*As NCAC unveils Nigeria’s 37 wonders

Lagos State emerged winner of the 2022 edition of the 35th National Festival of Arts and Culture (NCAC) also called Eko NAFEST 2022. After a week of activities in which Nigerian culture in the area of fashion, dance, cuisines and drama was celebrated, the festival ended on high. While Lagos emerged as the overall winner, Rivers States came second. Ekiti State and Bayelsa State emerged as joint third.

Winners of the various competitions were announced and given certificates and gongs.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, while declaring the festival closed, said: “I’m sure a lot of our contingents from across Nigeria, has seen the beauty, hospitality and the cosmopolitan nature of our state. I have no doubt that the lasting memories of this year’s festival and the city of Lagos will remain evergreen in the memories of all of us. We have all as a group demonstrated what it means to co-exist in our various interactions, through the different games and other cultural activities that place over the past few days at the National Institute for Sports building at the National Stadium in Surulere. It is important to know that although winners have merged in various categories, the emphasis should not be on who won or otherwise, what is of utmost importance is unity of all participants as one member of a country called Nigeria. which, in my view is the spirit of the national festival.

“Apart from the platform for cultural exchange, which this festival provides, a lot of businesses have felt the impact of the income of those that gathered here in Lagos for this Eko NAFEST 2022.”

The Lagos State deputy governor later unveiled Nigeria’s 37 Cultural Wonders.

In his closing remarks, the Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), said: “We met, all the states, and we had a special discussion that the time has come that we must stop all these unnecessary bickering, unnecessary infighting. that the time has come for us to start to appreciate our country. Like I said on the day of the opening, we cannot reawake that spirit without coming to pay homage to Lagos. That is the state. When Lagos coughs, the whole of Africa must shake, and considering what has happened in Lagos, we decided to come with the festival. That is why today, in the history of our country, the 37 Wonders of Nigeria, which is the first of its kind, will be unveiled in Lagos.

“Somebody did ask me, “Otunba, why Lagos?’ I said to him, Lagos in unique, Lagos is special, Lagos has what it takes to move the country forward.”

earlier, while speaking on the festival, the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf  said the week-long cultural festival hosted by the Lagos State government had  29 participating states.

Akinbile-Yussuf also revealed that winners of the various competitions, such as traditional games, parade, archery, children’s crafts, essay writing, indigenous fashion and fabric, visual arts and interior decoration among others, held during the festival would be announced at the closing ceremony and presented with their gift items.

“Also, the next host State for the 36th edition of the annual event would be announced by the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe at the closing ceremony of the Eko Nafest 2022 on Sunday”, the Commissioner added.

Recall that the opening ceremony of the event had in attendance the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; representatives of State Governors; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa and Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe among other dignitaries.