Ambode made the promise in Lagos at the One Lagos Fiesta which started on Dec. 24 and ended on Jan. 1 at Eko Atlantic, Victoria Island.

“Congratulations Lagosians as I welcome you into 2018. We have every reason to believe that this will be a remarkable and special year for every Lagosian and for our dear state.

“Without a doubt, 2018 will be a unique year in our political trajectory. The Lagos State Government shall not relent in fulfilling it’s promises to you.

“I urge you to expect the very best this New Year, a year that holds such a great promise for all of us,” the governor said.

Ambode wished every citizen, every family and every community a remarkable and prosperous year ahead.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that over 300 music artistes and comedians participated at the talent hunt competition where three people emerged as winners.

Ambode gave cash award of N500,000, N1,000,000 and N1,500,000 to the third, second and first winners, respectively.

Some of the musicians at the competition included DJ Jimmy Jat, DJ Spinner, Adewale Ayaba, Humble Smith, Olamide, Wizkid, Adekunle Gold and Simi to mention a few.

David Adeleke, popularly known as ‘Davido’, during his performance told the technical department to focus the lighting on the revelers to illuminate the crowd as he wished them a happy New Year.

Mrs Angela Obey, one of the vendors, thanked Nigeria Breweries for providing the venue, ice blocks and other stuffs that aided the sale of the company’s brand of drinks.

“Some of my colleagues paid N75,000 for a space to do business here, but we that are selling NB products were offered spaces for free.

“NB has already taken care of all financial commitment and they just provided the enabling environment for us the retailers to take advantage of,” she said.

NAN reports that the security at the venue was tight, while exotic fire works illuminated the skyline as Lagosians were ushered into 2018.

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The Governor who flagged off the ceremony at the Agege mini-stadium in the presence of an army of youths who thronged the event explained that OLF, which has become an annual event in the tourism calendar, is aimed at promoting arts and cultural potentials of the State.

He said the event is also aimed at encouraging youths to develop their talents in the creative and entertainment industry to compete favorably with their counterparts from other parts of the world.

Represented by the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, Ambode added that the State government planned to use the platform to grow the local economy and encourage the development of small-scale businesses, stressing that the annual event is remarkable for promoting the growth of local entrepreneurs since it started three years ago.

Ambode expressed happiness that the annual fiesta was embraced by residents especially the youths while assuring that the government would continue to run an all-inclusive government where everyone is a stakeholder in the administration of the State.

He, therefore, called on the youths especially young entrepreneurs to take advantage of the fiesta to develop their businesses, noting that as an emerging megacity and the 5th largest economy, the government would focus on policies and programmes that would help to tackle the problem of unemployment and promote the growth of young entrepreneurs.

While declaring the fiesta opened, Ambode emphasized that the event which is staged in all the five administrative divisions of the state is free for all the residents to attend irrespective of their tribes, origins, ethnic backgrounds, colour or languages, adding that one of the strongholds of the success of the present administration is the peaceful coexistence of the people of diverse backgrounds living together in peace with one another.

The Governor wished every Lagosian a merry Christmas celebration and promised that the government would continue to implement people-oriented programmes and policies that would scale up infrastructure development and promote tourism. He also urged the people to continue to live together in peace and shun any activity that could promote hatred or disunity as the state matches on to a more prosperous new year.

While commending members of his team for their support and selflessness in the last two and half years of the administration, Ambode urged them to remain focused and committed to the policy thrust of building Lagos that will be the pride of Africa in terms of safety, hospitality, environmental friendliness, prosperity, unhindered business opportunities and tourism growth.

The event was well attended by people from all walks of life while different artists/ musicians staged live performances to entertain the audience.

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Addressing journalists at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, Ikeja, Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Aramide Giwanson, said the eight days non-stop Fiesta, which would hold in five different designated centres in Lagos simultaneously for eight days non-stop would consolidate on the success achieved last year.

She said this year’s edition would feature several A-list artistes, while several upcoming artists, dance group and cultural performances will combine to perform and thrill over 10 million Lagosians on daily basis for eight days.

