Sheraton Lagos Hotel

Sheraton Lagos Hotel: The best for business tourist

The increase in the influx of business tourists into the country and the need for high level business transactions has facilitated the modernization of most hotels in Lagos and the springing up of new ones. Among them is the Sheraton Lagos Hotel which have carved a name for itself in the industry and on this visit to the hotel by Austin Jacobson, he discovered why the hotel is one of the best in the country. Excerpt 

Nigerian economy is the most developed in the West African Sub-Region and also serves as a hub that connects other African countries in terms of economic development. The influx of business tourists  into Nigeria every month surpass that of any other African nation and that is because of the high economic returns most businesses set up in Nigeria do bring at the end of the year thus making Lagos one  of the most visited cities in Africa for business.

This increase in business tourism in Lagos has necessitated the rise in numbers of high class hotels springing up to cater for the needs of this high class of business tourist who are mostly from Europe and Asia.

Investigation by waka-about at the Immigration office at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport revealed that  sixty five percent of passengers on  the flights of  British Airways from London into Lagos Mondays to Saturdays are on business and this flights are always full couple with other European Airlines that also fly into Lagos from other parts of Europe.

 waka-about further discovered that these trend of Business Tourism has increased since the beginning g of the year and that most flights originating from Europe through other airlines such as Air France/KLM, Iberia and Turkish Airlines are more than half the capacity of the aircraft which means the trend of business tourism is very much on the increases and in-fact more than that of holiday and vacation.

To cater for the influx of the high volume of the business tourists are hotels that are fitted with the modern equipment and sophistication from room to board and other facilities that an international business tourist do require to transact its business.

One of the hotels that most fit in to this high class hotels and situated in the heart of the city of Lagos is the Sheraton Lagos Hotel. The hotel is well situated in the high brow Ikeja not too far from the airport and with over 325 guest rooms and 7 suites which are furnished with signature Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed are designed to provide superior comfort.

Speaking with waka-about during our visit, the public relations officer of the hotel Ms Bose-Oni Opaku said that the hotel is capable of hosting meetings or events. WIFI access and hi-tech audiovisual equipment are found in each of the four meeting spaces and ballrooms, with the largest having a capacity to accommodate 350 guests at a sit-down banquet.

Opaku described the bars at the hotel as the best stocked in the country while the local Nigerian Cuisine in the Crockpot Restaurant is adore with delicacies. At dinnertime guest can savour Italian delights at La Giara or indulge in the culinary displays of the Pili Pili Restaurant.

The staffs she said are well trained and friendly helping guest with everything from audiovisual support to special menus. The hotel also have a new business centre with a full range of amenities for travelling business tourist.

Guest will also enjoy a warm day lounging by the outdoor pool or exploring the surrounding area. As evening falls, they can find comfort and connect from the live entertainment at the Lobby Lounge and Pool Terrace to the festive atmosphere of The Club, every evening always bring excitement.

National Museum Onikan

Onikan Museum: Where Nigeria's culture and history are kept

The National Museum in Onikan, is one of Nigeria's kept monument with the most preserved cultural antiquities coupled with back ground preservation of Nigeria history. AUSTIN JACOBSON in this visit to the museum chronicled its importance in the preservation of Nigeria culture and history for the world to see. Excerpt:

THE pride of every nation is the significance it attaches to its culture, its people, events and what symbolises them together as a nation.  The people are the natural endorsement bestowed on the nation and the events that have passed through them takes the people from one phase to another.

That is why monuments such as museums are created and emblemised in to the fibre of the people for the purpose of remembrance and to show or attract tourist from all over  the  world to come and see what has become of the race or how events in the past has shaped the country to what it is now.

This brings to the fore the importance of The National Museum Onikan in Lagos which was built and later extended at a cost of one hundred thousand pounds sterling and was open to the public in 1957. National Daily during a visit to the museum reliably learnt that the museum as it  is today was part of the King George V Memorial Park which is situated opposite The Race Course.

According to one of the administrators in the museum who conducted National Daily through the museum Mrs. Abah Elizabeth, the museum is equipped with good workshop and laboratory facilities for tackling all simple conservation problems. She said there is a good dark room and studio and five storage galleries air conditioned.  On the corner of the museum sits an old building constructed of imported brick and pinch-pine, dating from the turn of the century.

