The search engine for Africa’s newest tourism destination

Fridays are not usually the best day to move around in the city of Lagos. It is usually dress down day, that is when workers take things easy at work, a day to plan the weekend, and a busy day for our Muslim brothers who must spend time at the mosque. The usual Lagos bumper to bumper traffic is very unpredictable on Fridays. As for me, the best I could do is to also take it easy.

Last Friday, 1st July 2016, I found myself in Alausa, Ikeja, the bowels of the seat of power in Lagos, one of Nigeria’s richest state. It has been long I was here, almost three years ago and my mission on this day was to interact and pick the brains of Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Art and Culture, Mr Folorunsho Folarin-Coker.

As I drove into Alausa, the whole place looked like a car mall, even the walks ways were nearly taken over by cars. I noticed the place was hugely crowded and in some parking lots, syndicate car washmen seem to thrive. After a few minutes in confusion of where to park, I found a place, and decided to understudy the work environment in this prosperous place?  The Ministry of Tourism car park was quite a busy place and as at 1:30pm, with the Sun unrelentlessly blasting from the sky. I took in the environment from the backseat of my car thinking no one would notice.

I saw that the workers of the ministry chat away excitedly, may be for better weekend. Tired from a previous long hard trip from owerri, I slept off and was caught in action by the vigilant Ganiyu Lawal, the P.R.O of Lagos Ministry of Tourism and from here the journey and the making of the conversation on Lagos tourism began with Folarin Coker.

The Man, Folarin Coker

Tall, slim, bespectaded Folarin Coker appeared to me as urban in character yet very simple and hospitable. His likes are “very sharp” and since the act of conversation is seen as a psychological game, those who engaged in it and got carried away may end up like a drunkard.

Folarin Coker doesn’t talk to impress, he chats you up to be on his side, to join him on the tourism evangelism mission to transform Lagos into Africas’ biggest destination point and yet for an old hand like me, Folarin’s passion and determination can only make meaning and impact when all Lagosians go “Gaga” with love for the restoration of the lost Lagos tourism glory and empowerment. As our conversion on Lagos tourism deepened into a figurative lunch and dinner affair “Master Chef” Folarin Coker unveiled a Lagos tourism menu list that will make visitors to come and come again if he could get all the funds to prepare the one Lagos tourism “Dish”.

An office or a production room (Studio?)

As a top flight tourism journalist, I have been privileged to see all types of offices within and outside Nigerian but this one occupied by Lagos “Master Chef” Folarin Coker is like a TV or radio studio with computers, internet facilities and digital platform neatly and strategically arranged all over the place. In seconds, he either gives you details on audio or video without moving from his seat. This office is a digital one, a clean and progressive departure from the old ways of paper work. It is digital work station for digital Lagos tourism?

Trade mark brands that will Set Lagos apart from others

A three course tourism meal duly registered exclusive to the city of Lagos would be trending in Africa’s tourism destination circuits in months to come. The three are; “One Lagos” “Love Lagos” and “One Lagos Fiesta”. According to Folarin Coker “One Lagos” brand which is the master brand for Lagos is packaged to showcase the true spirit of Lagos, the Culture and Heritage. Primed to drive the Lagos at 50 celebrations, it is expected to top rank the buzzling city of Lagos as the best city in Africa. The website and application spans information on Lagos Art and Culture, Night life, Entertainment, Restaurant, Accommodation, Emergency services, Traffic news and much more digital experience that cannot be found possibly elsewhere in the Sub-Saharan region.

Love Lagos: Is the passion and “feel” brand, a deliberate and systematic re-orientation strategy to make Lagosians and their visitors see Lagos as their own. Its domestic flavor opens the inside true love best of history and culture of Lagos as melting point of tourism in Nigeria.

One Lagos Fiesta: It is one stop entertainment hub, a refreshing outcome from the Lagos New Year countdown series which began in 2012. The “one community, “One celebration, one purpose, “Venue format, seem to have changed the face of Nigerian local trend handle on twitter. As at 24-25 December 2015, One Lagos Fiesta uploaded on the site and after 5 days, it moved to the fifth rank on the platform, with a surprise impact in less than 24 hours as Number 1 tweet by 31^st December, 2015.

The information got across to 13 million individuals who made at least 250 tweets per day, pushing the tweets rank to over 7,000. This greatly influenced feverish impressions to an overdrive of 2 million tweets per day and over 3,000 (Three Thousand) contributors talking about the Lagos Fiesta and plus more.

Receipts behind the number

“We are about to light the fire and later serve the tourism dish “Folarin fought back to explain when we demanded actual true life receipts from visits by the greatly impressed contributors on Lagos Fiesta. Indeed, tourism business is not about just having impression but translating the love and impression into true life visit and having a greater impact on the rural economy through spending on food, accommodation, transport, art/crafts, culture and entertainment.

Low standard, High demand

Everyone wants to have a feel of Lagos, so where are the tourism structures and institutions to support and turn the high demand of Lagos consumables into a blue chip investment and high ranking tourism revenue receipts? From the beaches, convention centre(s), eateries, hotel rooms, museum and monuments, the dream of Folarin Coker and his team, is to deliver world class tourism land culture facilities that rank among the best anywhere in the world.

Museum and Monuments

The Onikan Museum in the heart of Lagos Island, would be upgraded to an International museum in collaboration with the Federal government of Nigeria. It is a flagship heritage touch-up that will help light up 13 others scattered over the aquatic state, particularly the restoration of once famous Badagry first story Building

Systematic elimination of multiple taxation

Multiple taxes and levies a major headache to most industry practitioners over the years, is expected to be a thing of the past progressive legal frame works are underway to harmonize all hospitality permits and license that has before now grown into a Frankenstein monster and helped crash growth and limited tourism job openings in the state.

Dance Pays in Lagos

The artistic community, particularly those in the employ of the state will henceforth enjoy pension for culturally showcasing the state through dances and drama. Infact, Lagos fiesta now frog jumps the discovery of age grade and local musical groups and talents, generating entertainment pool for the promotion, development and marketing of young and upcoming artists. This musical and entertainment pool will fulcrum an economy that will transform the five divisions of the state and help drive visits and investments.

Checks on Hotel spread

Does the presence of about 3,905 hotels and related establishments truly rank the state as over-hotelled?

Folarin says the records may prove that state is a hot bed of good return on investments but again, plenty rooms need to be opened to match the influx of expected visitors as Lagos grows daily. So far, about 393 accommodations as guest houses, inns, lodges, hotels and taverns doth the Lagos landscape, while fifty-one food services outlets as night clubs and events centre spreads their reach while forty six tourism enterprises as fast food outlets and restaurants engages in the gourmet challenge in the state.

I Work for Lagos, Hawking not allowed

Great and impressive mementos-T-shirts, flags and face-caps, will change the face of weekend dress-down and outdoor recreation fashion in Lagos. Another creative open door for fashion outlets in Lagos. As for me, “I Work For Lagos” T-shirt is one among the many that I may gladly wear within and outside the country whenever the need arises. The messages are highly positive, creative and religious as against the face of street hawking that has desecrated the beautiful “Eko For Show”. So Governor Ambode and his tourism team welcome all to “work for Lagos and not hawk on its streets. Therefore, let hawkers and buyers beware!!