Giwanson listed some of the A-list artists lined up for the Fiesta to include Olamide, Davido, King Sunny Ade, Adewale Ayuba, Salawa Abeni, Humble Smith, Small Doctor, Ras Kimono, Pasuma, Osupa, among others.

She said in line with the tradition, the event would hold across the five zones as it held last year including Ikeja (Agege Stadium), Badagry (Badagry Grammar School), Ikorodu (Ikorodu Town Hall), Lagos Island (Bar Beach) and Epe (Epe-Marina Beachfront), while the cross over night of December 31st into the New Year will hold at Eko Atlantic City.

“Tagged See, Feel and Explore Lagos, Lagos State Government with 2017 One Lagos Fiesta will round off and bid 2017 which has been a remarkable year of achievement farewell while a New Year is ushered in with arguably the biggest and the largest celebration in Nigeria with a record of 10million people in attendance”, Mrs Giwanson said.

The OLF, she said was specially designed to turn the five divisions of Lagos into a tourist destination for 8 days non-stop showcasing not less than 40 concerts all together across the city of Lagos while developing the local economy of these areas thereby making it self-sustaining during the festive period and after.

Lagos represent a diverse tribes and cultures of Nigeria with differences that typifies the philosophy behind the OLF which is the reason the administration of Mr Akinwunmi Ambode to position itself for project T.H.E.S.E. Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment, Sports for Excellence to drive and harness tourism in Lagos State.

The Special Adviser added that the same template, content and performance for all the venues as obtained in the previous edition would be maintained with little addition to give this year’s event a better edge, while noting that the only addition will be a new program titled Temitiyin.

“Temitiyin is a program conceived to recognize, promote appreciate acts of kindness by Lagosian and so individual from all divisions of the State who have displayed random acts of kindness to their communities will be shortlisted and one person per division will be honoured as winners.

“Our talent hunt program will also be slightly adjusted to discover, celebrate and reward youths in the State in the areas of dance, music, comedy, and other creative exploit with auditioning to start Tuesday 19th December to Thursday 21 December in all five divisions of the State and two qualified finalist from all the designated divisions will compete at the OLF with winners carting away between 150,000 and 50,000.”, Giwanson said.

Also speaking, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde assured that adequate security measures have been put in place to ensure safety of lives and property throughout the course of the fiesta.

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Governor Ambode, who stated this in Ikorodu at the ongoing One Lagos Fiesta, said his administration has perfected plans to use 2017 to rehabilitate all those involved in one form of criminality or the other and are ready to be law abiding, with the view to making them live normal lives and contribute meaningfully to the society.

While noting with concern the rising spate of cultism and other crimes especially in the Ikorodu axis, the Governor said in as much as the government has capacity to deal with such crimes, he nevertheless said amnesty is being offered to encourage those willing to turn away from their old ways and embrace new lives.

“In the last few months, we have been having a lot of challenges with cultism in Ikorodu area and a lot of issues that relate to kidnapping. So, we are going to strike a deal tonight, we are going to say no to cultism and then we are going to encourage all of you. Anybody who is a cult member, we are going to offer you amnesty. I want to use the whole of 2017 to rehabilitate all those who have been doing bad things; we are going to provide money and we are going to provide jobs.

“We are going to encourage ourselves; wherever you find somebody that is not doing anything well, you can either tell the monarch here or come to us, we will give you protection; we offer you money and then we are going to offer you automatic jobs. So, we all agree to say no to domestic violence, kidnapping, rape and no to cultism. Once you sign on, we would offer you anything that you want,” Governor Ambode said.

The Governor also stressed the importance of education and hard work to the youths, and urged them to strive very hard to be educated, and thereafter pursue their dreams.

While referring to an entertainer, Folarin Falana popularly known as Falz, who is a lawyer, the Governor said it was highly essential for the young ones to be educated before thinking of other things in life.

“What I brought to you tonight is to let you know that education is very important. You can be who you want to be. If I was not a Governor, I would be an accountant; if I was not an accountant, maybe I would have been an entertainer because I love music, I love arts, I love entertainment and that is why I want to encourage all of you, firstly, we must all be educated and then you can now use you creative talents to be who you want to be,” he said.