There are also art galleries with collections of Nigerian meta work and pottery sculpture including fine examples of Nok Figurine Culture and one of the best of Ife bronze heads as well as first class examples from more recent Yoruba brass-foundries.

National Daily was also shown   one of the most visited arcades in the museum which is the car in which the Late General Murtala Muhammed was assassinated thirty five years ago.  The car which is placed at the centre of The Nigerian Government Yesterday and Today attract the highest number of tourists to the museum.

The car National Daily gathered has continued to attract an average of 3,000 tourists monthly, from within and outside Nigeria.   The bullet-riddled metallic-black Mercedes Benz 230.6 car is displayed at the 57-year-old National Museum, Onikan, Lagos, alongside other historical national antiques.

The Late General Murtala Muhammed, Nigeria's military Head of State from July 29, 1975, was assassinated in a coup-de-tal by soldiers led by Lt.-Col. Bukar Sukar Dimka on Feb. 13, 1976, after less than seven months in office while going for the Friday prayers in Obalende.

The car according to the museum officials has continued to attract the highest number of tourists, especially on days shortly before and after the yearly memorial.  “During the museum's peak period, about 3,000 tourists visit the car while 2, 000 visit it at off peak periods.

The car was taken into the museum shortly after Muhammed's assassination. It tells a story of the end of an era. The car is been preserved by the museum authorities and many who visit the museum daily request to see it. It was formerly under the tarched roof building but when the roof was falling off and in order to preserve the originality of the car it had to be moved to where it is presently.

The gallery were the car was before became unsafe for visitors and the monument and that was why it was relocated it to a better place known as  Centre of The Nigerian Government Yesterday and Today  at the back of the museum with the assistance of the Ford Foundation.

The car had which is  well-maintained and still glistering  had over 20 bullet holes with photographs and write ups on the Nigerian political history from the colonial era to date adorning the room where it is on display.

Olumo Rock

The moment a visitor enters Abeokuta, among the must visit destination is Olumo Rock which has a very strong traditional significance attached to it by the people of Ogun State. The rock which has been in existence for so long has now become a tourist centre that is been visited by tourist from far and wide. Recently AUSTIN JACOBSON visited this ancient monument which the inhabitants still attaché a lot of ancestral feelings to excerpts: 

Olumo Rock: From where a city was named

 

 ABEOKUTA is a Yoruba word which means (Under the Rock )  it originated in the late 19th century and the origin of the name came as a result of the discovering of Olumo Rock a place which the Egba's during that period discovered to be a saving grace to them during the inter-tribal war in the 19th century. The Egba people, who inhabited the area, worship the rocks and its caves in the belief that they derive their natural strength and protection from supreme beings.

According to the guide that took us on excursion of the great Olumo Rock, he said that he was born in the town and the name Abeokuta originated from the Olumo.

Olumo Rock is situated in Abeokuta and it is from the Olumo Rock that the name Abeokuta was created from, in fact, it is this rock that provided cover and protection to the people as well as a vantage point to monitor the enemy's advance leading to eventual triumph in war.

In a more pragmatic way the rocks with their shelters were an ideal pace for cave castles. This cave houses are reputed to have saved the Egba's during the old days of inter-tribal wars. As the rocks became famous for being a secure place, they also became a unifying factor.

So after the war the town of Abeokuta was created out of the fact that the Egba's during the inter-tribal war seek refuge and protection under the Olumo Rock which gave then advantage over their enemies and after the war ended they settled down there and name the area Abeokuta.

Olumo Rock has transformed to be one of the most sorts after tourist destinations in Nigeria. Several traditional practices and rituals are still been done on the rock and as we walked across, fresh blood of sacrificed animals were on the ground on the second floor of the rock and while walking down the inner cave to the main shrine we stumble on the priest carrying out rituals on two people with the fresh killings of two animals (chickens) but our guide told us not to panic but just observed the process as people from far and near still come to consult the oracle and the traditional practice as of the olden days  are still been practiced up till today including  carrying  out sacrifices at the rock.

This aspect of Olumo Rock is not compulsory for fun seekers to visit but fun seekers that are interested in the traditional aspect of the Rock and the various ancestral antecedents that are attached to it can visit if they do wish to.

