Benjamin Omoike I Monday, May 07, 2018
LAGOS, Nigeria – Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture in Lagos state, Steve Ayorinde, on Monday, said the Lagos State Tourism Masterplan expected to be ready at the end of May, and which is geared toward showcasing and promoting the state in terms of ideas, long term investment, top notch infrastructure and human capacity development; necessary for the expected competition among tourism destinations all over the world, would be all encompassing, and would include ‘spiritual’ or religious tourism.
According to Ayorinde, who made the assertion at the yearly Ministerial Press Briefing in Alausa, Ikeja; the long term strategic master plan, which is being prepared by Messrs Ernst & Young, and which will be delivered at the end of May 2018, will focus on six sectors that include: Culture and heritage; film; art and entertainment; business tourism; nature and adventure; medical and wellness; beach and leisure.
The Commissioner said spiritual or religious tourism is not left out, even though it isn’t explicitly mentioned in the plan, stressing that a thorough look at the breakdown proves that all sectors have been sufficiently covered. He said when tourists come into Lagos, they would use facilities such as hotels, they would also use places of worship – depending on how long they were staying in town. He said such tourists would eat food in Lagos, buy products and do other related businesses in the city.
He was of the opinion that all of these, would in no small measure, affect all facets of the economy and increase the overall income of Lagos.
Ayorinde said the state’s proposal to UNESCO to be the global ‘Jazz Capital’ in 2020 was receiving favourable consideration, according to the Regional Director of the global body. He added that the state was ready for the hosting of three major literary festivals scheduled to hold in Lagos this year.
The three major literary festivals are Ake Arts and Books festival, which will make its debut in Lagos in 2018 after five years of being domiciled in Abeokuta; Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, Convention which is to take place this year in Lagos, and the Lagos Books and Arts Festival, which is the longest running literary festival in Lagos.
He noted that Lagos had continued to attract people and draw positive attention the world over, because of its huge commercial activities and tourism potentials.
“Recently, John Gboyega, a British-born Nigerian, made his intention known to shoot a film in Lagos, which is to gulp nine billion naira. This is massive considering the amount of money involved and the lives that would be touched by such huge investment coming into Lagos. Also, Lupita Nyong’o, a Kenyan-born Hollywood star, will be filming Chimamanda Adichie’s ‘Americanah’ in Lagos. All these are coming at a time when the Lagos state governor, Mr Akinwumi Ambode, is doing everything possible to improve on the development of Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment and Sporting excellence in the state,” he said.
Ayorinde said the state’s Censors board was enjoying a good working relationship with the national video and censors board, especially as regards dealing with adult content films showcasing indecent exposures. He said the presence of such contents and materials wasn’t limited to Lagos alone, but that it was indeed, a nationwide challenge, due largely to piracy.
He stressed that such materials were pirated copies which remain banned. According to him, “pornographic films are not allowed and those who patronise them are also guilty. As a matter of fact, recently, the Federal Government set up a committee to address the matter.”
