LAGOS TO HOST FIRST INDIGENOUS “QUEEN OF IBILE” PAGEANT, REALITY SHOW
Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has partnered with a private firm, Platinum Entertainment Limited, to host the maiden edition of “Queen of Ibile Pageant Awards and Reality Show” as a way of projecting the rich cultural heritage of all the five divisions of Lagos State.
The Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Solomon Bonu, who stated this on Wednesday at Freedom Park, Lagos, during a Press Conference and unveiling of the initiative, promised that the show would be historic.
Bonu commended the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of Platinum Entertainment Limited, Mrs. Olayinka Edu, who is also the convener of the Pageant Reality Show, for initiating a concept to complement Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s vision for the Tourism and Entertainment sector.
He said: “I commend the organiser of this show for this initiative because this type of innovation is what directly falls in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda of Governor Sanwo-Olu led administration. This show seeks to redefine the negative parts of the reality shows in Nigeria by promoting our real cultural heritage and also tourism in Lagos State”.
“Lagos is known as the hub of trade and investment in Nigeria, but this show will emphasise that Lagos is also a tourist destination for arts and culture. This show will identify with the uniqueness of the diversity of culture that Lagos State is blessed with, uphold our culture and tell our story to the entire world through its broadcast.”
Giving details of the event, the organiser of the Queen of Ibile Pageant Awards and Reality Show, Mrs. Olayinka Edu, noted that the event was designed to be strictly indigenous in content and will promote tourism in Lagos State.
Her words: “The mission of Queen of IBILE project is to shed more light on the unique identity of IBILE and provide lots of historical insight on the administrative divisions of Lagos State. This will be with proper research and documentation gathered from the traditional rulers of each administrative division”.
Mrs. Edu said that the idea of ‘Queen of IBILE’ was inspired by various happenings in Lagos, which include its numerous unique festivals, myths and royal coronation.
“Queen of Ibile is also a community-based project that seeks to debunk the popular notion of the big city of Lagos as a ‘No Man’s Land’ but as an indigenous State with rich cultural values”, she said.
The organiser also revealed that the eight-week Queen of IBILE Pageant would explore innovative ideas different content from the contemporary pageant shows, adding that the auditioning for the reality show would come up in September 2021.