Olumo Rock has a fantastic view from the top of the rock were a tourist will be able to see the whole of the city in a glance and several relaxation spot that fun seekers seeking pleasure can visit.  The fantasy of the Olumo rock usually commences with a climb up the man-made stairs carved into the rock. While this sounds easy enough, it leaves many breathless and ready to take a break to rest on the benches under the trees growing from the rock and enjoy the clean breeze. The elevator which can also take tourist to the rock top is an alternative but expensive.

Tourists to Africa definitely need to consider putting Olumo rock on their travel plans. New renovations were completed in early 2006 upgrading the infrastructure of the site to include a new museum, restaurants, water fountain and an elevator that will provide even the climbing-challenged a wonderful view of the surrounding city.

Whispering Palms Resort, Bagary

Whispering Palms, where nature has endowed

Very close to the border between Nigeria and Benin Republic is a reservoir of nature and a place to escape to for the best in pleasure and holidaying, filled with many wonders of nature and this place is called the Whispering Palms.

Located in Iworo, Badagry, apart from the bad road linkage that leads to the resort, Whispering Palms is but a complete environment blessed with nature coupled with the beach that lined the side of the resort which makes it a complete place to go to when anybody wants to escape from the hassle and bustle of the Lagos environment.

Starting from the entrance visitors to the resort are warmingly greeted and the first thing you see is the beautiful lush green lawn with Peacocks and the Donkeys walking and grazing on the grasses and walking towards the reception is the mini zoo with beautiful monkeys while on the other side is the baboons jumping and hooping at visitors passing by.

Approaching the reception you will see beautiful parrot birds singing and telling you welcome and the ambience of the reception hall amplifies the African heritage with the portraits of Nelson Mandela and prof. Wole Soyinka well displayed and other African artefacts used in beautifying the hall.

Conducting waka-about round Whispering Palms, the Marketing and Elevation Manager of the resort Mr. Adeleke Adewale said that the resort started operations in 1991 and they have been able to give the best of hospitality to people that have been privileged to come to the resort.

According to him their major clients are the various corporate organizations and companies which most often organised retreats, conferences and seminars for their staffs.  At other times which are mostly during the holiday seasons the resort usually have a high turnout of visitors who throne the resorts for relaxation.

Adeleke said residents and other people from far do come to celebrate birthdays and other occasions adding that even most weekends people do come for picnics with their families to enjoy the cool breeze from the beach.

Speaking further he said the resort does receive foreign tourists in numbers but that there major customers are the corporate organization and multi-nationals.  He said business was low at the start of the year but it started coming up at the month of June.

Whispering Palms is a conference resort centre occupying an 8-acre track of land in a rural area of Lagos State, Badagry Local Government Area. It lies on the lagoon and typifies the beauty of the area- cool Atlantic breeze, silica sands, palm trees and chirping birds.

The road within the resort looks fascinating as it is lined with palm kernel residue. The entire environment is quiet with stunning ambience and a contrast to the maddening crowd and noise of Lagos.

On offer also is a choice of cuisine from Nigerian to Continental- with exotic dishes like coconut shrimps, Spanish paella, Cantonese Chicken, Ogbono spiced with Ugu and bitter leaf.

At Whispering Palms, there are many useful recreational facilities and relaxation spots, which includes mini museum containing historical items like slave chains and images of important locations like the site where Christianity was first preached in Nigeria.

Also available in the resort are Exercise Area and Aerobics ground, Mini Zoo, Lawn Tennis Court, Basketball Court, Volleyball Court, Swimming Pool, Mini Suites, Double Rooms, Atlantic Suites (Each suite comprises of 3 double rooms), Swimming Pool Block Room, Conference Rooms (Conference Room 1, Conference Room 2, Laguna Auditorium), Pedal Boats and Bars (Patisserie, Red Roof, Dining pavilion)

Lagos; The city of beaches

Lagos: The city of beaches

The City of Lagos is one of the busiest in Africa and can also serves as one of the economic cities of the modern African economy. The number of visitors that thrown Lagos on a daily basis for economy tourism  is very high and this can be attributed to the increase in the numbers of hotels springing up in the city every day.

This also is one of the reasons why tourism in Lagos is moving on a high level and one of the places tourist makes a point of call any time in Lagos is the beaches in Lagos.

