At the maiden edition of Our Lagos, Your Lagos also known as “Connecting Lagos Ambassadors Award” also known as CLA Award which was organised in Lagos, it was an avenue for connecting people to their culture as well as people generating possibilities, to award distinguished personalities who have contributed to the development of the state, among others. Omolara Akintoye reports
Nigeria’s culture is invaluable and priceless. It is what defines us as a nation. Without it, we lose our identity and it is important that all efforts are made to ensure that it does not dissipate amidst western invasion. This revival cut across all the facets of our social life: language, dressing, cuisine, social interaction, among others. People from all works of life gathered together to promote the culture of Lagos State and the event was held in Lagos, at Nike Arts Gallery, Lekki Lagos. The event which was tagged Connecting Lagos Ambassadors Award according to the Conveyor Our Lagos, Your Lagos and the Executive Director, Connecting Lagos, Aregbe Idris was organised to bring Lagosians together irrespective of their tribe. ” We started with Our Lagos, Your Lagos, which is about connecting Lagos with our culture, in terms of unity and prosperity. We believe Lagos is for all as long as
you are ready to add to the progress of Lagos” he said. Lagos according to Aregbe is a state that accommodate all irrespective of their tribe. “Our amiable Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode is playing his part and for us as citizens all we need do is to come up with different ideas and initiatives to support Akinwunmi Ambode’s laudable ideas’, he said.
Connecting Lagos , Aregbe further revealed is also about people generating possibilities in terms of business investment, tourism, arts and culture among others. “There is need for the older generation to connect with the new generation thereby tapping ideas from them. Connecting Lagos is about raising ambassadors then to appreciate them” he said. He however enjoined Lagisians to expect positive changes in the new year.
Speaking on the need to promote Lagos culture such as Olokun , Epe festival, Badagry Coconut among others, the Co- conveyor of Connecting Lagos, Founder, Nike Arts Gallery, Chief Mrs Nike Davies Okundaye, pointed out that there is need to connect people to their culture so as not to lose it.
Okundaye who lamented how the Western invasion is gradually eroding our culture, hence the need to revitalize it. Her words “Our children don’t know their traditional names any more, even such words as beach, they don’t know it in our traditional languages again. So if we start imbibing our culture into them now they won’t forget” , she said. The program she revealed is continuous will be organised every month. The next edition she said
will be to Connect widows on how to be creative with whatever they are doing so as to be economically independent. Okundaye who is a lover if
culture as this is evidence in her dressing enjoined Nigerian to be proud of their culture. ” I love culture a lot, I know that when you dress in your traditional attire, people love and appreciate you more, the more people can appreciate their culture, the better it is for us” she said.
The essence of Connecting Lagos according one of the awardees and President, Female Artist Association of Nigeria. Mrs Ngozi Akande is
an effort on the part of Lagos State government to appreciate people that have contributed to the development and sustainability of Arts and Culture in Nigeria. Speaking in the state of arts presently, Akande said Nigerian arts is now vibrant and enterprising in Nigeria unlike in the past. “Now, all
over the world, Nigerian arts is selling like hot cakes” she said. Other high point of the event was the award of distinguished personalities such as Mrs Paulete Vantrier, Honorary Consul of Belgium, Lagos, Otunba Tolani Oladipo, CEO Villa Picasso, Chief Diana Chan, Chairman GAC Motors, Mrs Ngozi Akande, President Female Artist Association, among others.
