By Charles Kumolu

IN line with its primary focus of offering the best crossover platform to Nigerians, the 2014 Lagos Countdown, did not fall short of pre-event expectations. of a mind-blowing show.

The one-month programme which ends today, was so dazzling that Nigerians from all walks of life trooped to the Lagos Bar Beach, venue of the Countdown to celebrate the end of 2014 and witness the beginning of 2015.

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, members of the state executive council and the sponsors of the Lagos Countdown 2014 at the Lagos Countdown Festival of Light held on Monday at the Bar Beach, Lagos.

Convened by the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency, LASAA, the event which started on December 1, 2014, lived up to fun seekers’ expectations. Not only had there been additional activities, The organisers who added more activities, improved on the quality of the stage shows and events. It was indeed, a gathering of who is who is the entertainment industry

Last year’s event, was the third since the Countdown started. At the 2013 programme, the hitherto one -week event was extended to a full month, commencing from the first week of December and ending with the crossover night on December 31.

The high points included amazing and trilling fireworks which lasted for about 30 minutes. It was so captivating that many looked forward to the 2014 edition. The climax of the programme was a raffle draw in which the winner drove home a brand new Hyundai car, donated by one of the sponsors.

Different fireworks

A participant in the 2013 Lagos Countdown, Emmanuel Adua told Vanguard Features that he was excited by the display of different fireworks. Emmanuel, 35, said he had not seen anything like that since he was born.

“I had planned to stay till midnight but I ended up staying till day break. It was a wholesome experience, full of fun and excitement. I am looking forward to the grand finale of this year’s countdown. My experience last year is the first of its kind and I hope this year will offer much more,” he said.

In order to make it a money spinning platform for the state government, the Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola would want to make the yearly countdown, a monthly event. This, he said, will increase commerce and industry not only in the Bar Beach area, but also in the entire state.

Fashola, who spoke at the Lagos Countdown Festival of Light, also commended the management and staff of LASAA for the impressive planning and organisation of the countdown.

He traced the history of Lagos Countdown to 2004/2005 when his predecessor, Bola Tinubu decided to take the bull by the horn by reclaiming the Bar Beach shoreline lost to the Atlantic Ocean. He stated that it was Tinubu’s bold step at the time that saved the beach.

“Now the story of this count down is a long story. Sometime in 2004/2005, this place was not here. It took the courage of my predecessor to say this must stop. We have lost the road, all of the properties on this shoreline have disappeared and all that the Federal Government of Nigeria was doing was pumping sand here every two years only for it to be washed away.

It was that courage that brought about partnership with South Energies X and today, not only have we reclaimed the road, businesses are back and even more businesses are emerging at small and micro levels. After we have saved the beach, the next challenge was how do we turn nature’s asset, an Atlantic coastline into an opportunity for tourism, for economic development and for daily prosperity,” he said.

Continuing, Fashola said: “ The countdown started as the last few days event, has become the last whole month event. But for me, the work is not finished. What we have done here for about a month now must now happen here, every month; from then on, every day. That is when the story will be complete. When there will be commerce and sport, when there will be signing, when there will be buying and selling and when the whole world will fly into this city and the state and to this country and say that I am going to Lagos State Bar Beach water front. That is the dream.”

While commending the management and staff of LASAA for a job well done, Fashola noted that the agency being dominated by youths is a testimonial to the competence and potentials embedded in Nigerian youths if given opportunity to take initiatives.

His words: “Let me also thank the leadership, the management, the men and officers of LASAA, the brand that I am very proud of. I continue to challenge LASAA and year on year, they have not only responded, they have moved the boundary of my challenge. That is perhaps one of the many outfits that we have in Lagos now, led and run by young people.

LASAA is an example of what is possible if the right government, the right people allow Nigerian youths to lead instead of shouting them down. Policies and programmes that challenge young people will bring out the best in them. Lagos has shown through LASAA, through LIRS, through Electricity Board, through Public Works Corporation that things can be fixed if we entrust young people to take decisions.”

Managing Director of LASAA, Mr. George Noah said the previous editions of the countdown have been helpful in improving the quality and programmes. He assured that the agency will continue to improve on its performance.

“I think we have learnt a lot from the two previous editions and with that knowledge, we are going to improve on what we do in the successive years.

Superb lighting

I must tell you that if you are not at this year’s countdown, you are going to miss a great deal because for the first time, we are going to introduce a superb lighting on stage that you have never seen before in any concert in Nigeria.

Just as the governor said, this is something that should be happening on a monthly basis. We want this 1.5km stretch to be for entertainment, for leisure, for commerce, for employment. We want people at the end of this countdown to know that they don’t need to go to Time-Square or Tafaga Square or Dubai to experience a crossover event.

We have a customized countdown crossover event comparable to anywhere in the world. Countdown in other countries like New York, London, Dubai and other cities is a one day affair, but for us, it is a one month affair. Lagos is a place where people work hard, enjoy very well that is the difference between Lagos Countdown and any other countdowns anywhere in the world,” Noah said.