Addressing the mammoth crowd who came out in droves for the fiesta including monarchs, members of the State Executive Council, among others, Governor Ambode also urged parents to talk to their children on the need to shun all forms of crime and violence, assuring that the State Government would continue to device strategies and policies to give greater opportunities to the youths.

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Governor Ambode, who stated this in Agege while flagging off the One Lagos Fiesta, an annual end of the year revue put together by the State Government, said the ETF was specifically designed by government to create greater opportunities for the youths to be gainfully engaged and contribute meaningfully to the growth of the State.

The Governor said over N6 billion has already been earmarked to be disbursed annually through the ETF initiative, and that about N1 billion of the fund will be pushed to the Agege division.

“I want to encourage all our youths because we are creating greater opportunities for all of you. I want you to take opportunity of applying for the Employment Trust Fund. We have monies already established to take care of your expertise. Those of you who are very creative; those of you who are artistic; those of you who are entrepreneurial in outlook; we have money that we will be ready to give to you to start your own business.

“We have earmarked over N6 billion and we intend to push N1billion to this particular division. So, it is left for all of you to bring out your best. Whatever it is that you are doing, if you can’t get a white collar job, the ETF is there for you to help promote your business,” the Governor said.

While expressing the resolve of the State Government to use entertainment, arts and sports to promote tourism in the State, the Governor assured that his administration will continue to open up the tourism potentials of the State with the view to getting the best from the youths.

To this end, the Governor said by 2017, government would construct an Art Theatre and a Cinema in Igando and also build five new Theatre Arts in Ikorodu, Ikeja, Lagos Mainland, Badagry and Epe to give greater opportunities to the youths.

He, however, urged the people to remain peaceful and shun any criminal activity.

Explaining the rationale behind One Lagos Fiesta, Governor Ambode said it was a way of creatively engaging the youths to bring out the best in them, saying that the 2016 edition was arranged to be better, bigger and bolder than that of 2015, adding that a total of 40 shows would hold simultaneously for eight days in Badagry, Epe, Ikorodu, Agege and Victoria Island.

Earlier, Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa commended Governor Ambode for the initiative, especially for flagging it off in Agege, saying it was a thing of joy that people could have the best of fun in the area without having to travel to a far place.

He urged the people to maintain peace and say no to all forms of criminality.

“We are not just here to dance, we must take advantage of this fiesta to promote and advance the economy of Agege. We have to use this opportunity to showcase the good side of Agege to the world and as such, start thinking of what you can sell to the world. Let’s make this a world event that people will be looking forward to attend,” the Speaker said.

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Addressing journalists at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House in Ikeja, the State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde said in line with the vision of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, the event would continue in its tradition of holding across the five zones as it held last year including Ikeja (Agege Stadium), Badagry (Badagry Stadium), Ikorodu (Ikorodu Town Hall), Lagos Island (Bar Beach) and Epe (Epe Recreation Centre).

Ayorinde said this year’s edition would stand out as instead of the five days that it held last December, this year’s will run for eight days across all the zones, commencing from Christmas Eve on December 24 till the wee hours of the New Year.

He said the reason for the expanded fiesta was to keep Lagosians, especially the youths, happy and creatively busy.

“You will recall that we have just had a successful maiden edition of The Lagos Street Party (TLSP) last weekend, in which the popular Ahmadu Bello way in Victoria Island was turned into a carnival and concert ground.

“While TLSP delivered on its mandate to formally usher in the Yuletide season in Lagos and create an additional platform for creative enterprise to flourish, OLF will fulfill its traditional obligation of ending the year on an entertaining note and usher in the new year with fun and fanfare, while carrying along every part of the state in line with the governor’s electoral promise that no part of Lagos will be left behind,” the Commissioner said.

Ayorinde said this year’s edition of the One Lagos Fiesta would also see the introduction of a talent hunt exercise tagged ‘Lagos’ Got Talent’, which according to him, seeks to discover, celebrate and reward exceptional talents among the youth or the young at heart in the areas of music, dance, comedy and other creative stunts.

