Taking place every August on the streets of London W11, Notting Hill Carnival parades amazing array of colours, sounds, sights and social solidarity and as such, the carnival presents a rare opportunity for Lagos State, one of the most populous cities in Africa, to showcase its love, peace and oneness, branded as “One Lagos”.
Across the United Kingdom, friends and lovers of the state converged on the Nigerian Corner, Adelaja Street to celebrate Lagos brand during the 50th edition of the carnival and market what the state has been able to achieve under the administration of Akinwunmi Ambode.
Beyond the glitz that attracted huge enthusiasts to Adelaja Street, the popular Nigerian Corner at Notting Hill Carnival was transformed to Lagos Corner as part of the Lagos branding campaign tagged LoveLagosWeekend, starting on August 27 and ended on August 29.
At Lagos Corner, a cross section of audiences and artistes from Nigeria performed to the amazement of fun-seekers during the three-day campaign, which brought dynamism to the way Notting Hill Carnival had been celebrated in the last 50 years. The artistes include the Rain Maker, Majek Fashek, May7ven, Shikane, Ade Swagz and Ceeboy.
The campaign was anchored by ace comedian and compere, Gbenga Adeyinka, the First. Also in attendance were DJ Abass, Shope Olajide, Wale Gates and MC Momelo. At the VIP section were Yeni Kuti, Nikki Laoye, Kemi Otegbade, Kaita Okeowo, Seyi Brown, Ayo Shonaiya, Sammy Okposo, Drew Uyi, Mofe Duncan and Timi Adegbite.
Aside the excitement and glamour that erupted at Lagos Corner, the message of LoveLagosWeekend was indeed irresistible. The Lagos State Government staged for a grand purpose, according to the Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde. He said it was put together to sell Lagos and unite its friends and lovers in the diaspora.
For Ayorinde, the gains of LoveLagosWeekend demonstrate Lagos potentials in arts, entertainment and tourism. He said it was in line with Ambode’s vision to use arts, entertainment and tourism “to promote social cohesion and create employment opportunities. The carnival offered rare platform to market Lagos globally.”
Consequently, the commissioner explained the objectives of the campaign, which he said, “are to create awareness on the Ambode administration; provide platform for interaction with Lagos indigenes and lovers of the state in the Diaspora and market the state to potential investors that can contribute towards the Lagos@50 celebrations.”
Mr. Ayo Sonaiya, the Promoter of Lagos Corner, was more excited at the historic celebration. Sonaiya told the mass of Lagos friends and lovers that transforming Nigerian Corner to Lagos Corner “is a dream fulfilled.” At the grand finale of LoveLagosWeekend, Sonaiya said the campaign “coincides with the Notting Hill Carnival’s 50th edition.”
He, therefore, said he was excited that at a time that Lagos State “is counting down to its 50th anniversary,” which he said, had been seized by the Ambode administration as one huge platform “to reach out to millions of Nigerians and Lagosians in particular in Diaspora.
“Notting Hill Carnival has just celebrated its 50th edition. Lagos seized the platform to message the world and showcase the emerging powerful brand it has become under the Ambode administration, especially in the areas of arts and entertainment and in connecting with the Diaspora about the great things being recorded.”
For Sonaiya, Lagos Corner will always provide a veritable platform for performing artistes from Lagos State to showcase their talents. But beyond showcasing their talents, Sonaiya said, Lagos Corner will further give verve to Brand Lagos as the home of creativity, thereby imprinting in the mind of global investors what Lagos indeed stands for.
Excited by the gains of LoveLagosWeekend, Ayorinde said the campaign started last Saturday with a town hall meeting and media parley, which he said, was addressed by the top officials of the state. He said it continued Saturday evening on at I Laugh with MC Abbey and the Love Lagos Crack Ya Ribs with Julius Agwu on Sunday.
