Festac Town: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Wood carvings in Lagos, Nigeria.jpg|thumb|[[Wood carving]]s for sale in Festac Town]] |
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'''Festac Town''' is a federal housing estate located |
'''Festac Town''' is a federal housing estate located at Lagos Nigeria. Its name is derived from the acronym FESTAC, which stands for Second World African Festival of Arts and Culture that was held there in 1977.<ref name="Punch">"[http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200811293521520 FESTAC Roads in deplorable condition]{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}", ''[[The Punch]]'', Saturday, 29 November 2008.</ref> It is also important to know that Festac is under [[Amuwo-Odofin]] local government area in Lagos. |
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== History == |
== History == |
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Festac town, originally referred to as "Festival Town" or "Festac Village", is a residential estate designed to house the participants of the Second [[World Festival of Black Arts]] and Culture of 1977. Consisting of 5,000 contemporary dwelling units and seven major avenues, the town was designed in an efficient grid in order to accommodate upwards of 45,000 visitors as well as any Nigerian employees and officers working at the Festival.<ref>"Life in the Village," ''Festival News'' 1, no. 11 (1977), p. 4.</ref> The Nigerian government invested substantial sums of money and resources into building Festac Town, which sported state of the art electrical generators, police and fire stations, access to public transportation, supermarkets, banks, health centres, public restrooms, and postal services.<ref name="Andrew Apter 2005, p. 49">Andrew Apter. ''The Pan-African Nation: Oil and the Spectacle of Culture in Nigeria''. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005, p. 49.</ref> The village was therefore intended to evoke the modern age and the promise of state-sponsored economic development fuelled by oil revenues.<ref name="Andrew Apter 2005, p. 49"/> |
Festac town, originally referred to as "Festival Town" or "Festac Village", is a residential estate designed to house the participants of the Second [[World Festival of Black Arts]] and Culture of 1977 (Festac77). Consisting of 5,000 contemporary dwelling units and seven major avenues, the town was designed in an efficient grid in order to accommodate upwards of 45,000 visitors as well as any Nigerian employees and officers working at the Festival.<ref>"Life in the Village," ''Festival News'' 1, no. 11 (1977), p. 4.</ref> The Nigerian government invested substantial sums of money and resources into building Festac Town, which sported state of the art electrical generators, police and fire stations, access to public transportation, supermarkets, banks, health centres, public restrooms, and postal services.<ref name="Andrew Apter 2005, p. 49">Andrew Apter. ''The Pan-African Nation: Oil and the Spectacle of Culture in Nigeria''. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005, p. 49.</ref> The village was therefore intended to evoke the modern age and the promise of state-sponsored economic development fuelled by oil revenues.<ref name="Andrew Apter 2005, p. 49"/> |
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After the Festival, the [[Federal Government of Nigeria]] allocated the housing and landed properties to eventual winners who participated in a ballot. Initial regulations forbade such winners from renting and disposing-of the properties to third parties. The first festival was held in 1966 at [[Dakar]], [[Senegal]].{{ |
After the Festival, the [[Federal Government of Nigeria]] allocated the housing and landed properties to eventual winners who participated in a ballot. Initial regulations forbade such winners from renting and disposing-of the properties to third parties. The first festival was held in 1966 at [[Dakar]], [[Senegal]].<ref>{{cite web |title=1st World Festival of Negro Arts, Dakar, April 1-24, 1966: Colloquium: Function and Significance of African Negro Art in the Life of the People and for the People, March 30-April 8, 1966 |url=https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000190260 |access-date=19 January 2020}}</ref> |
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== Layout == |
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Festac town is built in a [[Grid plan|grid network]] consisting of seven major roads/boulevards or avenues from which minor roads extend. These avenues are identified by their numbers: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Avenues respectively. The 1st, 2nd, 4th and 7th Avenues surround a portion of the town in what seems like an almost rectangular road network which are connected and accessible through each other. The 3rd and 5th avenues run parallel within the town. The 6th avenue is found in a portion of the town accessible through a bridge from the 1st Avenue. The town consists of cul-de-sacs or closes which are named in an alphabetical format. |
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Festac town is accessible from the Lagos-Badagry Expressway through three main gates that open into the 1st, 2nd and 7th avenues and are called the First, Second and Third gates respectively. The town is also accessible through the Festac Link Bridge. |
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<ref>"[http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2005/08/68459 Nigerian Net Grifters Doing Fine]." ''[[Associated Press]]'' at ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''. 6 August 2005.</ref><ref>Dixon, Robyn. "[http://web.archive.org/web/20051029165224/http://news.yahoo.com/s/latimests/20051020/ts_latimes/iwilleatyourdollars 'I Will Eat Your Dollars']." ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. Thursday 20 October 2005.</ref><ref>Mbachu, Dulue. "[http://web.archive.org/web/20050807235249/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050806/ap_on_hi_te/internet_scammers Internet Scammers Keep Working in Nigeria]." ''[[Associated Press]]'' via ''[[Yahoo!]] News''. Saturday 6 August 2005.</ref> |
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Several conference hold in Festac town yearly, from entertainment to political to technology oriented meetings. The first edition of [[Nigeria_ICT_Fest]] was held at Magrellos Fast Food, Festac Town, Lagos, nigeria. <ref>http://www.idafrica.ng/tag/nigeria-ict-fest/</ref> |