Explaining how the talent hunt would run, Ayorinde said that interested participants can register online at www.onelagosfiesta.ng as well as in the five zonal offices including Multipurpose hall of Eko FM, Agidingbi Ikeja, Divisional Information Office, Lugard’s House along the Badagry Marina, Divisional Information Office, Ikorodu, 1, Oriwu Street, Ita Elewa, City Hall, Lagos Island and Divisional Information Office, Epe, Chalet Road, beside Lagos High Court, Oke-Oyinbo, Epe.

He said registration for the talent hunt show would run till Wednesday, December 14, 2016, while those selected from the audition would have an opportunity to perform at the OLF stage in each location between the 24th and 30th of December with the two finalists from each zone slugging it out for the final showdown in Victoria Island on the 31st of December.

“If you are talented in any of these areas and you are looking for a platform to showcase your skills and begin a rewarding journey to stardom, then this year’s OLF is the platform you need,” Ayorinde said.

Also speaking, Co-chairs of the One Lagos Fiesta Committee, Acting Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon. Adebimpe Akinshola and Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Obafela Bank-Olemoh, said that winners of the talent hunt show would be handsomely rewarded by the State Government, adding that arrangements have also been made for varieties of A-list and upcoming artistes from all music genres to thrill participants.

They also assured that adequate security measures have been put in place to ensure safety of lives and property throughout the course of the fiesta.

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Security
As Nigeria’s economy suffers a near recession due to the falling oil prices, with 27 States out of 36 states in the country needing bail-out funds to offset salary arrears, Lagos has been witnessing an unprecedented influx of people from far and near, thereby putting pressure on social infrastructure and security.

Crime rate naturally increased momentarily but Governor Ambode rose to the occasion with an unprecedented donation of assets worth about N4.8bn to the Nigeria Police. With three patrol helicopters, two gun boats, drones, patrol vehicles and power bikes, Armoured Personnel Carriers, bullet-proof vests and other security gadgets while also rebranding the Rapid Response Squad as the “good guys” with insurance schemes against incidentals.

Ambode’s gesture has returned confidence to Lagosians and investors alike. He has taken the state’s Security Trust Fund to a new height and has smartly shifted the burden of responsibility in terms of policing Nigeria’s most-populated and prosperous state to the Police, which is no longer expected to offer excuses of being ill- equipped.

Roads
One of Ambode’s greatest assets is that he listens and is very responsive. He inherited a state whose inner roads were in a very bad shape. In an election year, road infrastructure tends to suffer since attention is usually given to political campaigns.

The rains also compounded the woes in a state that is already below the sea level. There were complaints and they got to Ambode. Rather than fret, however, he responded swiftly, first through Operation Zero Tolerance for Potholes across the states and then by reconstructing hitherto abandoned roads.

He has fully delivered the Ayobo-Ipaja Road and Ikotun-Ejigbo Road. Brown Street at Oshodi is half-way done; while a lane of the Okota-Ago Palace Way is ready for use this week, preparatory to its full completion in February 2016. More than 300 roads have already been repaired and rehabilitated across the states through the Public Works Corporation, thereby easing off traffic.

Nowhere is neglected, from Akilo Road in Ogba to Opebi Road in Ikeja and then all the way down to Oyinkan Abayomi Drive in Ikoyi, Ambode’s “roads to greatness” are visible. Together with the 57 Local Council Development Areas, a total of 114 inner roads – two per LCDA – have been awarded for completion next year and to crown it all, the governor has approved the construction of flyover bridges at two of Lagos’ most problematic traffic zones – Ajah and Abule Egba.

Economy
One key antecedent of Governor Ambode is the fact that he was instrumental to the frog-leap of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue from a paltry N600m to N6bn while he was Accountant General. And so, a competent manager of resources is expected of this Fulbright scholar.

In seven months, he has sufficiently demonstrated his mettle in this regard, by first restructuring the state’s exposure to commercial banks, thereby saving the state about N3bn monthly in debt servicing.

He has re-jigged the Lagos Internal Revenue Service to do away with multiple taxations but expand the tax net instead so that those hitherto not captured will be brought on board. He has sent to the House of Assembly the Employment Trust Fund Bill through which the newly created Ministry of Employment and Wealth Creation will administer a yearly N6.3bn intervention soft loan to stimulate to economy, sustain small businesses and create jobs.

