THE Lagos State Government has begun the construction of a cultural village in the Iran area of the Alimosho Local Government Area of the state.
While speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of the cultural village on Saturday, June 11, 2022, in Alimosho, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Pharm. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf affirmed that the project would activate the rich and diverse culture and heritage of Alimosho.
Pharm. Akinbile-Yusuf also claimed that the village would promote the sustainable development of tourism as a viable sector of the Lagos State economy, adding that, upon completion, the village will position Lagos as the next tourism destination as it is expected to attract tourists to Lagos and increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the state.
“The idea of the cultural village is to replicate how the Yoruba people used to live in the past before the modern times and as a way of preserving our culture for the younger generation.
“It is designed to attract tourists from the diaspora; the project will include a traditional Oba’s palace with a complete Yoruba cultural setting.
“There will be shrines for the celebrated Yoruba traditional gods like Ogun, Obatala and Sango, among others.
“The village will also feature a research centre, a museum for the display of cultural artefacts, and shops for Adire makers where visitors can also have their Adire materials sown into a boubou while waiting,” she said.
The commissioner noted that tourists could also visit salons to have their hair made in the traditional style or eat at restaurants that will serve local cuisines and palm wine, among others.
Meanwhile, the Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Commerce, Industries and Cooperatives, Bisi Yusuf, said the project would be sustained by the community.
“The cultural village is a project that can transform the community, create jobs, and boost commercial activities while engendering prosperity for the inhabitants of the area,” he said.
The Chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA, Hon. Bola Sobowale, commended Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu for commencing the project, stating that the village would further develop the area and transform it into an important tourism site.
She assured the state government of the support and cooperation of all indigenes of the community, saying that everybody is looking forward to the speedy completion of the project.
