In what could be described as a reunion for all the Local Government Areas, LGAs and Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs within the Badagry Division of Lagos State, the ten councils in the division came together to celebrate the annual Black Heritage Festival in the ancient town of Badagry.
Badagry Division is one of the five indigenous divisions in Lagos State with the acronym IBILE meaning Ikorodu, BADAGRY, Ikeja, Lagos Island and Epe with Badagry comprising of ten council areas namely; Badagry LG, Amuwo Odofin LG, Ojo LG, Ajeromi LG, Olorunda LCDA, Badagry West LCDA, Otto Awori LCDA, Iba LCDA, Oriade LCDA, and Ifelodun LCDA.
The Black Heritage festival which is celebrated yearly took a different dimension this year with the convergence of all the council Chairmen and other principal stakeholders of the councils including traditional rulers at Marina in Badagry for the three days event.
The event which kicked-off with a Symposium on Friday climaxed on Sunday with a Family Picnic after the Saturday event which was an array display of indigenous culture peculiar to the various council areas as well as Boat Parade Competition among all the council areas usually called Boat Regatta.
Addressing the participants at the Day II of the event on Saturday, the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Arts and Culture, Mr. Solomon Saanu Bonu said that the celebration was in fulfillment of the mandate embedded in the Lagos State T.H.E.M.E.S agenda towards the development of Tourism and Economic Empowerment for the great people of Lagos State especially the Badagry Division and to encourage the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage within the area.
“One unique thing about the Badagry Heritage Festival is that, this will be the first time Badagry division will be coming out in this form to project the peculiarities of communities of each of the Local Government and Local Council Development Areas as one. This connotes the unity of purpose we have so clamored for as a division. It is also unique as we hope it will draw more international tourism investors to the area,” the Special Adviser stated.
According to him, the colourful celebration of the Black Heritage Festival in that manner sends a signal to all the residents of Badagry division about the disposition of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and his passion for the area aimed at promoting unity and progress.
While saying that the celebration shows how focused Mr. Governor is to the vision of the State for continuity and a greater Lagos, the Special Adviser enjoined participants at the event to continue to support the Lagos State Government in its quest to give the numerous tourism potentials in the Badagry Division the needed impetus and attention.
He appreciated the State Governor for granting approval for the hosting of Badagry Heritage Festival 2019 which is already in the State’s Tourism Calendar, just as he thanked all the Council Chairmen in the Badagry Division for their cooperation, responsiveness and support with the present administration in the State.
Earlier, the Chairman of Badagry Local Government, Mr. Segun Onilude whose council played host to other LGAs and LCDAs for the event, said that the 2019 edition of the yearly Black Heritage Festival was “a celebration of our unity and what makes the division unique. It is a unity in diversity.”
He recalled the days of District Councils which brought the entire stretch of Seme Boarder now under Badagry West up to Ajegunle under a single umbrella before the unprecedented growth of the region that resulted in the creation of different council areas, stressing that the idea to bring all the councils together was noble and very commendable initiative.
He said that the Governor did a reminiscence of the good old days and thus directed that the chairmen to come together and celebrate the richness and oneness of the division.
He expressed the belief that the celebration would herald good tidings that would make the division a cynosure of eye to other councils in the State.
At the end of the Boat Regatta competition, Ori-Ade LCDA came first, Badagry LGA second and Ojo LGA came third.
The annual festival is a feast of culture and history aimed to showcase the richness and diversity of the African heritage, celebrate African creativity with diverse performances such as traditional and contemporary dance, drama, music, expositions among others. The tradition and modern styles of performance are meant to provide visitors with a unique cultural experience in Lagos.
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