Lagos Countdown
| The Lagos Countdown | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | New Year's Eve event |
| Date(s) | December 31 |
| Frequency | Yearly |
| Location(s) | Barbeach, Victoria Island, Lagos |
| Inaugurated | 2012 |
| Founder | Governor Babatunde Fashola |
| Website | |
| www.lagoscountdown.com | |
The Lagos Countdown seeks to institute an enduring crossover tradition signifying the end of one year and the celebration of the beginning of another in a splendid fashion. In addition to offering a viable platform for commerce, encouraging brand development, job creation, leisure, entertainment and tourism, the event includes music performances headlined by top music artistes, an enchanting cascade of lights, fireworks and pyrotechnics, all combining to transform the entire Bar Beach, in Victoria Island, Lagos, into a melting pot for culture and commerce in an instant. Drawing an audience of over 60,000 revellers, the Lagos Countdown is arguably Africa's biggest New Year’s Eve party. Organised by the Lagos State Signage & Advertisement Agency (LASAA) on behalf of Lagos State Government, the Lagos Countdown kicks off in December and runs till January 1. The Lagos Countdown is a huge boost for business, leisure and entertainment in Lagos, Nigeria's bustling commercial hub. The event attracts an average audience of 100,000 and while it lasts, the scenic Bar Beach - venue of the event - teems with domestic and foreign visitors, each drawn by the commercial and leisure activities on showcase every day and night. The Lagos Countdown is the brainchild of Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and is organised on behalf of the state government by the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA). Preparation for the event is just as important. Driven by the desire to create a seamless interface and eliminate any possible glitch, individuals with the requisite expertise are brought in by the state government to manage the fireworks, a laser beam and water projection display to herald the New Year with a touch of panache.
History
The reputation of Lagos as a commercial hub has long been established. So, the Lagos Countdown launched in 2012 at the instance of the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, is a logical culmination of his determination to seal the state's reputation as a premium destination both for business and leisure. Remarkably, planning for the maiden edition of the event in 2012 took the state government two weeks. “What the agency is doing on behalf of the state government is leveraging the proposition of Lagos as a premium destination for business and leisure,” George Noah, the Managing Director of Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) said.[1] Noah told journalists at a news conference that preceded the commencement of the event, that the Lagos Countdown event is modelled after crossover celebrations witnessed in major cities of the world like Time Square, in New York and Trafalgar Square, in London. With as much as 50,000 participants followed by a specially-created audio midnight countdown and a 20-minute live show anchored from the rooftop of Avenue Suites, Victoria Island, in Lagos, the countdown features an A-list cast of music artistes, and showcases an amazing display of lights, music, fireworks, pyrotechnics to signify the dawn of a New Year at Bar Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos. With the city's estimated 20 million population, the Lagos Countdown has become a major highlight of the tourism calendar and looks truly set to be Africa's biggest New Year’s Eve party. And given the stellar array of activities on the bill, the 2013 Lagos Countdown would certainly offer a climactic experience for the cosmopolitan Lagos crowd.
Programmes
The programme officially begins when Governor Fashola “switches on” the Lagos Festival of Lights, heralding the holiday season. [2] Activities climax with fireworks, laser and water projection. In December 2012, The Lagos Countdown reputedly had “the most spectacular display of fireworks ever seen in Nigeria”. This year's countdown event, just like last year's, holds at the Bar Beach stretch on Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, and commenced on December 7, 2013 and rounds off on January 1, 2014. On the schedule are programmes such as Open Mic Night, Disco Party, Family Fun Day, Party African, Cinema Night and Karaoke Night. The Lagos Countdown seeks to institute an enduring crossover tradition and bolster commerce, yield employment opportunities, enhance the platform for leisure, entertainment and tourism. Besides the top tier programmes it promises, the Countdown's other appeal lies in its inclusivity. The grand finale which takes place on December 31 will see over 50 Nigerian artistes, including Tuface Idibia, Davido, Omawunmi, Bracket, J Martins, Wizkid, Banky W., Tiwa Savage, Wande Coal, D’Prince, M.I, Ice Prince, Burna Boy and Iyanya perform.
Participants
Over 50,000 people were at the 2012 Lagos Countdown celebration hosted by radio presenter Ikponmwosa Osakioduwa, also known as IK or Wildchild with co-hosts Ariyike Akinbobola and Quest.[3] An even greater crowd of 100,000 is expected at the 2013 edition. The large number of expected participants is a boon to advertisers desirous of taking their brands to a bigger audience. Such advantage could be accessed through sponsorship of the event. The inaugural Lagos Countdown event was sponsored by GTBank, Indomie Noodles, Avenue Suites, DStv, Pepsi and Nigeria Breweries, which emerged as the title sponsor. The 2013 edition features an equally impressive list of corporate brands in Nigeria, with Nigeria Breweries emerging as the title sponsor for the second year. Other sponsors for the 2013 edition include: Airtel, Dangote Group, Mikano, Zenith Bank, Pepsi, Forte Oil, ICSL, Stallion Motors, and MultiChoice. For the sponsors, this partnership with Lagos State is consistent with the corporate goal to promote entertainment and achieve ultimate brand visibility. The event's planning committee has promised a few surprises for the 2013 Countdown. Top Nigerian actress, Funke Akindele, popularly known as "Jenifa" and award-winning producer, Michael Collins, whose showbiz moniker Don Jazzy is a household name have both been unveiled as ambassadors for the countdown. Their star quality confer an immensely grand allure on the event. Attendance has been made free courtesy of the support of the Lagos State government and some corporate giants.
See also
References
- ↑ "Lagos Festival: UK fireworks experts arrive". The Nations. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ↑ "Lagos Festival: UK fireworks experts arrive". Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ↑ "Ikponmwosa Osakioduwa". wikipedia.
External links
Dangote, Zenith Bank, NB, Others Throw Weight Behind Lagos Countdown 2013
Tuface, Omawunmi for Lagos Countdown
LAGOS COUNTDOWN FESTIVAL: Lagosians hold breath as fireworks experts arrive from UK
Lagos economy earns N1bn from 2012 countdown event