Lagos Global, the office saddled with investment drive in the state has demonstrated capacity in making Lagos the bride to which every global investment suitor is attracted. Ambode has paid more than N11bn in pension arrears and benefits to retirees and has streamlined the issuance of Certificate of Occupancy to land owners.

And in ending the year, the governor practically wowed Lagos with a budget proposal of N665.588bn with a capital to recurrent ratio of 58:42 that proposes N383,678bn for capital expenditure. No other state; not even the Federal Government, has been this proactive with capital expenditure ratio in their budget forecast.

BRT Expansion
Social infrastructure has always defined the success of successive administrations, particularly in Lagos State. Ambode is on a smooth ride here with the commissioning of Bus Rapid Response (BRT) extension from Mile 12 to Ikorodu.

Through the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Ambode in November commissioned a project that included the widening of the 13.5km road with two additional lanes and the placing of BRT lanes in the middle of the road with over 400,000 passengers now being transported daily on the more than 400 brand new, high-capacity buses (which residents now joyfully call Ambode’s Buses) which now ply the corridor from Ikorodu to CMS.

Street Lights Project
When words filtered out that Governor Ambode might not approve the staggering N500m for Christmas decoration contract this year since the economy is such that requires prudent management, many thought he would be seen as not keeping faith with his promise of continuity.

But it has turned out that not only is the governor a prudent manager of resources, he is also getting his priorities right. He encouraged corporate players like banks to beautify Lagos with Christmas decorations as their own Corporate Social Responsibility while he chose to focus on an enduring beautification project for Lagosians – to light up the city-state. And to fulfill his promise, the Lagos metropolis has been lit up in the past week with Ambode’s street light project brightening up major parts of the metropolis from Victoria Island to Ikoyi, all the way down to Third Mainland bridge, down to Alapere, Berger and Ikeja-Ogba environ.

One Lagos Fiesta and inclusive government
One of the campaign promises of Governor Ambode is to run a government of inclusion and bring governance back to the people. He demonstrated this in September when he flagged off his quarterly town-hall meetings that saw him render account of his stewardship directly to the people.

He has promised that the town-hall meetings will move from one senatorial district to another in order to constantly feel the pulse of the electorates. But the governor has added to the layer in this yuletide season by expanding the erstwhile Lagos Countdown Concert to a five-day, five-venue all-inclusive celebration tagged One Lagos Fiesta.

Rather than have it in one day and at the Bar beach as was previously the case, Ambode has creatively decentralized the concept of fun, entertainment and culture. Each division in Lagos – Epe, Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja and Lagos Island – are now experiencing simultaneous end-of-the-year merriments with local as well as popular artistes sharing the state. Even politicians, traditional rulers and every stakeholder are now taking ownership of the project in their zones.

‘One Lagos’ has since become the buzzword all over town with the governor, who has now finally taken up residence in his official Alausa, Ikeja abode, personally witnessing the flag-off of the fiesta on Sunday at the Agege stadium where the Ikeja zonal fiesta is holding.

Healthy Lagos, healthy workforce
Governor Ambode recognizes that health is wealth and here is one area where his impact is being felt in spite of the huge challenges occasioned by the influx of people from other states and neighboring countries on Lagos hospitals.

The governor has improved on healthcare facilities in the state by injecting additional 46 ambulances to the existing pool with an additional 14 new ambulance points thereby bringing existing ambulance points to 25 all in a bid to reduce maternal mortality and tackle emergencies.

The governor has brought peace to the lingering crisis within the medical circle. He has stopped the contentious casualisation of medical doctors who were employed some years ago as casual workers by regularizing their employment status in the state civil service.

But he’s also aware of the need for a healthy and motivated workforce which is why he has also extended the Accident Insurance Policy for its workforce to cover accidents recorded outside working hours.

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From as early as 10am, adults and youths alike are seen trooping out in their hundreds to participate in the unique Fiesta holding simultaneously in all the Five Divisions, showcasing popular artistes with their soul lifting renditions, aside other attractions.

