jojothaiv:
But FESTAC '77 was not all smooth sailing. Nigeria being Nigeria, there was disagreement as to the cost of the event, and the ways the funds were used etc etc.

We've come long way with this corrupt and sharp practices...

Ikem11:
This festac is what started the Nigerian downfall

Ykc2:
The trade fair and festac plus satellite town was built by tinubu and his urchins too,

OldNairalander:
I still believed the West have a hand in Nigeria's current woes.
This country was fast rising to become a rich and powerful black empire of sort that will liberate all black men all over the world. Unfortunately for her,the West can't survive without Africa's resources. Hence the coded Carthage like treatment on Nigeria to destroy it's influence.

Reflect7:
FESTAC VILLAGE

I remember FESTAC VILLAGE as it was when it was first built for the 20,000 black diaspora who stormed Nigeria for the event. From Ghana, South Africa, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Jamaica, USA, Barbados, Cuba, Brazil, Antigua, Haiti, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Grenada, Bahamas, etc etc.

When you entered FESTAC then, it was like somewhere in Los Angeles! Clean roads with sidewalks, and folks strolling around, taking pictures etc.

IN FACT, THE WHOLE OF LAGOS WAS BUBBLING. YANKEE PEOPLE EVERYWHERE, IN THE CLUBS, BARS, HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, THE BEACH, THE STREETS, EVERYWHERE.


Facilities

''A housing estate known as Festac Village was constructed as accommodation for about 17,000 participants. However, the long-term objective of the village under the Federal Housing Programme was to relieve some of the housing pressure in Lagos. The housing estate was proposed for construction within two years, with more than 40 contractors working on different sites of the project. In total 5,088 dwelling units were built prior to the festival and an additional 5,687 were to be completed by the end of 1977. During the festival, the housing estate was the venue for performance rehearsals and interaction by participants as various troupes rehearsed their routines in the day and at night.

For hosting the performances and lectures, a state-of-the-art multipurpose national theatre was built, to serve also as a lasting centre of African art and culture. The theatre's design was based on the Palace of Culture and Sports in Varna, Bulgaria. The new complex had two exhibition halls, a 5,000-capacity performance and event hall, a conference hall with 1,600 seats and two cinema halls. The theatre hosted dance, music, art exhibitions, cinema, drama and the colloquium.'' - Wiki

National Arts Theatre, Lagos

soojar:



God bless you for bringing back to our memory one of these good old days. Festac '77 remains arguably the most remarkable national celebration and event in Nigeria to date. This anthem is just whao! I always have goose pimples each time I listen to it. The music was written by Margaret Walker but produced Dr. Olatunji Akin Euba (1935-2020).

I have a new ring tone for the next one month at least

We learn everyday

jojothaiv:
But FESTAC '77 was not all smooth sailing. Nigeria being Nigeria, there was disagreement as to the cost of the event, and the ways the funds were used etc etc.

We've come long way with this corrupt and sharp practices...

Myer:


Nice one.
Unfortunately for the spiritually discerning, it also marked the beginning of the downward spiral of Nigeria. As it seems it celebrated the gods across Africa and not God.

Reflect7:
UK Guardian report:


Nigeria’s FESTAC festival, which cost 1.75 billion dollars in today’s money, was an Olympic Games of Pan-African culture – with Stevie Wonder the joyous headliner

Stevie Wonder, Festac 1977, Lagos: a unifying moment of transatlantic black pride


Staged in Lagos, Nigeria, Festac 77 (The Second World Festival of Black and African Arts and Culture, to give it its full name) was the cultural climax of the Pan-African movement, gathering musicians, dancers, fashion designers, artists and writers representing 70 countries from Africa and the African diaspora. It was a show of worldwide black unity and self-determination, and the catalyst for Nigerian superstar Fela Kuti’s anti-government protests. It was also the platform for Stevie Wonder to consolidate his affinity with the continent.

Festac 77 was big on a more prosaic level, too. Indeed, to even call it a “festival” in the contemporary sense would be doing it a disservice – this was Olympic Games scale. Four weeks of events across 10 venues including the specially built 5,000 capacity National Theatre; 15,000 participants housed in 5,000 high-end apartments and two luxury hotels, again all built for the event; a network of highways created to avoid Lagos’s legendary traffic congestion. It was 12 years in the planning, during which time it survived a civil war, a presidential assassination and two coups (one successful, one not) and the bill came in at $400m, or $1.75bn in today’s money.

The cost itself was a subplot: oil-rich Nigeria had staked a claim as the “Giant of Africa” and such largesse in the cause of African unity ticked several boxes. Festac’s international co-ordinator, Professor Chike Onwauchi, said at the time: “Billions are being spent keeping black people apart – it is impossible to spend too much money to bring black people together.”

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/aug/19/stevie-wonder-festac-1977-a-unifying-moment-of-transatlantic-black-pride

Contd.

OldNairalander:
I still believed the West have a hand in Nigeria's current woes.
This country was fast rising to become a rich and powerful black empire of sort that will liberate all black men all over the world. Unfortunately for her,the West can't survive without Africa's resources. Hence the coded Carthage like treatment on Nigeria to destroy it's influence.

Yoighaman:


How?

Reflect7:


There has been notable development since then, in many respects.

Not a single expressway existed in Nigeria in 1977. Lagos-Ibadan was our first, commissioned in 1978.

Today, such roads are the norm across Nigeria.

Many cities we have today like Calabar, Uyo, Awka, Abakiliki, Ikot-Ekpene, Minna, Jalingo, etc were villages or glorified villages in 1977. Today they are modern cities with expressways, flyovers, universities, international conference centres, and shopping malls.

Even Lagos which hosted the event for the most part, is vastly improved today in terms of infrastructure and so on.

Don't take these developments for granted.

Rome was not built in a day.

siofra:


Then why did Asian countries make it?
The West didn't see them as a threat too? If they didn't, why?

Evidenx:
This festac was what enthroned Satan in Nigeria, Today Nigeria is one of the countries that Satan have office in. I speak by divine Revelation.
From 77 till Nigeria began to go downward. Because people in their ignorance welcome the devil to take over their country.

Akoja360:
As a country, we have been on a backward trajectory since we discovered oil

judedwriter:


So true and so sad.

God hates idolatry.

Nigeria went down after this idol festival!

judedwriter:


So true and so sad.

God hates idolatry.

Nigeria went down after this idol festival!

Evidenx:
This festac was what enthroned Satan in Nigeria, Today Nigeria is one of the countries that Satan have office in. I speak by divine Revelation.
From 77 till now Nigeria began to go downward. Because people in their ignorance welcome the devil to take over their country.

Reflect7:


COLONISED MUMU.

So African culture in your colonised head is 'idolatry'?

FESTAC was done precisely to rid Africa of stupid, brainless mumus like you.