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== Status == |
== Status == |
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The status of |
The status of FESTAC Town is somewhat confusing as the Federal, State and Local Government all lay claim to the management of the estate and occasionally issue the residents with various charges ranging from valuation fees, local government levies to tenement rates.<ref>{{cite web |title=Govt, Lagos to harmonise charges, levies in Festac town |url=https://www.atqnews.com/ng/govt-lagos-to-harmonise-charges-levies-in-festac-town/amp/ |access-date=19 January 2020}}</ref> |
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== Media == |
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FESTAC town has over the years evolved and has become a city of its own, the town has had various information dissemination platforms such as [http://www.festaconline.com.ng Festaconline] which has become a household media brand that dishes out information, happenings in Festac Town, Mile 2 and the entire Local Government Area, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos State |
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== Commercial and Leisure Activities == |
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Once a sleepy estate, FESTAC Town has in the past few years attracted varied forms of businesses within the estate and its environs. Today, there is a growing number of commercial banks, and shopping complexes that cater to the residents. There are also several hotels and hangout spots within the estate which have contributed to the vibrant night life. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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<ref>[http://www.festaconline.com.ng Festaconline.com.ng]</ref> |
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{{Portal|Nigeria}} |
{{Portal|Nigeria}} |
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[[Category:Districts of Lagos Metropolitan Area]] |
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{{lagosNG-geo-stub}} |
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[[Category:Housing estates in Lagos]] |
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Latest revision as of 18:32, 4 July 2024
Festac Town is a federal housing estate located at Lagos Nigeria. Its name is derived from the acronym FESTAC, which stands for Second World African Festival of Arts and Culture that was held there in 1977.[1] It is also important to know that Festac is under Amuwo-Odofin local government area in Lagos.
History
[edit]Festac town, originally referred to as "Festival Town" or "Festac Village", is a residential estate designed to house the participants of the Second World Festival of Black Arts and Culture of 1977 (Festac77). Consisting of 5,000 contemporary dwelling units and seven major avenues, the town was designed in an efficient grid in order to accommodate upwards of 45,000 visitors as well as any Nigerian employees and officers working at the Festival.[2] The Nigerian government invested substantial sums of money and resources into building Festac Town, which sported state of the art electrical generators, police and fire stations, access to public transportation, supermarkets, banks, health centres, public restrooms, and postal services.[3] The village was therefore intended to evoke the modern age and the promise of state-sponsored economic development fuelled by oil revenues.[3]
After the Festival, the Federal Government of Nigeria allocated the housing and landed properties to eventual winners who participated in a ballot. Initial regulations forbade such winners from renting and disposing-of the properties to third parties. The first festival was held in 1966 at Dakar, Senegal.[4]
Layout
[edit]Festac town is built in a grid network consisting of seven major roads/boulevards or avenues from which minor roads extend. These avenues are identified by their numbers: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Avenues respectively. The 1st, 2nd, 4th and 7th Avenues surround a portion of the town in what seems like an almost rectangular road network which are connected and accessible through each other. The 3rd and 5th avenues run parallel within the town. The 6th avenue is found in a portion of the town accessible through a bridge from the 1st Avenue. The town consists of cul-de-sacs or closes which are named in an alphabetical format.
Festac town is accessible from the Lagos-Badagry Expressway through three main gates that open into the 1st, 2nd and 7th avenues and are called the First, Second and Third gates respectively. The town is also accessible through the Festac Link Bridge.
Status
[edit]The status of FESTAC Town is somewhat confusing as the Federal, State and Local Government all lay claim to the management of the estate and occasionally issue the residents with various charges ranging from valuation fees, local government levies to tenement rates.[5]
Media
[edit]FESTAC town has over the years evolved and has become a city of its own, the town has had various information dissemination platforms such as Festaconline which has become a household media brand that dishes out information, happenings in Festac Town, Mile 2 and the entire Local Government Area, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos State
Commercial and Leisure Activities
[edit]Once a sleepy estate, FESTAC Town has in the past few years attracted varied forms of businesses within the estate and its environs. Today, there is a growing number of commercial banks, and shopping complexes that cater to the residents. There are also several hotels and hangout spots within the estate which have contributed to the vibrant night life.
References
[edit]
- ^ "FESTAC Roads in deplorable condition[permanent dead link]", The Punch, Saturday, 29 November 2008.
- ^ "Life in the Village," Festival News 1, no. 11 (1977), p. 4.
- ^ a b Andrew Apter. The Pan-African Nation: Oil and the Spectacle of Culture in Nigeria. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005, p. 49.
- ^ "1st World Festival of Negro Arts, Dakar, April 1-24, 1966: Colloquium: Function and Significance of African Negro Art in the Life of the People and for the People, March 30-April 8, 1966". Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- ^ "Govt, Lagos to harmonise charges, levies in Festac town". Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- ^ Festaconline.com.ng