The rich and brilliant display of culture bore
close resemblance to the world famous
Brazilian street carnival that is usually
marked by breath-taking music, dance and
colourful costumes. Indeed the event, the
Third Black Heritage Festival, put together
by the Lagos State government and its
private sector partners was a week-long
celebration and dramatization of the rich
and limitless resourcefulness of the Black
race.
Lagos Carnival damsel
While the event lasted, Lagosians were
treated to an eye-catching spectacle by the
participants who paraded the major streets
in different parts of Lagos dressed in
colourful attires and showing off their rich
cultural heritage. The carnival train passed
through streets such as Awolowo Road,
Keffi Street, Ahmadu Bello Way to Bar Beach
and ended at the Tafawa Balewa Square.
The costumes of the participants were a
sight to behold. The attires were made in
forms of insect wings such as butterflies
and weevils, as well as the petals of sun
flowers with others having the shape of the
moon and stars. Some participants also
showcased their dexterity with tricycles
built to look like fish and seahorse. Others
expressed themselves by displaying the
portraits of some famous Nigerians long
dead.
Speaking at the Lagoon Restaurant, Victoria
Island venue of the colourful opening
ceremony of the festival with the theme:
“Memory and Performance in the Return to
the Source”, Governor Babatunde Fashola
expressed confidence that the envisaged
performances would be a spectacle to
behold, one that would certainly have no
unparallel in the African continent.
Celebrating heroes
He said the ports and beaches of Badagry
which served a few centuries ago as the
point of no return for many African
brothers and sisters have been re-
christened the ports of triumphant return of
the long gone relatives from the Caribbean
and the Americas because of the Black
Heritage Festival.
He said: “As befitting the city of aquatic
splendour, there would be boat regatta on
the Lagoon and waterways starting from
this afternoon, and on land there will be
exuberant dancing and colourful costumes
and masquerades of the Lagos Carnival that
promise to turn the streets of Lagos into
one long gyrating movable feast on
Monday”.
Continuing, the Governor said: “We have
deliberately combined these events, the
Heritage Festival, the Boat Regatta and the
Lagos Carnival into a weeklong activity that
signals the emergence of Lagos on the
International tourist calendar in the season
of Easter, which is a global holiday period.
Conversely, through the Carnival, in the
pulsating and primordial poly-rhythm of the
African drums, the call and response of
drummer and dancer, we see the return to
the source of the musical spirits and energy
of African brothers and sisters from the
Caribbean and the Americas. We welcome
you all back home. With this, we appease
the masks of reconnection, revaluation and
re-vindication”.
He emphasised that many other events
have held in the State such as the recent
MNET Face of Africa that have reaffirmed
the views that Lagos is Africa’s fashion
capital, adding: “Lagos is one of the five
biggest economies in sub-Saharan Africa,
bigger than most African countries”.
Earlier in his welcome address at the
opening ceremony, Commissioner for
Tourism and Culture, Senator Tokunbo
Afikuyomi described the week long
ceremony as a festival of life and a
celebration of the re-union of the Black
people.
He said all the events at the ceremony will
demonstrate the infinite capacity of the
Black Race which would hopefully bring
about a brighter rewarding future to
everyone.
Also speaking at the commencement of the
Water Regatta, the Chairman of the Planning
Committee, Engineer Olusegun Jawando said
the programme was meant to celebrate the
acquatic splendour of Lagos.
Among the notable personalities who
attended the event were Deputy Governor,
Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan, members of
the State Executive Council, Nobel Laureate
and Consultant on the Festival, Professor
Wole Soyinka, Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan
Akiolu I, Oba of Badagry, Whenu Aholu
MenuToyi 1, some elected Local Government
Chairmen, Chairman of the Action Congress
in Lagos, Prince Henry Ajomale and many
other dignitaries. The First Annual Water
Regatta also drew participation from all
parts of the State while a number of
personalities from the private and public
sector added colour to the event with their
Jet Ski.
A capacity crowd of Lagos residents and
dignitaries from the United States and other
parts of the world on Easter Monday
thronged the Tafawa Balewa Square to
witness a beautiful display and scintillating
performances by various brilliantly attired
Fanty groups as the Lagos Carnival 2010
climaxed.
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