LoveLagosWeekend was not just a three-day campaign, according to the commissioner. Indeed, he explained, it was a three-day campaign designed to communicate the Lagos tourism brand initiative to the world. The master brand for Lagos tourism initiative is One Lagos. The initiative speaks to the oneness, multicultural nature and unity in diversity of the state.”
Ayorinde, quickly, reflected how the festival of One Lagos kicked off last December in “five administrative zones that constitute Lagos. The festival brought Lagos residents of diverse ethno-religious backgrounds together. It was the fiesta of peace and oneness, which Lagos residents and engage the youths meaningfully.”
So, the commissioner said One Lagos “is a huge brand on its own. It is an initiative that has taken shape in the state. But the slogan for that brand initiative is Love Lagos, which is our way of urging the world to take note and connect with us.
“The Love Lagos Weekend in London was also in sync with the plan of the Ambode administration to celebrate Lagos on the 27th day of every month till May 27, 2017 when Lagos will celebrate its 50th anniversary as a state in full glare of the world.
“London and Lagos have a long rich history and choosing to start the global brand awareness campaign for Lagos in London is the right thing to do given the huge number of Lagosians and Friends of Lagos that reside and work there,” the commissioner explained.
Ayorinde said the campaign recorded huge success within three days the state government publicised Brand Lagos “to the world. The state continues to record successes in infrastructural development, investment drive and promotion of Arts and Culture. The next stop for Lagos Brand is now at the Toronto Independent Film Festival in September.
Just before the LoveLagosWeekend campaign took off last weekend, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the London–based BEN TV, Alistair Soyode had associated with the success of what Lagos State “has been doing to tell the world about Lagos and its potentials.”
Soyode’s real reason for associating Lagos was “to intimate the state government on the activities of London–based BEN TV. However, he explained the rationale behind the establishment of Nigerian Diaspora Mentoring Corp, which he said, was aimed at creating a platform “to engage Nigerian youth for gainful ventures.
“The Corp has been able to provide a platform to engage professional Nigerians in Diaspora to interact with the Nigerian youth for purposeful direction in adjusting to adulthood, noting that private individuals are more available to render such support and give them needed leadership direction,” Soyode explained.
Across the United Kingdom, friends and lovers of the state converged on the Nigerian Corner, Adelaja Street to celebrate Lagos brand during the 50th edition of the carnival and market what the state has been able to achieve under the administration of Akinwunmi Ambode.
Beyond the glitz that attracted huge enthusiasts to Adelaja Street, the popular Nigerian Corner at Notting Hill Carnival was transformed to Lagos Corner as part of the Lagos branding campaign tagged LoveLagosWeekend, starting on August 27 and ended on August 29.
At Lagos Corner, a cross section of audiences and artistes from Nigeria performed to the amazement of fun-seekers during the three-day campaign, which brought dynamism to the way Notting Hill Carnival had been celebrated in the last 50 years. The artistes include the Rain Maker, Majek Fashek, May7ven, Shikane, Ade Swagz and Ceeboy.
The campaign was anchored by ace comedian and compere, Gbenga Adeyinka, the First. Also in attendance were DJ Abass, Shope Olajide, Wale Gates and MC Momelo. At the VIP section were Yeni Kuti, Nikki Laoye, Kemi Otegbade, Kaita Okeowo, Seyi Brown, Ayo Shonaiya, Sammy Okposo, Drew Uyi, Mofe Duncan and Timi Adegbite.
Aside the excitement and glamour that erupted at Lagos Corner, the message of LoveLagosWeekend was indeed irresistible. The Lagos State Government staged for a grand purpose, according to the Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde. He said it was put together to sell Lagos and unite its friends and lovers in the diaspora.
For Ayorinde, the gains of LoveLagosWeekend demonstrate Lagos potentials in arts, entertainment and tourism. He said it was in line with Ambode’s vision to use arts, entertainment and tourism “to promote social cohesion and create employment opportunities. The carnival offered rare platform to market Lagos globally.”
