20,000 Expected At Lagos Afropolis Festival

Over 20,000 participants are expected to converge on Lagos State for the maiden edition of Afropolis 2024 to celebrate African cultural heritage.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka, who spoke at a press briefing at J K Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Onikan Lagos, said the festival is being organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture in partnership with QDance.

According to her, Afropolis Lagos 2024, with the theme ‘We need new myths,’ is meant to open doors to new possibilities, foster connections that transcend borders, and showcase the incredible potential of the creative industries to drive economic growth and cultural exchange.

Soyinka said, “As we prepare to embark on this extraordinary creative journey, I am filled with pride and convinced that the rich cultural heritage and innovative spirit that defines Lagos metropolis and our lovely nation would further be projected for nine days.

“Acropolis is not just an event; it is a celebration of our identity, a showcase of our talents, and a testament to the power of creativity to unite and inspire. From October 26th to November 3rd, Lagos will become the epicentre of African creativity, welcoming artists, innovators, and enthusiasts from across the continent and beyond.”

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She added, “Acropolis is more than a festival; it is a platform for African creatives to unite, showcase their talents, exchange ideas, and collaborate on groundbreaking projects.

“It is a celebration of Lagos as the world’s largest black cultural melting pot, a city that continues to lead in various creative sectors such as music, fashion, gaming, tech, design, film, dance, AI, and research.”
In his comments, the Artistic Director of Afropolis, Mr Qudus Onikeku, said, “Afropolis is something we have been dreaming about for over one year. We have been working hard to give it an international festival. As we know, Lagos is the biggest black capital of the world. There is a need to make it the creative capital of Africa, but we don’t have a project to mark Africa Day, so we have to collaborate with other big cities.

“The programmes we have put together are for international artists. We must close down J Randle to celebrate with visual artists, exhibition, children’s games, musicians, and dancers, among others.”