The Lagos State Government yesterday unveiled plans for overhauling the Badagry Heritage Museum and other heritage sites to further annex the state’s tourism potential.
Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture Mr. Folorunso Folarin-Coker, who made this known while briefing reporters on the ministry’s activities in the last 11 months, said work would soon begin on the Heritage Museum to restore its glory.
He said the ministry has ascertained the state of the museum and other heritage sites in order to arrest their obvious deteriorations.
According to the commissioner, the ministry found that the museum needs “total and complete restoration and rehabilitation in many areas.” The ministry, he added, would complete the overhauling and remodelling of the galleries.
He said the state planned to provide “adequate and functional facilities, modern infrastructure to cope with the expectation of visitors and tourists as well as capacity building, training and manpower development of the staff to manage a modern museum.”
Speaking on the agreement between the state and the Federal Government to upgrade the National Museum at Onikan in Lagos, Folarin-Coker said the plan is to make the museum a pride to all Nigerians and a befitting tourist centre within the state.
He said the monument would be upgraded into a befitting international standard museum in preparation for the celebration of Lagos at 50 next year.
The commissioner said the state is collaborating with foreign partners to promote Lagos as the most desirable tourism destination in Africa.
Folarin-Coker said the Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board, the Task Force and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) officers raided designated areas notorious for selling pirated movies in order to sanitise the sub-sector.
During the raid, he said, 33 suspects were apprehended and 11 bags of illegal and pirated movies seized.
The suspects, according to him, have been prosecuted and fined or sentenced accordingly.
