LAGOS COMMENCES CULTURAL VILLAGE PROJECT IN ALIMOSHO
The Lagos State Government has commenced the construction of a Cultural Village at Ijan in Alimosho Local Government Area of the State.
Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Cultural Village, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Pharm. (Mrs.) Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, said the project will activate the rich, diverse human culture and heritage resources in Alimosho as well as promote the sustainable development of tourism as a viable sector of the economy.
She added that, upon completion, the centre will position Lagos as the next tourism destination as it is expected to attract tourists to Lagos and increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the State.
In her words: “The idea of the Cultural Village is to replicate how the Yoruba people used to live in the past before the modern times and as a way of preserving our culture for the younger generation. It is also designed to attract tourists from the diaspora to the State”.
“The project will also include a traditional Oba’s Palace with a complete Yoruba Cultural setting. There will be shrines for the celebrated Yoruba Traditional gods like Ogun, Obatala and Sango among others. The village will also feature a research centre, a museum for the display of cultural artefacts, and shops for adire makers where visitors can also have their adire materials sown into a boubou while waiting. Tourists can also visit saloons to have their hair made in the traditional style or eat at restaurants that will serve local cuisines and palm wine among others”, she added.
In his remarks, the Honourable Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Commerce, Industries and Cooperatives, Mr. Bisi Yusuf, said the project had been in the pipeline and will be sustained by the community.
He expressed gratitude to the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture for seeing the larger picture and realising the project’s tourism potential for the State.
“The Cultural Village is a project that can transform the community, create jobs and boost commercial activities while engendering prosperity for the inhabitants of the area”, Yusuf said.
Commending the Lagos State Government for giving tourism the priority it deserves, the legislator praised Pharm. Akinbile-Yusuf for bringing innovation to the tourism sector.
The Chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA, Mrs. Bola Sobowale commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for starting the project, noting that it will further develop the area and transform it into an important tourism site.
She assured the State Government of the support and cooperation of all indigenes of the community, stating that everybody is looking forward to the speedy completion of the project.
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PIX 1-5: Images from the groundbreaking of the Cultural Village Project at Ijan in Alimosho Local Government Area of the State.
