LAGOS (Sundiata Post) – Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to cultural preservation and community revitalisation with revival of the Fanti Carnival.
The state’s Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka,said this at a news conference on Tuesday in Lagos.
Benson-Awoyinka said the carnival, which would hold on April 20, was a living expression of history rooted in the late 19th-century return of formerly enslaved Africans – many of Yoruba descent – from Brazil and other parts of the Americas.
The commissioner said these returnees established the Brazilian quarters of Lagos Island, including Campos and Isale Eko, and birthed a vibrant fusion of Afro-Brazilian culture.
She said the culture was expressed through samba rhythms, elaborate costumes, Catholic influences and the spirit of the street performance.
“The Lagos Fanti Carnival is more than a spectacle of colour and sound.
“It is a heritage that tells the story of return, resilience, and rich cultural rebirth.
“The Lagos Fanti Carnival is being revived, not as reenactment of the past, but as a reimagined relevant celebration of our shared heritage,” she said.
According to Benson-Awoyinka, the carnival which was once a major cultural event in Lagos has experienced a decline over the years due to urban modernisation and reduced general participation.
She, however, said that it was now witnessing a resurgence through collaborative efforts aimed at reimagining its relevance for tourism development, cultural preservation, youth engagement and community revitalisation.
The Consul General of Brazil in Lagos, Mr Manuel Lacerda Santos, said the deep-rooted cultural, diplomatic and economic bonds between Nigeria and Brazil had lasted for centuries.
Recalling how millions of Africans, primarily from ethnic groups such as Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa were taken to Brazil during the transatlantic slave trade between the 16th and 19th centuries, the Consul General said these migrations forged strong cultural connections that persist to this day.
“Today, Brazil is home to the largest population of people of African descent outside Africa.
“Much of its Afro-Brazilian culture finds its roots in Nigerian heritage, from Yoruba religion and music, dance and cuisine.
“The fact is, in recent decades, these cultural connections have evolved into strong diplomatic and economic relations.
“Both nations have worked together on various bilateral agreements, especially in areas such as energy, agriculture, trade, and education,” he said.
Also, Mr Oluremi Da-Costa, General-Secretary of the Brazilian Descendants Association, said the carnival was a cultural heritage still celebrated in Brazil, and kept alive in Lagos.
Da-Costa said apart from the carnival, the community had other cultural initiatives aimed at preserving and showcasing the historical ties between Brazil and Lagos.
He said one of such initiatives was the establishment of the Afro-Brazilian Cultural Centre, which was inaugurated in 2021.
The Permanent Secretary of the state’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Olanrewaju Bajulaiye, assured participants that the state’s agencies would be at various points of the carnival route to ensure a successful event.
Some of the agencies include the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Lagos State Safety Commission.
Reports that the Lagos Fanti Carnival will be held at the Remembrance Arcade of the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) between 10.00 a.m. and 10.00 p.m.
Kings College is the muster point where all the communities will take off from.
The parade will officially start from there to the arcade, going through the old Defense Road to TBS.
Then TBS Bus Terminal to Onikan Roundabout, heading toward Moloney Roundabout to Catholic Mission St., back to Kings College. (NAN)
