The maiden Afropolis Lagos Festival, an international festival of arts, creativity and innovation, has been declared open by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented at the event by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat.

Thr governor, during the opening of the festival on Saturday at the JK Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, said that the celebration of richness of African culture, arts, creativity, and innovation had become the commitment of the state government.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said: “This festival has become a unique gathering for us, a melting point of ideas where tradition and modernity converge, where we believe the past made the future.

He said, “This year’s theme, “the New Myth,” is a powerful and timely call for reimagination, renewal, and a fresh understanding of who we are as Africans and what we aspire to become. The myth that we have inherited from our forebears have been the foundation of our collective identity values and culture. These stories have carried the wisdom of our ancestors, guided our beliefs, and shaped our societies.”

He noted that as the world evolves, Africans must also recognise that its narratives must also evolve.

He said that the theme challenged Africa to create new stories that would not only honour its heritage but also speak to the modern African experience, stories that embrace Nigerian diversity, resilience, and limitless potential.

He noted that through history, storytelling had been a powerful tool for shaping societies, influencing mindsets, and inspiring changes.

Mr Sanwo-Olu added that new myths were not just about fantasies but about possibilities.

According to him, they are the imaginative spaces where dreams are made tangible, visions painted in bold colours, and the narratives of the African future can take shape.

Mr Sanwo-Olu further said that Africans needed new myths that would challenge stereotypes and break boundaries.

He noted that such myths must capture the spirit of innovation, creativity, and resilience and “that defines us as a people. Myths that can propel us towards a more inclusive, equitable, and prosperous continent.’’

According to him, Afropolis Lagos is an event that testifies to the boundless energy, talent, and potential that resides within our creative industries.

The governor called for craft that would shape the myths, define the future of the state.

He stated, “As we open Afropolis Lagos 2024, I encourage everyone to engage fully with the exhibitions, dialogues, and performances that will unfold over the next few days. Let us immerse ourselves in the beauty of our diverse cultures, learn from each other’s perspective, and leave this festival with a renewed sense of purpose and the commitment to creating and crafting new myths that will inspire generations coming behind. Let us write the next chapter of our story, where Africa is the author of its own destiny.’’

Earlier, the state Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Toke Benson-Awoyinka, told revellers to expect an engaging season from October 26 to November 3.

Mrs Benson-Awoyinka said individuals would be occupied with electrifying cultural performances, music and all, as the festival also focused on technology, innovations, creativity, arts, music, dance and more.

“This is what we are made up of in Lagos, this is about us, it is about music, dancing and our culture. Everything is not engineering or science. The festival will feature films, music, dance, comedy, poetry, games, exhibitions, panel discussions and more,” she said.

Also, founder of QDance Centre and initiator of the festival, Qudu Onikeku, said the vision of Afropolis coming to fruition was in the power of collaboration which Lagos’s slogan harped on.

Mr Onikeku said many brands had collaborated with him and the Lagos State government by putting in place pavilions such as vibe stage, groove stage, film lab, gemini gallery and more.

He appreciated the revellers for coming out in their numbers as well as the collaborators.

He said, “We have to learn collaboration, without collaboration Lagos will never be great, it is not easy because it is not about inclusion.This is our way of making Lagos a local hub for creative energy. Participants from over 11 countries have arrived. We have people from: Dakar, Cotonou, Colombia, The Netherlands, Cameroon, Ethiopia, UK, Germany, Brazil, France, Lebanon, Canada, Uruguay, the United States, Jos, Abuja and Kaduna.’

The highlight of the opening of the event was the scintillating drama performance by the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture,titled “Ijuba.”

Dancers from QDance Centre also displayed Oya dance performance and another on reincarnation.

(NAN)