The Lagos State government has said it is ready to partner with the private sector to grow tourism and culture in the state. This was stated by the state’s Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka when she took the Managing Director of Sterling Bank PLC Mr. Abubakar Suleiman and the Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments Mr. Olugbile Holloway on a tour of key arts and culture facilities and sites in the Onikan area of Lagos. Among the places visited were the Onikan House, J.Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture, the National Museum, Onikan and the Freedom Park in Lagos Marina.

Benson-Awoyinka who described the visit as exploring the untold story of Lagos, talked further about the tour: “ Lagos is a huge city that filled with so much history, so much heritage, that is the reason we have come out here with the Managing Director of Sterling Bank and the Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), to show Lagosians, and to show the world the potentials of Lagos tourism, the potentials in showing off our heritage, and also of us telling our history, and not being told by other people. It is also to show our children that there is so much embedded in Lagos. There is so much culture, there is so many heritages, and there is to out here, rather than us going to look for things elsewhere outside of our shores. It is to showcase what you can do on a normal day in Lagos. On a normal day in Lagos you can visit n a lot of places, on a normal day in Lagos you can relax. Lagos state is about live, work and play, that is what have come out here to show you all.”

The commissioner explained that government has no business being in business but would rather create a condusive environment for business to thrive. She said part of the reasons for having the tour with the Managing Director of Sterling Bank was because of the bank’s track record in the tourism industry. She said: “It is collaboration, government is supposed to create an enabling environment for business. We are not supposed to be the ones doing the running of the tourism business. So, Sterling Bank is here, showing us what they have done and what they have done in that space to enhance and to boost tourism. That is why we have Miss. Biola here who is the head of the tourism desk.”

She said the presence of the Sterling bank boss was to represent the private sector while having the Director General of the NCMM was to show that collaboration between the state and the Federal Government was critical to the success of the tourism industry in the state.

The commissioner said the key takeaway from the tour was that Lagos State was open for the business of tourism: “Lagos is open for business and Lagos is open to promote tourism. Lagos is open to showcase our arts and our heritage, our culture. We are in embedded with rich culture. We are going to create that enabling environment for all the businesses in Lagos, for collaborations, for people, for young people to thrive. If you look around us, we have demography of very young people who waiting out there seeking for us to hold up that arm, and we are ready for them now.”

The Managing Director of Sterling Bank while giving his impression of the tour said in looking at the rich attractions showcased, it was important to consider the business angle. He said: “First thing we must remind ourselves that tourism is also a business. The way you grow tourism, is the way you grow arts and culture and the creative industry is to make sure that there is enough resources to invest. It is only when you have invested that you can then raise standard so that people from all over the world can see and be willing to come here. If you go on this tour and you see the incredible wealth and history that is hidden, that is just waiting to be put out there, you will understand that there is a lot of business opportunities for job creation, to also project this city and this country in the right light. That is what we are trying to do.”

He said the bank is looking for opportunities to invest in the tourism industry. His words: “Arts and culture space is one space, it doesn’t matter who you are speaking to. They all have the same objective. We all come from the same history; we are producing the same outcome. It doesn’t work to just partner with one person. The objective is for everyone to be in the room. It is a story. The story must have a beginning, middle and end. In the Lagos State, the ministry, for instance, is orchestrating that. It can call all of us to the table and together think about how we can do this properly, not haphazardly. As we go long, we imagine ourselves out funding to those who are trying to grow tourism, invest in hospitality, invest in hotels, invest in the transport that connect them, and in some cases work with museums and monuments and ensure that we can preserve this thing in a form that is not just for our enjoyment, but also for the future generation. “

Also, the Director General of NCMM, Mr. Olugbile Holloway calls for greater collaboration between the state and the Federal Government to to showcase Lagos state as a destination. He said: “I think the most important thing is partnership. Like I always said, we must being to tell our stories. The National Museum itself is a national monument. By partnering with Lagos state we can make the national museum a tourist hub in a wider ecosystem of cultural tourism. Onikan itself is a cultural hub. Today, we went to Onikan House. We went to the national Museum and we went to the Randle Centre. You know we also have the MUSON Centre here. This in itself can be made a tourism hub. By working with the Lagos State government and incorporating the museum, it is obvious that now with this handshake, gone are the days when you will say this is state, and this is Federal Government. As far visitors are concerned, they don’t have any business knowing whether it is state or federal. They just want to come and enjoy themselves.”