At the Epe Youth Centre, venue of the event in Epe, community leaders, youths, children and traders were full of appreciation for the State Government for giving them the opportunity to see, feel and enjoy the best of entertainment and fun hitherto restricted to metropolitan Lagos.

Children of all ages were also seen playing various games with some inside bouncing castles at the kiddies arena, while sponsors and traders are having swell time providing products and services and marketing promotions laced with fun to the delight of enthusiastic audience.

Major artistes such as Sound Sultan, Oritse Femi, Baba Dee, Konga and over 20 upcoming artistes thrilled the audience all day on Sunday, aside from the cultural and traditional plays and dances provided intermittently to promote the culture of the people of the area and also meet the expectation of older population and the hip hop infested youths.

A unique feature of the first day in Epe is the discovery of hidden talents, as youths displayed unique skills in dance steps, hip hop and local music genre, such as fuji.

Economic activities in the town is also upbeat following the presence of scores of traders making brisk business to over 5,000 fun seeking people who have thronged the venue from 10am till 12 midnight.

Expressing his view on the Fiesta, the Executive Secretary of Epe Local Government, Hon. Hammed Seriki lauded the State Government for ensuring an all inclusive, purposeful and unifying festival in the sleepy town of Epe, adding that the programme is a complete departure from the previous event whereby only those that can travel to Lagos Island during this period participated in the celebration at Lagos beach.

While calling on the government to make it an annual event, Seriki implored all the residents in Epe to fully participate in the five day fiesta in order to make it successful.

In Ikorodu Division, residents have unanimously commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for given them the unique opportunity of participating in the “One Lagos Fiesta (OLF)”.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the event on Sunday, the representative of Ikorodu Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Jimi Benson, gave kudos to Governor Ambode for decentralizing the Annual Fiesta, thereby making it possible for the grassroots to benefit from the fun and entertainment.

He acknowledged that the fiesta is in fulfillment of the campaign promise made by Governor Ambode to impact the grassroots positively and by extension align with Federal Government programme of positively engaging the youths in all its activities and programmes irrespective of location.

On his part, Majority Leader, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. S.O.B Agunbiade stated that OLF shows the important place the youths occupied in the programme of the present administration in the state and admonished Ikorodu youths to reciprocate the kind gesture by cooperating with the State Government.

In her speech, Special Adviser to the Governor on Culture and Arts, Hon. Akinsola Adebimpe said that the decentralization of the OLF by Governor Ambode is to promote tourism at the grassroots and create a platform for the upcoming young artistes to express themselves.

The Special Adviser further stated that the OLF has afforded the Ikorodu people the unique opportunity of watching live popular artistes like Tiwa Savage, Korede Bello and Don Jazzy whom they have hitherto been watching on the small screen.

Some of the artistes who performed on Sunday at Ikorodu are Bukola, Princewill, Peace Song, Extra, Luis Summy and A.B.
Also in attendance at the fiesta were top government officials such as the State Commissioner for Tourism, Hon. Folarin Coker; Executive Secretaries; Hon. Taiwo Orenuga (Igbogbo/Baiyeku), Hon. Muyiwa Adesanya (Imota), Hon. Ajetumobi O. Abdulrasak (Ijede), Hon. Adeola Banjo (Ikd North), Hon. Wasiu Adeshina(Ikd L.G.A), Princess Adunni Oyefusi (Ikd West), Chief Amos Ayodele, Comrade Ayodele Elesho, and Alhaji Monzor Olowosago.

Ikorodu Division compromises Ikorodu Local Government, Ikorodu West, Imota, Ijede, Igbogbo/Baiyeku and Ikorodu North Local Council Development Areas.

Also in Badagry, the people and residents of Badagry town and its environs have also expressed their joy and gratitude to the State government for decentralizing the annual Lagos Countdown as they trooped out on Sunday to the Badagry Stadium for the commencement of the expanded and improved version of the Countdown.

Declaring the event open in the area, the representative of the Governor, Special Adviser on Environment, Hon. Babatunde Hunpe, thanked the good people of Badagry for their support and understanding for the present administration, reiterating the administration’s commitment to providing the dividends of democracy for all and sundry.

