…Flags Off ‘One Lagos Fiesta’
…FG Hails Initiative
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Sunday restated his commitment to keep faith with the promise he made during the electioneering campaign to run an all-inclusive government, where every community will not be left out in the scheme of affairs.
Governor Ambode, who spoke while flagging off the ‘One Lagos Fiesta’ at the Agege Stadium, said the programme was in fulfillment of his campaign promise, as well as improving on what he met on ground on all fronts.
The ‘One Lagos Fiesta’, an initiative of the present administration is tailored towards ushering in the New Year, is designed to hold between December 27, and January 1, 2016 simultaneously in five locations across the State including Epe, Badagry, Ikorodu, Agege and Lagos Island.
Speaking at the event, Governor Ambode recalled the last time he visited Agege Stadium during the electioneering campaign, saying he was back again to fulfill one of the promises made to the people then.
He said: “The last time I came to this stadium was during the campaign and I came with President Muhammadu Buhari. The President has been so magnanimous, he has sent us the Minister of Information and Culture to come back here and say a big thank you to all of you.”
“We promised you that we are going to bring governance to the communities; we promised you that we are going to have a government of inclusion where all of you will be included in everything that we will be doing in Lagos State.”
“That is why we are here to say that One Lagos Fiesta is about all of you and it is about the rest of Lagos. We want every youth and every parent to enjoy what others have been enjoying through the nook and crannies of the state”.
“That is why we have decided to have a five-day programme that will be done in Badagry, Agege, Epe, Ikorodu and Lagos Island. This is the first place I’m visiting and that means you mean a lot to me,” Governor Ambode said.
The Governor said that his administration was working hard to make Lagos work for all, just as he assured that good things would start happening in Agege, and indeed in the whole of Lagos going forward.
Earlier, the Federal Government, through the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed hailed Lagos State for the innovative annual countdown event, describing it as the biggest of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa.
Mohammed also congratulated Governor Ambode and the Government of Lagos State for rejigging the event into what is now known as the ‘One Lagos Fiesta’ designed to hold simultaneously in five different locations across the State.
“Instead of the omnibus show that is usually held at the Bar Beach in Lagos, the State Government has now decided to organize the ‘One Lagos Fiesta’, starting from today, Dec. 27 and running through January 1st 2016.”
“This will ensure that all the five Administrative Divisions of the State have a taste of the crossover celebrations. In addition to bringing the annual event closer to the people by staging it in Agege, Badagry, Epe, Ikorodu and the Bar Beach, the ‘One Lagos Fiesta’ will also showcase the multi-cultural endowment and arts of the various communities in the five administrative divisions of the state,” the Minister said.
He expressed hope that the Lagos countdown event ”will become bigger and bigger and will form a major part of the annual Calendar of Festivals which we plan to unveil in the days ahead.”
Also speaking, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa thanked Governor Ambode for showing love to the people of the State, especially Agege, and promised the people that government would ensure that the next edition will be bigger and better.
Prominent musicians, including Dbanj and Seun Kuti, performed at the Fiesta.