Governor Ambode, who addressed a mamooth crowd at the grand finale of the 2016 One Lagos Fiesta held at the Bar Beach front in Victoria Island to usher in the New Year, restated his commitment to roll out programmes and policies that will further showcase the progress the State has made so far.

“Our vision remains the same: to create a smart mega city where business and creative opportunity abound; where physical and social amenities are world class; and where lives and property are safe and secured.”

Governor Ambode while alluding to the fact that 2017 is significant as Lagos would mark its 50th Anniversary since its creation, said the State is exceptionally blessed with human and capital resources, which he said his administration will continue to explore to make life more comfortable for the people.

“Welcome to 2017, our anniversary year where Lagos is 50. Lagos, the smallest, the oldest, the richest, most populous and most prosperous State in Nigeria.

“We are undoubtedly the world’s largest and most celebrated black city state. But we also recognize the need to reflect and be strategic and this is why our approach to governance has been low in hype and flop but high in performance by keeping our promises to you at all times. We promise not to dissapoint you in this New Year,” he said.

He said the One Lagos Fiesta which ran from December 24, 2016 to January 1, 2017 was expanded to celebrate the inclusiveness and diversity of the State across the five locations including Ikorodu, Badagry, Agege, Lagos Island and Epe.

Governor Ambode also said that in recognition of the fact that the youth represent the symbol of the State’s verve and vitality, his administration will provided more platforms of opportunities in 2017.

“Let me personally urge you to take advantage of the various events in this year’s tourism calendar to showcase your skills and talent,” he said.

This year’s One Lagos Fiesta featured a talent hunt show christened ‘Lagos Got Talent’, with youths across the five locations showcasing their talents and skills in the areas of dance, rap, comedy and drama.

At the keenly contested finale held at the Bar Beach, Master Ogunlaja Ahmed aka Mr. Dollar from Epe Division emerged the overall winner with Blessing Akiote (Agege) and Flexible Twist emerging second and third respectively.

The winners were presented with mouth watering prizes while they were privileged to take photographs with the Governor and top dignitaries including Senator Solomon Olamilekan, Senator Ganiyu Solomon and former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba.

Artistes who lit up the state with scintillating performances include King Sunny Ade, Olamide, Tiwa Savage, Adekunle Gold, Dr. SID, Humblesmith, Vector, CDQ, among many others, while fireworks were on display to usher in the New Year.

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Governor Ambode, who spoke while flagging off the ‘One Lagos Fiesta’ at the Agege Stadium, said the programme was in fulfilment of his campaign promise, as well as improving on what he met on ground on all fronts.

The ‘One Lagos Fiesta’, an initiative of the present administration is tailored towards ushering in the New Year, is designed to hold between December 27, and January 1, 2016 simultaneously in five locations across the State including Epe, Badagry, Ikorodu, Agege and Lagos Island.

Speaking at the event, Governor Ambode recalled the last time he visited Agege Stadium during the electioneering campaign, saying he was back again to fulfill one of the promises made to the people then.

“The last time I came to this stadium was during the campaign and I came with President Muhammadu Buhari. The President has been so magnanimous, he has sent us the Minister of Information and Culture to come back here and say a big thank you to all of you.

“We promised you that we are going to bring governance to the communities; we promised you that we are going to have a government of inclusion where all of you will be included in everything that we will be doing in Lagos State.

“That is why we are here to say that ‘One Lagos Fiesta’ is about all of you and it is about the rest of Lagos. We want every youth and every parent to enjoy what others have been enjoying through the nook and crannies of the state.

“That is why we have decided to have a five-day programme that will be done in Badagry, Agege, Epe, Ikorodu and Lagos Island. This is the first place I’m visiting and that means you mean a lot to me,” Governor Ambode said.

The Governor said that his administration was working hard to make Lagos work for all, just as he assured that good things would start happening in Agege, and indeed in the whole of Lagos going forward.

Earlier, the Federal Government, through the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed hailed Lagos State for the innovative annual countdown event, describing it as the biggest of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mohammed also congratulated Governor Ambode and the Government of Lagos State for rejigging the event into what is now known as the ‘One Lagos Fiesta’ designed to hold simultaneously in five different locations across the State.

“Instead of the omnibus show that is usually held at the Bar Beach in Lagos, the State Government has now decided to organize the ‘One Lagos Fiesta’, starting from today, Dec. 27 and running through January 1st 2016.

“This will ensure that all the five Administrative Divisions of the State have a taste of the crossover celebrations. In addition to bringing the annual event closer to the people by staging it in Agege, Badagry, Epe, Ikorodu and the Bar Beach, the ‘One Lagos Fiesta’ will also showcase the multi-cultural endowment and arts of the various communities in the five administrative divisions of the state,” the Minister said.

He expressed hope that the Lagos countdown event “will become bigger and bigger and will form a major part of the annual Calendar of Festivals which we plan to unveil in the days ahead.”

Also speaking, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa thanked Governor Ambode for showing love to the people of the State, especially Agege, and promised the people that government would ensure that the next edition will be bigger and better.

Prominent musicians, including Dbanj and Seun Kuti, performed at the Fiesta.

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The “One Lagos Fiesta” was initiated by the present administration to complement and improve on the popular Lagos Countdown Musical Show usually staged annually at the Lagos Bar Beach from 27th December, to 1st January.

The Fiesta has now been decentralised to add fun and entertainment to the festive period across the State without excluding any Lagosian regardless of location.

To achieve this, the event will hold simultaneously in Agege Stadium (Ikeja), Badagry Stadium (Badagry), Ikorodu Town Hall (Ikorodu), Bar Beach (Lagos) and Epe Youth Centre (Epe) from 27th December, 2015 to 1st January, 2016.

Apart from live performances by over 50 top artistes that would be done across the five different locations, other entertainment fixtures packaged by the organizers for fun seeking Lagosians at the Bar Beach include bouncing castles for children, Three-A-Side football pitch for both adult and children, stands for various food and drinks and large dancing area amongst others.

Children entertainments are scheduled to run from 10am to 6pm daily while that of adults is from 7pm till dawn.

It is to be noted that all the sponsors partnering with the Lagos State Government, in addition to law enforcements agents, are fully on ground in all the five different locations to ensure smooth running of lined programmes.

Already the desired objectives of the Fiesta are already being met as fun seeking Lagosians were seen thronging Bar Beach Waterfront to catch the fun.

Dr. Kadjat Balogun of the Lagos State Safety Commission who was at the Bar Beach said the health and safety team was on ground at the venue to ensure that food and drink vendors are operating within set standard to ensure the safety of all participants.

She disclosed that the State Government has involved all relevant agencies and the Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas in the various Division to ensure a hitch free Fiesta,

Aside from giving Lagosians the opportunity to relax and end the year in happy mood, the Fiesta is also organised to promote tourism potentials of State as well as enhance the socio-economic well-being of the citizenry through increased commercial activities.

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