The Lagos State Government has disclosed that it had identified Badagry and Epe as two approved locations proposed for creation of craft villages.
Badagry will serve as the pilot phase for the project, such that could provide stakeholders within creative sector avenue ease of doing business and opportunity to train new breeds of talents.
It explained that, due to the two towns’ contributions to historical growth of Lagos, its plan was to begin first phase of the proposed craft villages in Badagry and later take other phase to Epe, and that the state had commenced consultations and discussions on how it could create state-owned craft communities at the two axis of the state.
Specifically, the government’s aim was to create a platform that would help the state attract foreign investors, promote its creative market, and give operators in the industry opportunities to showcase their works.
The Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Tourism, Art and Culture, Solomon Bonu, indicated that the state government had begun discussions with stakeholders within the creative sector on how both the state and operators could create craft villages that would serve as communities for retailing of jobs, showcasing of talents and training aspiring students.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to Nike Art Gallery recently in Lagos, Bonu said that Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had given Ministry of Tourism, Art and Culture mandate on creation of craft villages in both Badagry and Epe, and that the move was part of the governor’s T. H. E. M.E.S. agenda aimed at boosting tourism.
He said that the plan of the state government was not just to create craft communities but build a market where collection of creativities would be valued and not be underpriced.
Bonu noted that there were enormous talents seeking platforms to showcase their skills and that days of creativity being wasted would soon come to end once villages were put in place at the identified locations.
According to him, Sanwo-Olu had authorized Ministry of Tourism, Art and Culture to go ahead in creating craft villages considered to be needed for boosting of tourism sector of the state and the project would in turn give those in the crafting business opportunity to have a dedicated market of their own.
“The creation of craft villages is overdue for separate protection of people in crafting business and Sanwo-Olu has given the struggle of stakeholders needed attention by approving establishment of unifying market for the sector.
Sanwo-Olu wants a community in form of hubs, central markets and villages for crafting business, talents and other stakeholders and the governor has taken the responsibility upon himself to ensure the project becomes a reality”, he hinted.
The special adviser assured that the state government would be meeting stakeholders in the business so as to ensure that interests of players in the section of the creative industry were understood and key into the plan at early state of the project.
Besides, Bonu appealed to the Federal Government to come residents Okoko-Badagry Expressway rescue and making the road network leading to the axis of Lagos become motorable for better tourism business.
