Lagos State government earned about N1 billion from its 2012 countdown event, Lagos State Signage and Advertising Agency (LASAA) has said.
Assuring on the preparations for the 2013 event, George Noah, the managing director of LASAA in a statement, stressed that the Lagos countdown is about instituting an enduring crossover tradition, commerce, employment generation, leisure, entertainment and tourism. “Last year, about N1 billion was pumped into the Lagos State economy as a result of the countdown. About 1,000 people were employed including caterers, retailers, entertainers and security personnel. In addition, the Bar Beach stretch attracted over 200,000 people in ten days. What LASAA is doing on behalf of the state government is leveraging the proposition of Lagos as a premium destination for business and leisure,” Noah said.
LASAA said the event which is a world-class celebration of the end of one year and the beginning of another in Lagos State was conceived by the state governor, Babatunde Fashola, in order to put Lagos on the global map in the league of cities such as New York, Dubai, London, Sydney, and other major destinations that commemorate the cross over into the new year.
This year’s countdown festival, just like last year will hold at the Bar Beach stretch, Victoria Island and will commence on December 7, 2013 and culminate on January 1, 2014.
The Bar Beach venue of the event during the month of December usually becomes a beehive of major commercial and leisure activities thronged by thousands of domestic and foreign visitors who are entertained every evening by different artists at the instance of the title sponsor, Nigerian Breweries Plc.
The 2013 event promises to be more exciting, with the parade of over top 40 Nigerian artists including TuFace Idibia, Davido, Omawunmi, Bracket, J Martins, Morell, Duncan Mighty, Timaya, Wizkid, Banky W, Tiwa Savage, Wande Coal, D’Prince, MI, Ice Prince, Burna Boy and Iyanya.
This event is arguably the biggest New Year’s Eve celebration in Africa. The programme of the Lagos countdown officially begins when Governor Fashola officially “switches on” the Lagos Festival of Lights, heralding the holiday season which includes musical performances, games and family funfair. The event comes to a climax with a thrilling display of spectacular fireworks and laser beam. In December 2012, the Lagos countdown had a 45-minute display of fireworks, the most spectacular ever seen in Nigeria. The 2012 Lagos countdown was hosted by Ikponmwosa Osakioduwa, also known as IK with co-hosts Ariyike Akinbobola and Quest.
By: DANIEL OBI