The city of Lagos has over ten beaches with their warm waters, tall palm trees and white sands and most importantly, the beaches are quite unspoiled and natural in their own unique way. The people living in the city are very friendly and the destination is not too expensive despite being at a prime location on the coastal line of the South Atlantic Ocean.

There are daily flights to Lagos, direct from Europe and America and most airlines offer considerable cheap fares to Lagos if compared with other destination on the same continent. The major flight from Europe to Nigeria is from United Kingdom by British Airways, there has been a new addition of Airik Airways and Air Nigeria.  The fares of British Airways however, have dropped to compete with all other airlines including Airik and Afriqiyah Airways.

Among the most visited destinations in Lagos are its beaches and the beaches, in Lagos are spectacular, with white sands, palm trees and the rough unforgiving waves of the Bight of Benin. Out of the few, the beaches known to attract a great number of both local and international tourists are the Bar Beach and the Eleko Beach.

Walking along the Bar Beach in the evening, apart from the natural cool breeze and the oozing of the wave of the Atlantic Ocean is the different array of entertainment and relaxation cool spot that makes the tourist and even the locals more relaxed and more comfortable because the cool spot comes with various entertainments.

This is the main beach on Victoria Island, alongside Ahmadu Bello Way and one of the more popular beaches in the state. Bar Beach remains the most populous beach in Lagos and runs from the Institute of Oceanography down to the extreme of Eko Hotel.

Located in the heart of the city, it also harbours its fair share of squatters, druggies, prostitutes with their customers coming at night to patronize them and different religious prayer groups and waka-about learnt that the Bar Beach was named after the sand bars that characterised the coastline of Lagos.

Along the Ahmadu Bello Way were the Bar Beach is situated is now  lined up with three and four stars hotels making it more attractive to tourists who wish to be more closer to nature, beautiful white sands and cool breeze.

Now, this location is turned into a yet more organized beach called Kuramo Beach, named after the small lake which lies behind it. Also are some array of cafe and bars along the shore, a uniform range of beach huts are rented and sold to operators of bars and restaurants.

The Eleko Beach is a much older tourist stop yet not so commercialized stretch of sand. It offers a nice, fun beach atmosphere with a clean and well-catered for surroundings. Located just a few kilometres from the city centre along the Lekki-Epe Expressway this beach also helps as a getaway for groups and family.

At the Eleko-Lekki beach, it is possible to hire a beach shelter made of palm fronds and set up a picnic or barbecue. The Palm trees along the shore, the white sand, the calm and cool atmosphere makes it an ideal surrounding for a beach holiday.

Despite being one of Lagos' favourite beaches, The Eleko Lekki Beach remains relatively quiet most weekdays and weekends. However, the beach is turned into a holiday paradise and besieged on public holidays, when Lagos residents get together to enjoy the gif of nature.

Beaches that can also be found in Lagos and makes a wonderful relaxation spot  include Alpha Beach, Akodo Beach and Tarkwa Bay, Ogogoro Island, Atlas Cove, Lighthouse beach, Ilashe Beach, Agaja Beach and Badagry Beach.

Lace Fabric as a Nigeria culture

The rich cultural heritage of Nigeria cannot be said to be complete without the strong sentiments Nigerians attach to fabrics and clothing’s and this can be evident in the style and way of dressing mostly during occasion and festivals. Last week, an exhibition on the   African Lace: A History of Trade, Creativity and Fashion was held at the National Museums and Monument Onikan in Lagos and Austin Jacobson was there to witness the various arrays of lace fabrics and attires that have come to be a main stay of the Nigerian culture, Except

FG is seeking more collaboration with local and foreign organizations in propagating Nigeria cultural heritage

The Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation Alhaji Ibrahim Mahe, has said that the federal government is looking forward to more collaboration with both local and international organizations to ensure the propagation of Nigerian rich cultural heritage.

He made this statement while delivering his key note address during the opening of the exhibition titled African Lace: A History of Trade, Creativity and Fashion and a collaborative effort between the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Museum of Ethnology Vienna, Austria and The British Museum in London.

According to him, for many years now, lace has become fabric of choice by most Nigerians, especially people of Southern Nigeria, who regard lace as conveying supreme elegance.

