Festac Town is a federal housing estate located along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Lagos State, Nigeria. Its name is derived from the acronym FESTAC, which stands for Second World African Festival of Arts and Culture that was held there in 1977. [1] It is also important to know that festac is under Amuwo-Odofin local government area in Lagos.
Festac town, originally referred to as "Festival Town" or "Festac Village", is a residential estate designed to house the participants of the Second World Festival of Black Arts and Culture of 1977 (Festac77). Consisting of 5,000 contemporary dwelling units and seven major avenues, the town was designed in an efficient grid in order to accommodate upwards of 45,000 visitors as well as any Nigerian employees and officers working at the Festival. [2] The Nigerian government invested substantial sums of money and resources into building Festac Town, which sported state of the art electrical generators, police and fire stations, access to public transportation, supermarkets, banks, health centres, public restrooms, and postal services. [3] The village was therefore intended to evoke the modern age and the promise of state-sponsored economic development fuelled by oil revenues. [3]
After the Festival, the Federal Government of Nigeria allocated the housing and landed properties to eventual winners who participated in a ballot. Initial regulations forbade such winners from renting and disposing-of the properties to third parties. The first festival was held in 1966 at Dakar, Senegal. [4]
Festac town is built in a grid network consisting of seven major roads/boulevards or avenues from which minor roads extend. These avenues are identified by their numbers: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Avenues respectively. The 1st, 2nd, 4th and 7th Avenues surround a portion of the town in what seems like an almost rectangular road network which are connected and accessible through each other. The 3rd and 5th avenues run parallel within the town. The 6th avenue is found in a portion of the town accessible through a bridge from the 1st Avenue. The town consists of cul-de-sacs or closes which are named in an alphabetical format.
Festac town is accessible from the Lagos-Badagry Expressway through three main gates that open into the 1st, 2nd and 7th avenues and are called the First, Second and Third gates respectively. The town is also accessible through the Festac Link Bridge.
The status of FESTAC Town is somewhat confusing as the Federal, State and Local Government all lay claim to the management of the estate and occasionally issue the residents with various charges ranging from valuation fees, local government levies to tenement rates. [5]
FESTAC town has over the years evolved and has become a city of its own, the town has had various information dissemination platforms such as Festaconline which has become a household media brand that dishes out information, happenings in Festac Town, Mile 2 and the entire Local Government Area, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos State
Once a sleepy estate, FESTAC Town has in the past few years attracted varied forms of businesses within the estate and its environs. Today, there is a growing number of commercial banks, and shopping complexes that cater to the residents. There are also several hotels and hangout spots within the estate which have contributed to the vibrant night life.
Lagos is the second most populous city in Africa with a population of 14.8 million as of 2015 within the city proper. The Lagos metropolitan area has a total population of roughly 23.5 million as of 2018, making it the most populous conurbation in Africa. Lagos is a major African financial centre and is the economic hub of Lagos State and Nigeria at large. The megacity has the fourth-highest GDP in Africa and houses one of the largest and busiest seaports on the continent. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the world.
Lagos, sometimes referred to as Lagos State to distinguish it from Lagos Metropolitan Area, is a state located in the southwestern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The smallest in area of Nigeria's 36 states, with a population of over 15 million, Lagos State is arguably the most economically important state of the country, containing Lagos, the nation's largest urban area. It is a major financial centre and would be the fifth-largest economy in Africa if it were a country.
Badagry Division is an administrative division of Lagos State in Nigeria.
Amuwo-Odofin is a local government area (LGA) in the Badagry Division, Lagos State, Nigeria.
Tourism in Nigeria centers largely on events, due to the country's ample amount of ethnic groups, but also includes rain forests, savannah, waterfalls, and other natural attractions. The World Travel and Tourism Council estimated revenue related to tourism and travel in Nigeria will exceed $1 billion USD in 2007, and will account for approximately 6% of the gross domestic product. The industry suffers from the country's poor electricity, roads, and water quality.
The World Festival of Black Arts, also known as FESMAN, is a month-long culture and arts festival that takes place in Africa. The festival features poetry, sculpture, painting, music, cinema, theatre, fashion, architecture, design and dance from artists and performers from around the African Diaspora.
Badagry also spelled Badagri, is a coastal town and Local Government Area (LGA) in Lagos State, Nigeria. It is quite close to the city of Lagos, and located on the north bank of Porto Novo Creek, an inland waterway that connects Nigeria's (Lagos) and Benin's (Porto-Novo) national capitals, as well as on a route that connects Lagos, Ilaro, and Porto-Novo, and shares a border with the Republic of Benin. As of the preliminary 2006 census results, the municipality had a population of 241,093.
