No fewer than one thousand five hundred African artistes are expected to perform at the forthcoming IPADA Carnival, a cultural tourism programme.

The fourteen-day carnival slated to hold from November to December, is geared toward promoting Nigeria and Africa to Africans in the Diaspora and those interested in tracing their roots to the continent.

Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John, says the maiden IPADA Carnival scheduled to hold in Lagos will position Nigeria as a prime destination for cultural tourism.

The minister also urged tourism and culture stakeholders across the country to give their full support in hosting the maiden IPADA carnival.
The IPADA carnival is scheduled to hold from Nov. 29 to Dec. 12, in Lagos.
Ade-John made the call at a stakeholders meeting held at La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, to unveil plans ahead of the carnival.
The stakeholders meeting had in attendance, representatives from states including the Federal Capital Territory, the Nigeria Association of Tour Operators and more.
The minister, who was represented by Assistant Director, Domestic Tourism Promotion in the ministry, Sunday Bisong, said the Ipada initiative is an opportunity to showcase the best of Nigerian culture to the world.
“The carnival will also help to boost local economies through increased tourism.”
Ade-John said the carnival would foster national unity by celebrating Africa’s shared heritage.
“Your expertise and leadership in your respective domains are crucial.
“As bridges connecting federal initiatives to local implementation, your insights and support will drive the festival’s reach and impact.
“I urge you to consider how we can effectively mobilise our local communities, engage with private sector partners, leverage media and technology to amplify our message and ensure seamless logistics and world-class hospitality during the carnival.”
Also speaking, founder of the initiative, Wanle Akinboboye, said the move was meant to woo Africans in the diaspora back to their roots while they explored tourism potentials within the continent, contributing to Africa’s economic growth.
He said President Bola Tinubu had given his consent to be the chief host, grand patron and chief global ambassador for the carnival.
He explained that a meeting had been scheduled in Abuja with the diplomatic ambassadors from the 54 African countries, to finetune the plans.
“The Ipada Initiative is designed to encourage a mass movement of Africans in the diaspora back to Africa, using Lagos as a gateway.
“The initiative is also planned to put the tourism potential in Africa together as a unit for easy marketing.
“With Ipada Carnival, I want to be able to facilitate at least 100 million visitors to travel to Africa within a year,” he said.
Akinboboye noted that it was high time Africans took opportunity of their huge population and natural resources amongst which were tourism natural potential.
He urged tourism practitioners to also look away from security challenges as an hindrance to grooming the tourism industry.
“Security is the least problem for tourism in Nigeria. Israel is currently experiencing war, where they record landing of aircrafts every two minutes, the same country still record increasing tourists figures,” he said.
Giving support to the initiative, lal, Ekiti State Tourism Bureau, Wale Ojo-Lanre, said the state government had been able to trace no fewer than 350,000 families who were from the state but currently resident in Brazil.
“We are ready to play on the platform of IPADA to lure these people back to Ekiti, their root. We are planning to establish a colony where these people will be.
“Ekiti is ready for tourism and Gov. Biodun Oyebanji is planting tourism on a strong footing,” he said.
Also, National President, Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), Bolaji Mustapha, said: “I am dazed and amazed with this initiative, this is the best way to tell our story as a nation. NATOP will like to be part of this.”
Osun Commissioner for Tourism and Culture, Abiodun Bankole-Ojo, expressed the state’s readiness to collaborate with local and international brands in boosting the state’s tourism potential.
Delegates from Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Kano, Ondo, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory attended the stakeholders meeting.
Salvation Alibor, Co-Founder, XPark360, a financial partner for the carnival, on Monday disclosed this during a stakeholders meeting, while unveiling programmes for the carnival, at La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.
IPADA is the Yoruba word which means ‘The Return’.

According to Alibor, the carnival scheduled to hold at the resort, will be an annual celebration of the return of people of African ancestry to their motherland.

He said the initiative had attracted the full support of the Presidency, Federal Ministry of Tourism as well as state governments.

“The IPADA Carnival seeks to celebrate the return of Africans in diaspora to their roots, having Nigeria as their entry point.

“The carnival will feature a music festival where about 1,500 artistes, cutting across the 54 African countries will be performing. It will be a celebration of the beautiful potential of Africans in music, dance, natural resources, arts and all.

“It is meant to open the eyes of Africans in diaspora to these potential which can be converted to wealth for the continent through collaborations and unity.

“We’ll have the Nefertiti Queen of Africa beauty pageant where the true definition of African beauty will be showcased.

“Also, the Ose Awards will celebrate Africans of great accomplishments in arts, science, philosophy, politics and other fields of human endeavour. The winner of this award will be conferred with chieftancy titles across African countries.

“We are going to feature one million Africa meal buffet where various African cuisines will be displayed,” he said.

According to Alibor, the whole essence of the carnival is for cultural promotion and to create the economy of tourism through IPADA.

He said the carnival was an opportunity to create community engagement, strengthen cultural diplomacy, empower the youth and enhance public image of states and goodwill.

“The carnival will feature beach durbar, stage plays, tours to tourism attractions, business unusual picnic and many more entertaining programmes,” he said.

Earlier, founder of the IPADA Initiative, Chief Wanle Akinboboye, said the carnival would be explored to transform tourism attractions within Africa.

According to him, tourism attractions abound within Africa but have yet to be converted to destinations for tourists to visit.

“Attraction sites can only be converted to tourism destinations when some entertaining activities are created within these attraction sites, such that shelter are provided and some other things that guarantee tourists’ comfort.

“With my over 40 years experience in the tourism space, I will be helping to transform different attraction sites to tourist destinations,” he said.