What is it about Festac 77 that remains in the Nigerian memory? Or, what is the legacy of Festac that the Nigerian nation has internalized and made its own? Limited as this view of Festac is, it is still a subject of great significance for the nation, and indeed, of universal interest. Because of its complexity, we plan to trim the subject down even further,

Prior to the staging of Festac, there was a lively press discourse on the huge sums of money estimated to be spent on structures and facilities. It was the view of many, that Festac would exhibit, in the main, half nude dancers, a show devoid of meaning in an age of science and technology. Once the performances took off, there was, definitely, no such complaint of the selection of events presented at the fringe Festac at Unilag.

We should remember also, that some effort was made to take Festac out of Lagos to the rest of Nigeria. The Durbar event at Kano in Northern Nigeria was, of course, one of the central attractions of Festac. But even the small minority cultural communities were encouraged to organize fringe Festac activities through the state councils of arts and culture.



Please share your memories of Festac, send in pictures if available.

i remember festac as one time a very beautiful place with parks.
electricity was the bomb back then, immediately the lights went off, there were stand by gens, but all that is history now.thats was in the 80's.
what we have now is over population, bad road and insecurity.

but i believe festac can be what it used to be, we just need an El-rufai

i miss festac alot as a PH boy now, festac was my hood born and brought up on 24road, went to festac college wit all the 24th nite partyin and hanging aaround,festac na past glory now oooo notin special again 419ers don tak over d whole placeeeeeeee plus d guys trunin into drug barons/peddlers too, alot of festac babes don turn ashawo.but all d same i miss festac town

The two replies above illustrate the need to keep our history alive in the minds of our youth. Festac to them is a geographical location, and they hardly think of a major celebration of arts and culture that Nigerians can be proud of hosting in 1977.

I was quite young at the time, but one enduring memory I have of the event is the Festac77 anthem. I've looked for it all over the net, but can't find it.

^^^^^^

Nwanne you're very right. Infact I knew where I was in 1977. FESTAC was in a world of its own. The economy was in great shape. It was in '77 that I started my electronics company in those days.