people to exhibit their skill and talent. We believe that the visitors to the state will be able to see what Lagos residents can produce,” he said.

Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde said the street party “is a gain of Lagos brand campaign,” which he said, was launched “to showcase the state’s potentials for tourism, arts and entertainment globally.”

Ayorinde disclosed that about one million fun lovers across the state “are expected to attend the street carnival. It is a mega street carnival to welcome Yuletide in an unusual way. It will also kick-start series of festivities lined up to celebrate Yuletide into New Year.”

He said on daily basis, 500,000 persons “are expected each day, thus bringing the number of participants to one million. It will hold from mid-day to 12 midnight between December 3 and 4, 2016. The carnival will witness local and foreign visitors.” Contrary to what some people think, he said, it will not kill other carnivals like One Lagos Fiesta, but complement them.

According to the commissioner, the state government “has made adequate preparation for the success of the carnival. On security concern, there was nothing to fear at all,” citing the success the state recorded when it held One Lagos Fiesta between December 27 and 31, 2015. In Agege alone, according to him, about one million converged without any record of conflict, violence or unrest.

“The Lagos Street Party” would be better handled. Already, adequate security has been made for the carnival. There will be security officers on ground. We have already made arrangement with the State Police Command, Rapid Response Squad and Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit to ensure security of lives and properties,” he said.

Ayorinde, equally, cited the gain of Light-up Lagos, which he said, gave residents confidence “to drive, even walk anytime. Under the Ambode administration, almost all highways, inner-city roads and streets have been lit. Aside, security operatives patrol all nooks and crannies of the state day and night. So, we have nothing to fear at all. We have made adequate security arrangement.”

He explained that the street carnival “is in line with Ambode’s initiative to use entertainment in driving the state economy and market the state’s potentials to domestic and foreign investors. This will contribute meaningfully towards making Lagos Africa’s model megacity.”

However, the street carnival will lead the closure of Ahmadu Bello Way, a major road on Victoria Island that Eko Hotels & Suites. Aside, it will lead cordoning off Tiamiyu Savage, Akin Adesola and Bishop Oluwole on December 3 and December 4. But Ayorinde said alternative routes would be created for motorists.

Early this week, Acting Commissioner for Transportation, Prince Anofiu Elegushi said government is diverting traffic within Victoria Island as a result of the street party carnival. The street party, would subsequently lead to Tiamiyu Savage, Akin Adesola and Bishop Oluwole and Ahmadu Bello Way being condoned off.

Elegushi reeled out traffic diversion in the area, saying that all traffic into the venue or location would be condoned off at Bishop Oluwole with participants parking at the Eko Atlantic premises. “For further movement, motorists are to connect to Karimu Kotun and further to Oloosa Street with that journey terminating at the Ocean View end by Eko Hotels.

“Those coming from Ligali Ayorinde and Ajose Adeogun will also terminate their journey at Eko Hotels. Even those from Civic Centre and Ozumba Mbadiwe will also terminate the journey at Eko Hotels. For those existing Eko Hotels, they will travel through the Roundabout to connect Sanusi Fafunwa through Akin Adesola,” he said.

Anofiu added that those returning to Ahmadu Bello would use Akin Adesola from where they could connect to Falomo, while those going to Falomo would use Akin Adesola to connect Falomo Bridge through Saka Tinubu through Karimu Kotun and Olosa Street.

“Since we are taking this route and restricting movement, we feel duty bound to provide information on alternative routes that people can take on the two days of the party. It is our plan to mount and deploy adequate traffic diversion signs and personnel to monitor and montage traffic. For the avoidance of doubt, the site of Eko Atlantic has been secured for parking by all participants who can bring their cars and park.

“We will also like to assure our people of our commitment to ensure that during the festival their plans and programmes will not be impaired in any way. However, it is pertinent for us to draw attention of all the residents of Victoria Island and all those visiting or transacting business in and around the venue to observe simple rules of engagement as enunciated by the traffic officer deployed. Obedience to traffic signs and rules and regulations are important if we are to do well in terms of traffic management,” he said.

-Kazeem Ugbodaga