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SOME Caribbean countries have indicated that they will participate in the forthcoming Badagry Heritage Festival and will use their presence to boost the economy of the ancient city.
Mr Olusegun Onilude, the Chairman, Badagry Local Government, and chairman of the local organizing committee of the festival confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Badagry, Lagos State.
He said, “Caribbean countries such as the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Nigerians from the diaspora will participate in the festival which will make the event more attractive and colourful.
“Their presence will also help to reflate the economy of the town and the state.’’
Onilude said that the local organising committee had put necessary machinery in motion to ensure that both the guests and visitors from the Caribbean countries would enjoy their stay during the festival.
He said that many economic benefits would accrue to the residents of Badagry during the period because both local and foreign guests and visitors would be spending both local and international currencies.
“Foreign visitors and guests will be staying in hotels in and around Badagry during the period and will have to pay for services to be rendered to them by the operators.
“They will be eating our local foods, our taxis will be transporting them to various tourist and historic sites such as the Point-Of-No Return, the first storey building in Nigeria, markets, museums and others.
“They will be buying our local souvenirs and memorabilia to remember when they visited Badagry in particular and Nigeria in general.
“The one-week long Badagry Heritage Festival will stimulate the local economy as we project that 3.6 billion transactions will take place,’’ Oniluide said.
He said that local businesses like hotels, museums, markets, tour sites and other major attractions would be involved and this in turn would help in improving the economy of the ancient city.
The council chairman said that residents of the city who had various businesses and talents would have a platform to display and showcase their businesses which in turn would help to improve their lifestyles.
“We intend to make the Badagry Heritage Festival the most attractive one in the country and the world,” he said.
Onilude said that nine other local government under the Badagry Division would participate in this year’s edition which would promote and showcase the unique cultures and traditions of the Egun and Owori people of Badagry.
“Our culture is unique and different from other cultures in the country and the festival is the platform we shall use to display our cultural values. (NAN)
– Jul. 25, 2018 @ 11:17 GMT |
Tags: Caribbean countries’ participation to boost economy of Badagry during heritage festival says LG chairman
