I stumbled upon a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, recently and I found the content and the message therein thought provoking and insightful.
It was a short clip of the speech delivered by former Governor of Lagos state and immediate past minister of works, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN on the economic benefits of the month of December and why sub nationals must tap into the benefits of that time of the year.
Fashola spoke during the 55th convocation lecture of UNILAG, explaining the importance of leveraging the country’s “Detty December” phenomenon to drive economic growth.
Fashola in the widely circulated video noted that tourism during this period, coupled with diaspora remittances, “already contributes 4 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP.”
I also stumbled upon a report by an advisory firm, MO Africa Company Limited showing that Lagos nightclubs generated N360 million daily, with some tables fetching as much as N1.2 million per night.
The report highlighted the significant economic impact of Lagos’ “Detty December,” which attracted 1.2 million visitors, 60 per cent of whom were domestic tourists.
This influx spurred a surge in hotel bookings and short-let apartment rentals, pushing Lagos’ December hotel revenue to N54 billion from 15,000 bookings.
In total, the tourism and entertainment sectors generated N111.5 billion in Lagos during December 2024.
Indirectly, he has challenged other Governors, especially the Prince of my homestead, Ogun state. Fashola put it better when he said, “All of the young men and women who came here from other parts of the world are reliving their experiences on social media, so there’s interest in a place called Lagos, Nigeria. And we can expand it. And it’s for us to be deliberate, intentional and have a mandate around tourism.”
Now is the time for Prince Dapo to tap into the Detty December economy of Lagos State by prioritizing investment in tourism and entertainment; which is the crux of the period.
Remarkably, Ogun state shares a vast border with Lagos state so it’s easy for easy commuting between those states.
Last December, Lagos state organized a Countdown programme on the 31st of December across the three Senatorial districts. Why can’t Ogun state replicate such for a start? Use Dipo Dina stadium as a point of convergence for Ogun East, MKO stadium in Abeokuta as a point of convergence for Central and Ilaro Stadium for Ogun west.
It got to a point that tourists were looking for space to stay as all shortlets have been completely booked in Lagos, if Ogun state can create some tax incentive and immediate grant of CofO, I am sure investors would look at investing in the state considering the proximity.
From Tollgate to Ikeja international airport takes just 30 mins at a 60Km/Hr drive and there is an alternative route for train from Abeokuta to Agege to ikeja. It’s also an avenue to explore too, if the governor can fix the road that leads to the train station.
Also, the governor must look inward by making the state tourism sector boom again, rehabilitate the Olumo rock and make it a tourist destination. We have the Adire market and other places in central.
One of the places that I believe foreign tourists who have travelled all the way to Detty their December would like to visit is the site where Queen Sheba was buried. The governor should make deliberate efforts to revitalize and improve the atmosphere.
OGUN state is home to many successful musicians. Kwam 1, Wizkid, Olamide, Seyi Vibes are all from the state. The governor can look at a way of driving entertainment investment around them and start making things happen.
It would add to our state purse if 1/3 of the VATs generated during that period is domiciled in Ogun state, Dapo Abiodun must now start working on how the state must benefit from the next Detty December.
Dapo Abiodun shouldn’t wait for private sector to help drive the sector, though the entertainment sector is largely private driven but he must take the lead in driving that investment.
He must know, like Harry Truman, the 33rd President of the United States avered: “The buck stops on your table.”
Bagbansoro Uthman Olamilekan
Twitter: @TheBagbansoro
Mail: Bagbansorouthman@gmail.com
Gatekeepers News is not liable for opinions expressed in this article; they’re strictly the writer’s
