AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BY THE HONOURABLE COMMISSIONER FOR TOURISM, ARTS AND CULTURE, MRS TOKE BENSON-AWOYINKA AT THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY OF THE $100M LAGOS FILM CITY, EJINRIN-EPE ON 18TH OCTOBER 2023
Protocol,
Our dear distinguished guests, it is with great pride that I welcome you here to the beautiful coastal landscape of Ejinrin-Epe to be witnesses to history as it about to be made.
Exactly 5years ago, in a small office on Kingsway Rd, precisely Mulliner Towers, Ikoyi, a Transition Committee constituted by the then Governor Elect, BABAJIDE Sanwoolu, conceived and recommended this vision of a FILM CITY under the fifth pillar of the THEMES Developmental Agenda of this administration. This ceremony is to herald the construction of the ‘Lagos Film City’- one of the legacy projects of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration. The project as planned will sit on a 100-hectares of land. On completion, the Lagos Film City will serve as an all-in-one facility, with leisure, entertainment, and learning infrastructure. It will also have accommodations and numerous state-of-the-art studios to support television, radio and film, ranging from pre-production, production, post-production and distribution, among others. The Lagos Film City will be the biggest in Africa, not in name only, but also in the content and quality of its offerings to the creative industry.
The fact that a project of this magnitude is being undertaken via a public-private-partnership initiative is an excellent testament to the integrity and robustness of the Lagos State Government economic policies and finance. The world is watching and members of the International Community are here and I can say our doors are open to you on this investment opportunity in the creative industry and also to Nigerians in the diaspora who may be interested in partnering with the State Government on this initiative.
The coming on stream of the ‘Lagos Film City’ is a further testament of the commitment of the Governor Sanwo-Olu administration to invest in the infrastructure, and create an enabling environment, for the global ‘new economy’ to thrive in Lagos State. All over the world, the creative, entertainment and tourism sectors have contributed exponentially to all economies that took decisive steps to court and nurture it, just like we are here to do today.
The Lagos State Government has been deliberate in its various steps in this sector, it has committed huge sums to upscaling the various tourist centers across the state. For this year 2023, a total amount of N4.635billion was specifically allocated for this purpose. Among the list of beneficiaries are the recently commissioned J.Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture, and the Agia Tree project in BADAGRY.
Its collaboration with various notable players in the entertainment sector like Ebonylife Academy, Delyork and Ogidi Studios, provided the platform for so many of our young, budding talents to hone their skills in acting, direction, scripting, cinematography, editing, photography, etc. The testimony of this investment is evident here with a few who have to thank Mr Governor and also witness history in the making.
Already these various decisive steps taken by this administration in this sector have started to contribute significantly to the state gross domestic product (GDP) through various sources.
It is my utmost belief that by the time ‘Lagos Film City’ comes on stream, the spiral-effect on the State profile as a tourist destination of choice, economy, employment and other opportunities will be appreciated beyond the entertainment sector.
On a final note, I want to appreciate our wonderful hosts of this gigantic project, the Ejirin- Epe community, especially the Elejirin of Ejirin, I seek for your full cooperation with everyone and every organization that will be working on this project. There would be a cocktail of Investors from Film to Hospitality, Real Estate, as conceived by Mr Gov. The ‘Lagos Film City’ is your baby, so you must do everything to ensure that it is well protected. It is noteworthy that the goodness and benefits of this project will first be enjoyed by you before any other, so let us give our best to the project as individuals and as a community.
On this note, I want to thank MG for this and other laudable groundbreaking initiatives to place Lagos as a choice destination for Entertainment and Tourism.. Your name shall surely be written in Gold!!!
Igbega Ipinle Eko Ajumose Gbogbo Wa Ni o!
Thank you.
Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka
Honorable Commissioner
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
18th October, 2023.
