The organisers got the venue right: the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan Stadium, which not only boasts a beautiful space but is also comparatively central for both Island and mainland residents. It was also large enough to be skillfully partitioned to accommodate the versatility of the festival: market, lifestyle and entertainment. This is as the enclosed structure of the stadium aided security control, so that the 72 hours the event lasted unfolded without any bad incident.
It is true that trade fairs and musical fiestas are no new elements in the ‘Centre of Excellence’ that Lagos prides itself to be. But the new spectacle — the Lagos Shopping Festival — is unique in the sense that it is like dancing while you shop, or vice versa. While the festival provided Lagosians and tourists a good platform to buy and sell, it also brought stakeholders to network in an atmosphere filled with festivity, music and more vibes.
There was something for everyone at the festival arena as the kids and adults had a swell time at the grotto and game hub. And what is a shopping festival without enticing discounts? Various vendors attracted patronage by offering significant discounted prices of their goods and services to their teeming customers.
Besides, unlike some other entertainment events where only everyday people go to catch fun, the Lagos Shopping Festival attracted both the low and the high. This was due to the fact that it accommodated business and pleasure just as the establishment of the VIP haven within the arena gave dignitaries the confidence to partake in the feast. No wonder, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who, through the project has recorded another first, described it as a novel fusion of commerce and entertainment.
On the essence of the festival, the governor, who, interestingly, had powered and declared open the Afropolis Festival weeks ago, likened the Lagos Shopping Festival to similar ones in Istanbul, Turkey and Dubai. He expressed the belief that it would further consolidate the city’s status as a major commercial hub in the continent and indeed her entertainment capital.
“The Lagos Shopping Festival is more than just an event; it represents a fusion of commerce and entertainment. It will not only support local businesses and create opportunities but also showcase the vibrant spirit of Lagos, positioning our state as a hub for tourism, commerce, and entertainment in Africa”, Sanwo-Olu posted on his official X (Twitter) handle.
Cementing his belief in the project, the governor had led many dignitaries to the opening ceremony, inspiring participants and earning accolades from them.
Also, according to a statement, the governor, who was full of praise for the organisers, multiple award-winning Chain Reactions Africa — one of Africa’s leading Public Relations Consulting firms — commended them for giving Lagos State another pillar upon which a solid festival economy is being erected.
Sanwo-Olu said: “We are gradually building a festival economy for our great State. This idea of a 72-hour shopping festival is another strategic pillar on which the full edifice of a festival economy at Yuletide can rest”.
He noted with satisfaction how thousands of young people were gainfully engaged within the event management and commercial value chain of the Lagos Shopping Festival around design, set-up of the stage set, the sound system, the lighting system, crowd control, the volunteer network, ambience branding, and exhibition booth installation, to mention but a few.
He thanked officials of Lagos Traffic Management Authority, the security and safety agencies who worked round the clock at the first-of-its-kind festival in Africa, pointing out that the fact that the 72-hour non-stop shopping and entertainment event was concluded without any hitch or medical emergency was a testament to the excellent organisational skills of the organisers and the roles of the state agencies as enablers.
The governor said that the maiden edition was about strategic scaling and optimisation of small businesses, connecting shoppers with Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises.
Sanwo-Olu also thanked some of the leading brands — Tolaram Group, Guinness Nigeria, Zenith Bank, and First Bank — for rallying corporate sponsorship for the successful hosting of the maiden edition of the festival.
In all, the Lagos Shopping Festival was a hugely successful one as it was a product of a good and fermented vision, quality planning and execution. Also, the timing was right as all and sundry were in a tourism mood by the last week of December. Yet, another plus for it was the choice of the artistes who graced the stage. These included Adekunle Gold, Wande Coal and Teni, who are not just international brands but are also deeply rooted in Lagos. Others included Bnxn, Young Jonn and Ayo Maff, alongside top DJs, DJ Neptune and Six Seven.
As the Lagos Shopping Festival debuts in the city of aquatic splendor it only lends credence to its reputation as a premium tourist destination.
