By Adewale Sanyaolu
A not-for-profit social organisation,Club Seventies Epe, has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to work towards improving the status of the annual Kayo-Kayo Festival in Epe to attract global recognition.
Kayo-Kayo Festival is an annual religious and cultural festival observed in commemoration of the arrival of King Kosoko and his warlords to Eko-Epe in 1851.
Kayo-Kayo, which literally means “eating to satisfaction” is famous within the people of Epe community in Lagos state.
President of the Club, Mr.Yunus Yusuf, in a statement said upscaling the festival was important to attracting tourists and strengthening the economy of the community.
Yunus noted that the age-long festival had not gained enough visibility due to the limited scope of programmes inculcated into the celebration.
He advised the government to engage professionals in the area of hospitality and cultural festival promotion to further develop programmes for the event in order to make it more attractive and entertaining.
“Kayo-Kayo festival can be better packaged to attract tourists, and that is why Club Seventies Epe is calling on Governor Sanwo-Olu to put this on the front burner by getting professionals to redesign programmes for the yearly festival.
More interesting programmes should be inculcated.Also, publicity should be improved on.We observed that adequate awareness is usually not created prior to the commencement of the festival.
We are concerned because we know what the festival can fetch us. When the festival is properly organised, it will provide opportunities for local artisans, vendors and performers to showcase their talents and generate income.
We want the festival to become a more vibrant and attractive celebration of Epe’s rich culture,” he advised.
According to Yusuf, expanding the Kayo-Kayo festival can attract numerous benefits, including; cultural exchange, community development, cultural preservation, global recognition, economic empowerment and unity.
He said to improve the festival, the government could look into incorporating various music genres, dance styles and cultural acts peculiar to the community in order to cater for different tastes.
“Government can also create a marketplace for local artisans to showcase and sell their handmade crafts, textiles and souvenirs.
There could also be a platform for cultural workshops where interactive sessions for attendees could be created to learn traditional Epe dances, music and art forms.
With this, a deliberate attempt is made for cultural integration and exchange.
The festival could also leverage social media, online advertising and influencer partnerships to reach a broader audience,” he said.
The 2024 Kayo-Kayo festival will be held from July 19 to July 27.
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