Consequently, the commissioner explained the objectives of the campaign, which he said, “are to create awareness on the Ambode administration; provide platform for interaction with Lagos indigenes and lovers of the state in the Diaspora and market the state to potential investors that can contribute towards the Lagos@50 celebrations.”
Mr. Ayo Sonaiya, the Promoter of Lagos Corner, was more excited at the historic celebration. Sonaiya told the mass of Lagos friends and lovers that transforming Nigerian Corner to Lagos Corner “is a dream fulfilled.” At the grand finale of LoveLagosWeekend, Sonaiya said the campaign “coincides with the Notting Hill Carnival’s 50th edition.”
He, therefore, said he was excited that at a time that Lagos State “is counting down to its 50th anniversary,” which he said, had been seized by the Ambode administration as one huge platform “to reach out to millions of Nigerians and Lagosians in particular in Diaspora.
“Notting Hill Carnival has just celebrated its 50th edition. Lagos seized the platform to message the world and showcase the emerging powerful brand it has become under the Ambode administration, especially in the areas of arts and entertainment and in connecting with the Diaspora about the great things being recorded.”
For Sonaiya, Lagos Corner will always provide a veritable platform for performing artistes from Lagos State to showcase their talents. But beyond showcasing their talents, Sonaiya said, Lagos Corner will further give verve to Brand Lagos as the home of creativity, thereby imprinting in the mind of global investors what Lagos indeed stands for.
Excited by the gains of LoveLagosWeekend, Ayorinde said the campaign started last Saturday with a town hall meeting and media parley, which he said, was addressed by the top officials of the state. He said it continued Saturday evening on at I Laugh with MC Abbey and the Love Lagos Crack Ya Ribs with Julius Agwu on Sunday.
LoveLagosWeekend was not just a three-day campaign, according to the commissioner. Indeed, he explained, it was a three-day campaign designed to communicate the Lagos tourism brand initiative to the world. The master brand for Lagos tourism initiative is One Lagos. The initiative speaks to the oneness, multicultural nature and unity in diversity of the state.”
Ayorinde, quickly, reflected how the festival of One Lagos kicked off last December in “five administrative zones that constitute Lagos. The festival brought Lagos residents of diverse ethno-religious backgrounds together. It was the fiesta of peace and oneness, which Lagos residents and engage the youths meaningfully.”
So, the commissioner said One Lagos “is a huge brand on its own. It is an initiative that has taken shape in the state. But the slogan for that brand initiative is Love Lagos, which is our way of urging the world to take note and connect with us.
“The Love Lagos Weekend in London was also in sync with the plan of the Ambode administration to celebrate Lagos on the 27th day of every month till May 27, 2017 when Lagos will celebrate its 50th anniversary as a state in full glare of the world.
“London and Lagos have a long rich history and choosing to start the global brand awareness campaign for Lagos in London is the right thing to do given the huge number of Lagosians and Friends of Lagos that reside and work there,” the commissioner explained.
Ayorinde said the campaign recorded huge success within three days the state government publicised Brand Lagos “to the world. The state continues to record successes in infrastructural development, investment drive and promotion of Arts and Culture. The next stop for Lagos Brand is now at the Toronto Independent Film Festival in September.
Just before the LoveLagosWeekend campaign took off last weekend, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the London–based BEN TV, Alistair Soyode had associated with the success of what Lagos State “has been doing to tell the world about Lagos and its potentials.”
Soyode’s real reason for associating Lagos was “to intimate the state government on the activities of London–based BEN TV. However, he explained the rationale behind the establishment of Nigerian Diaspora Mentoring Corp, which he said, was aimed at creating a platform “to engage Nigerian youth for gainful ventures.
“The Corp has been able to provide a platform to engage professional Nigerians in Diaspora to interact with the Nigerian youth for purposeful direction in adjusting to adulthood, noting that private individuals are more available to render such support and give them needed leadership direction,” Soyode explained.
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