- Safiu Kehinde
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has declared Lagos state the cultural capital of Africa following his arrival in the state for a five days visit to four African cities.
Khan stated this in a post on his X handle following his arrival in the state on Tuesday to kick-off a trade mission to Africa.
The London Mayor, in the caption attached to a photo of him beside a ‘This is Lagos’ graffiti, disclosed the motive behind his visit.
“This is Lagos 🇳🇬 Africa’s cultural capital – from Nollywood to Afrobeats to fashion. I’m here to deepen our cultural ties and celebrate what unites us.” The Mayor wrote.
Khan in a subsequent post further explained that the visit to the African cities is aimed at promoting trade and investment opportunities across key sectors including finance, education, health, tech, creative and sustainability.
Following his arrival, the London Mayor was hosted by the Nike Art Gallery which he described as a hub that preserves Nigeria’s rich artistic heritage and empowers a new generation of creatives.
“London and Lagos are two of the most culturally dynamic cities in the world. Fantastic to see Nike Art Gallery while in Lagos, a hub for preserving Nigeria’s rich artistic heritage and empowering a new generation of creatives.” He wrote in a post on his X handle.
The Mayor would again be hosted on Tuesday evening by CEO of EbonyLife, Mo Abudu, at the EbonyLife Place, Victoria Island.
Khan again took to his X handle on Wednesday to share his experience at the EbonyLife Place.
He held that Lagos’ creative energy is unmatched.
“From Nollywood legends to Afrobeats giants, Lagos’ creative energy is unmatched. Last night, I joined Mo Abudu at EbonyLife Place to celebrate the global talent and cultural connection between London and Nigeria. These connections matter, and they’re growing stronger.” He wrote.
As captured in the post, the Mayor was received by Nollywood actors, actresses, musicians, social media influencers, and fashion entrepreneurs amongst others.