He stated that the decentralized “One Lagos Fiesta” is part of the State Government’s fulfillment of its electioneering campaign as well as efforts at bringing the Yuletide celebrations to the grassroots in order to ease the stress of people attending the end of year celebration at a centralized location which is very far from them.

On their part, the Executive Secretaries of Badagry Local Government and Badagry West Local Councils Areas, Mrs. Elizabeth Kappo and Prince Agoro Adeoluwa Joseph respectively, have expressed profound appreciation to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the hosting of “OLF’’ in Badagry.

They both remarked that the Fiesta is a clear indication that the present administration in Lagos State is determined to ensure equal development across all the divisions of the State.

While Kappo disclosed that her Local Government has cancelled all sectional or street organized Christmas and New Year carnivals to ensure maximum attendance at the OLF, Prince Joseph on his part said he had directed that the council’s buses to be used to convey the people to the venue for the entire period of the show to achieve the objective of the fiesta of ensuring that all Lagosians feel the impact of the Ambode administration.

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The One Lagos Fiesta (OLF) is a five-day end-of-year celebration put together by the Lagos State Government and sponsored by Globacom. The celebration is happening simultaneously at Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos Island and Epe.

At the kick off of the fiesta in Ikorodu Town Hall on Sunday, the Globacom pavilion at the venue drew a huge crowd of Glo subscribers and would-be subscribers, who wanted to be part of the fun and entertainment provided by the foremost telecommunications outfit.
From “mock-on-the spot-kick,” to Snookers, Play Stations, Table soccer and other in-door games, Globacom gave more than enough fun to Ikorodu residents who thronged the venue of the fiesta.

The biggest point of attraction to the fun seekers was the Glo Man U point, where soccer lovers and enthusiasts were given the chance to play six shots at the “mock-on-the spot-kick” and score three goals to win some valuable prizes.

The soccer spot-kick game became the main attraction as both the old and the young from both sexes took turn to play and their “misses” attracted hilarious laughter from the spectators.

The first to win a prize was 54-year old Mr. Oluwasomi Ajayi, who scored three holes in the mock goalpost in six attempts. He was followed by an American returnee, Mr. Julius Obelana, whose sense of perseverance saw him winning a prize.

The “striker” for the evening was lanky Laizer Juwon, who scored three goals after just four shots from the spot. The spectators cheered him endlessly as he was rewarded with valuable prizes.

Oluwasomi in his response said, “I would not have felt bad if I didn’t win anything because the mere fact that Globacom is here today with all these games is enough for me.”

At the Agege Stadium Globacom stand, 18 year-old student of Sango Senior Secondary School, Benson Belumi won the dancing competition.

Belumi beat 21-year old Veronica Chibuzor, from Delta State to the second position to win N4,000 cash, recharge card running into thousands of Naira as well as Glo branded items. Belumi said he had been dancing since age 13 and would aspire to dance like the popular American artiste, Usher.

For Veronica, she has been dancing since age eight and would like to study Mass Communications as she aspires to be a broadcaster.

At the Bar Beach Stand of the telecom company, five-year old Chukwuemeka Chinemema stole the show by beating 10 other amateur dancers, including teenagers to go home with the winning prizes consisting of a Glo-branded bag, T-shirt, internet dongle and recharge cards.

She was so good that the audience rained cash on her while she did her thing, oblivious of the applause by the crowd.

Globacom also provided a platform at all the locations for aspiring entertainers including musicians, comedians and dancers to showcase their talents in front of an encouraging audience.

For the people of Epe and its environs, it was a pleasant surprise to witness a carnival of this sort with government and corporate backing. Many of the residents openly expressed appreciation to the state government for organising the event and to Globacom for sponsoring it. Lots of branded gifts were also won by fun-loving youths.

The story is the same at Badagry location of the OLF. Globacom’s Pavilion at Badagry was full of fun seekers who participated in different games. Winners were presented with valuable prizes.

Activities continue in all the Globacom stands in all the five locations till 31 December, 2015.

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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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