…Reveals Over 3,000 Nigerians Trained Through State’s Creative Initiative

…As First Lady, State Govt Hold Greater Lagos Arts Exhibition 

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday emphasized the power of artworks to drive social transformation and serve as a potent vehicle for information and reorientation, calling on artists to deploy their creative skills to fight societal ills.

The Governor spoke at the Greater Lagos Arts Exhibition which was collaboratively organized by the Office of Lagos State First Lady and the State Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture for young artists to showcase their talents, network with their peers and gain from the experience of veterans through mentorship.

Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat said since assumption of office in 2019, his administration had left no one in doubt about the desire to fully harness the largely untapped potential of the entertainment sector especially the creative arts component, including supporting and encouraging young talented individuals to grow and gain the exposure required to succeed in line with the THEMES Agenda.

“One of the things the state government has also done is to create what we call the Lagos State Creative Initiative. Using that initiative, we have trained over 3,000 Nigerians in different skills including films, and cinematography, among others and we used private sector experts to ensure that the beneficiaries are exposed to the best,” Sanwo-Olu said.

He explained that the art exhibition, with the theme, “Art in and for Transformation,” was designed to feature knowledge-sharing discussions by highly successful and award-winning professionals and that it was one of the several initiatives being implemented by the state government to realize the objectives for the sector.

“The theme of this event speaks to the power of artworks as potent tools to drive and influence social transformation through the message they communicate.

“This is quite instructive as there is the need to utilize different modes and media to effectively communicate messages and ideas, especially those that are meant to change the orientation of the general public on societal ills and their negative effects on the general wellbeing of the society,” the Governor said.

On her part, the First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu said the decision to collaborate with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture on the exhibition was borne out of the genuine desire to open up opportunities for visual artists who have proven to stand out in their artistic work, adding that arts had been proven to be a powerful tool which helps people communicate with the outer world and better understand their inner selves.

While commending the enormous contributions of artists to socio-cultural and socio-political development, she also challenged them to use their artworks to speak against ills in society, particularly the menace of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).

“With these special skills, you are a great contributor to the Tourism and Entertainment pillar of this present administration and this also gives you space under the Education and Technology pillar of the THEMES Agenda of the administration of Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.

“As opinion molders and great influencers of thought, I challenge you to be deeply involved and commit yourself to support this administration in stamping out the menace of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence from our society through the use of your artworks as a form of campaign against SGBV,” she said.

She also called on the artists to deploy their talents to fight child labour, sexual discrimination, and discrimination based on disability status, as well as enlighten the people on mental health, among others.

Earlier in her opening remarks, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Pharm. (Mrs.) Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf commended the First Lady for her consistency and commitment which, according to her, ensured that the novel Greater Lagos Arts Exhibition becomes a reality.

She said it had been established that art, in its various forms, is good business that deserves every attention and investment that is channeled towards it, adding that the exhibition was part of the intervention of the state government to give visibility to artists and their artworks in order to further deepen the growth of the creative industry.

In a paper presentation on the transformative power of visual arts, Prof. Kunle Filani said it was gratifying that Lagos had been blessed with a string of proactive and patriotic governors including Sanwo-Olu who continues to make transformational changes and promote visual arts.

To further deepen arts, Filani urged the state government to build its own museum and another iconic gallery of contemporary art, as well as embark on the acquisition of diverse artworks by Nigerian artists to decorate significant offices to promote culture and creativity.

He also advised the government to reignite the teaching of visual arts in secondary schools to ensure future citizens who are creative and people who can make use of critical thinking in their professional endeavors.

The event featured an art exhibition by 30 artists, panel discussion and participation of secondary school students.
[11:42 pm, 13/12/2022] Abiodun Ogundipe BEN TV: 2023: WE’LL SUPPORT YOUR RE-ELECTION, AYANGBUREN, IKORODU LEADERS ASSURE SANWO-OLU

Traditional rulers and leaders in Ikorodu division of Lagos State, as well as leaders and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Ikorodu-based social club, Oriwu Club, have thrown their weight behind Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for second term in office.

They said they are satisfied with the performance of Governor Sanwo-Olu in the last three and half years of his first term in office and therefore they will work tirelessly to ensure that he is re-elected in 2023.

Speaking during an official investiture ceremony of Governor Sanwo-Olu as the Grand Patron of Oriwu Club in Ikorodu on Sunday, the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, His Royal Majesty, Oba Kabiru Sotobi; a member of the Senate representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, President, Oriwu Club Ikorodu, Otunba Adekunle Oduborisa and his vice, Hon. Ola Animasahun, said the people of Ikorodu and Lagos State in general have benefitted a lot from the incumbent administration and therefore the governor deserved to be re-elected.

APC leaders in Ikorodu during a meeting with Governor Sanwo-Olu after his investiture also promised to deliver Ikorodu to the governor and other APC candidates in next year general elections by scoring 300 votes in each of the polling units in Ikorodu Local Government Area.

Governor Sanwo-Olu was decorated as the Grand Patron of Oriwu Club Ikorodu in recognition of his leadership and good governance in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, Oba Sotobi commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for the visible development in Ikorodu division, especially the establishment of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology and the ongoing rehabilitation of the Ikorodu roundabout to Sabo to reduce traffic gridlock on that corridor, with a call for the upgrade of Baales to first class traditional rulers.

In his remark, Senator Abiru said Governor Sanwo-Olu has exhibited courage in the midst of turbulence in Lagos State, noting that the governor deserved to be re-elected based on his performance in the first term.

He said Governor Sanwo-Olu has delivered dividends of democracy through infrastructural development for the people of Ikorodu and Lagos State at large.

The President of the Oriwu Club, Oduborisa, said the investiture of Governor Sanwo-Olu as the Grand Patron of the club was to celebrate the resilience and diligence of the Governor in the last three and half years.

Noting that a social club is not for socialising alone, but also giving back to the society, Oduborisa promised that Oriwu club which has done many Corporate Social Responsibilities in Ikorodu Division, will also renovate the Agbala Paediatric Centre, the first General Hospital in Ikorodu.

While reeling out some of his achievements and ongoing projects in the Ikorodu Division and other parts of Lagos State, Governor Sanwo-olu promised to support the social club to actualise the hospital project, which will impact on children and parents and also pledged to build a new General Hospital in Ikorodu within the next three years

“We will make life better for the people. I want to assure you that this government is committed and by the grace of God if you give us your support and we come back again, we will double our effort and commit ourselves again because the only reward for good work is for us to do more work. And it is only when we do that, that we can make our own town, city and state a place of choice,” he said.

Governor Sanwo-Olu while addressing APC leaders and members after the investiture ceremony, urged them to work for his re-election as well as the victory of the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other party’s candidates in next year’s general elections.

Speaking at the event, members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), the apex leadership body in Lagos APC, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye and Ashipa Kaoli Olusanya, assured that Governor Sanwo-Olu and other APC candidates will score 300 votes per polling unit in next year’s elections.

They said their plan is to deliver 205,000 votes out of the targeted four million votes for Governor Sanwo-Olu to be re-elected.