Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Pharm. (Mrs.) Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, has disclosed that the 35th edition of the National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST), being hosted by the State Government would be attended by over 7,000 participants from across the country.
She added that about 10 to 15 Ambassadors are also expected to attend the ceremony, particularly the Opening and the Grand Finale of the event alongside some State Governors of participating states.
The Commissioner made this known on Thursday while appearing on a Live Television interview programme on Lagos Television, tagged: “Lagos Today”, explaining that the Eko Nafest 2022 is scheduled to hold at the National Stadium, (National Institute for Sports, Surulere), and Mobolaji Johnson Arena, (Onikan Stadium), Lagos between Monday, 7th November and Sunday, 13th November, 2022.
Akinbile-Yussuf said that despite the large number of participants expected for the event, adequate arrangements have been put in place to cater for the contingents sponsored by the various State Governments.
She described the large number of participants that had already registered for the event across the country as impressive, saying that it speaks to the good image, and reputation of Lagos State and its wide acceptability within and outside the country as the preferred hub for culture, arts and entertainment.
The Commissioner also revealed that the platform made possible by NAFEST 2022 as well as the huge number of visitors that would be residing in Lagos for the seven-day event portends a great boost for the State’s commerce and economy.
She affirmed that throughout the one-week event there will be a major boost in hotel accommodation, transportation, an increase in sales among owners of small and medium-scale businesses as well as cultural exchange with other tribes participating at the event.
While noting that participation in the Eko NAFEST 2022 is free, Akinbile-Yussuf called on all persons interested in learning short-term soft skills to also take advantage of the festival to equip themselves.
Earlier in the day, the Commissioner had also featured on “Your View”, a breakfast show on Television Continental (TVC), where she affirmed that effective and efficient traffic management arrangement is already in place to ensure that the activities of the cultural festival do not have any untold hardship on Lagosians.
Speaking on the importance of the festival, she recalled that the National Festival for Arts and Culture, as well as the National Sports Festival, were the two major festivals identified for the restoration of cohesion and national unity immediately after the nation’s civil war.
Akinbile-Yussuf stated that the theme chosen for the EKO NAFEST 2022: “Culture and Peaceful Co-existence”, speaks to the country’s unity in spite of its diversity in culture and languages.