The Lagos-Badagry Expressway is the local name for the Nigerian section of the Trans–West African Coastal Highway. The expressway connects Lagos, Nigeria with Dakar, Senegal.
Festac '77, also known as the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, was a major international festival held in Lagos, Nigeria, from 15 January 1977 to 12 February 1977. The month-long event celebrated African culture and showcased to the world African music, fine art, literature, drama, dance and religion. About 16,000 participants, representing 56 African nations and countries of the African Diaspora, performed at the event. Artists who performed at the festival included Stevie Wonder from United States, Gilberto Gil from Brazil, Bembeya Jazz National from Guinea, Mighty Sparrow from Trinidad and Tobago, Les Ballets Africains, South African Miriam Makeba, and Franco Luambo Makiadi. At the time it was held, it was the largest pan-African gathering to ever take place.
Oto-Awori previously known as just "OTO" is a suburban community and a local government development council area located along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Ojo local government area of Lagos State. Oto Awori is founded by Aregi Ope and his brother Iworu, which are predecessor for Today's Opeseyi Royal Family of the Oloja Ruling House of Oto Awori. Oto has been administered from Badagry since 1909 having apparently been placed for a few years in the Lagos District by the definition of boundaries thereof 1985. The first king of Oto Aregi Ope is certainly from the Odofin quarters in Benin, bringing him with "Abere".
Okokomaiko is an area in the town of Ojo, located in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, along the Lagos- Badagry Expressway.The Lagos State government, under the leadership of the former governor Akinwunmi Ambode stretched the importance of this route in the West African sub-region and had plans to expand the Lagos-Badagry Expressway to a 10-lane highway. This construction began from Eric Moore to Okokomaiko. Ambode, during his tenure as the governor, welcomed any investor who is willing to partner with the state government in the construction of the mile-2 to Badagry road project, which includes the Okokomaiko area. He said “At the moment, work is already ongoing from Eric More to Okokomaiko but we are willing to partner with any investor interested in taking up the construction of the second phase which is ten-lane road from Okokomaiko to Seme Border"
Satellite Town, Lagos is a community and state housing estate located along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Amuwo-Odofin local government area of Lagos State. Its ZIP code is 102262.
Badagry Festival is an annual event held in Badagry, a town in Lagos State, Nigeria. It is organised by the African Renaissance Foundation (AREFO). The event reflects the significance of the ancient town during the slave trade era. It is a convergence of culture and display of African heritage. The organizer brings the indegine and culture-loving fans from around the world to celebrate the festival. One of the major highlights is the artistic display by masquerades, dancers, and fire eaters. It features football competition, the beating of Sato drum, and Liberation Day Celebration.
Lagos State Development and Property Corporation is a state government owned corporate entity that builds, rents and sells houses to low, medium and high income families in Lagos. Some of the structures developed by the company include: Dolphin Estate, Falomo Shopping Complex and multi family apartments in Iba, Isolo, Abesan and Amuwo Odofin
Golden Tulip Festac is a mixed used hotel complex located along Amuwo - Mile 2 area of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Nigeria. The hotel complex also houses a United Property Development Company (UPDC) mixed use development project, The Residences and the Festival Mall.
Mary Nnenna Njoku is a Nigerian actress and film producer, and Director General of the award-winning Lagos-based film house, ROK Studios, in Nigeria, which was recently acquired by French TV giant, CANAL+. She produced and starred in Thy Will be Done, Husbands of Lagos; starred and directed Single Ladies and Festac Town.
ProvidusBank PLC (PB), is a Nigerian financial services provider, licensed as a commercial bank, by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the central bank and national banking regulator.
The Abule-Ado explosion was an accidental explosion and fire that occurred in the Abule-Ado area around Festac Town, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area, Lagos State, Nigeria. The explosion and fire started around 9am on Sunday 15 March 2020; the fire was extinguished around 11pm.
Babatunde Joseph Adeyemi is an Anglican bishop in Nigeria: he is the current Bishop of Badagry.
MojisolaOluwa Kehinde Alli – Macaulay is a Nigerian politician, Lawmaker and a member of the All Progressive Congress APC. She is a Lagos State House of Assembly legislator, representing Amuwo Odofin Constituency I and the Chairperson of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Women Affairs, Poverty Alleviation and Job Creation.