He said the trend has continued to define the appearance of Nigerians worldwide and become an intrinsic element of our festive clothing and fashion. In fact many people around the world have had the opportunity of seeing and admiring the brightly colored or snow-white lace dresses worn by Nigerians to commemorate one occasion or the other.

Speaking further, he said the exhibition, apart from been intended to showcase African Lace in Nigeria in a variety of perspectives also complies with one of the key areas of museum work which include preserving cultural heritage, communicating knowledge, and demonstrating the important role of museums as centre of research on material culture of man.

Mahe stated that it would suffice to ask at this juncture   what  is the special quality of Lace fabrics that makes them so attractive to Nigerians. He said there are two major reasons that can be attributable to the popularity of lace, the fabric’s lightness, airiness and the perceived prestige value which signal the high status of the wearer.

Nigerians he said obviously have a preference for opulent and striking clothing and the lace fabric provides them with the right fabric to achieving this. It should be noted that lace was not originally part of the traditional clothing of Nigerians and was never part of the fashion or culture of any ethnic group, although certain textiles display features reminiscent of industrial embroidery textiles.

The Permanent Secretary explained that lace made its first incursion into the Nigerian society during European trade in the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Its elements were seen on their dresses and those of their children, especially girls.

They used lace materials on dining tables, window blinds and other forms of decoration at home and in the office and to decorate the undergarments of ladies, young girls and flamboyant women’s dresses.

Speaking further, he said children of the rich who traveled abroad for further education in Europe who came in contact with dresses made of lace found them fashionable for use at home and as gifts for parents, relations, suitors and other loved ones.

The use of lace thus become popular half a century later among the middle and upper classes, most especially among the people of southern Nigeria. He disclosed that  in 1976 the federal government of Nigeria placed a ban on its importation due to its ‘reckless use’ and the outrageous designs that exposed and revealed much of the body especially a variant of  the fabric called “won-yo-si” seen as the ultimate in sexy dressing. The holes on this particular fabric were so large that much of the body is revealed especially for the females.

The permanent secretary stated that the phenomenon of Aso-ebi, which literally translates as uniform of relative or a common cloth for relatives and friends, helped in the widespread use of lace. At social gatherings, lace is worn to celebrate special occasion. The result of this uniform clothing gives a spectacular sight when you see a group of women sitting together or dancing through the streets in identical wrappers and head ties.

The popularity of lace was so great that it adapted to suit traditional dress styles or to embellish other traditional forms of dress. In the south-west in fact, the traditional clothing of both men and women was increasingly fashioned out of lace materials. The men’s Agbada (gown), buba (blouse) and sokoto (trousers) originally made from other fabrics, were now made wholly in lace.

 So too the women’s IRO (wrapper), buba (blouse), Iborun (shawl) and gele (head tie) were all made from lace materials. While the trade in lace has decreased since it’s peak in the late 1970’s and 80’s, it is still being used in large quantities but imported less from Europe, Austria and Switzerland, and more from India and China. Nonetheless, lace will continue to play a central role in Nigerian’s fashion scene. This is because it is seen more or less as traditional in the fashion and popular culture of Nigeria.

Also speaking at the occasion the Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments Mr. Yusuf Abdullah Usman said that this exhibition gives an overview of the development of clothing traditions in Nigeria and a style chronology of lace fashion.

He said since 1970, the lace fabric offers insight into the society life and vibrant fashion scene of Nigeria especially the south –west. It highlights creativity, opulence, and the joy of social gatherings and group celebration in Nigeria.

The exhibition attracted a lot of visitors in Austria and we hope the Nigeria version which is taking place now you will invoke a feeling nostalgia among our traders who had the opportunities of trade deals with Austrian producers and the elegant Nigerian women who patronized these lace merchants in Nigeria.

Usman opined that it is hope the exhibition will be a catalyst to further research into the history and cultural significance of the lace fabric in Nigeria. Let me also inform you that for the first time a book titled, African Lace: A history of Trade, Creativity and Fashion in Nigeria, a catalogue from the Lace exhibition is available for sale at this venue.

The Director General applauds the continued contributions of the Ford Foundation to the development of museums in Nigeria. According to him, they facilitated the training of some of the staff of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, through the British Museum, to enhance their professional knowledge.