Sahara Centre, Ludi Unveils Pilot Edition of Lagos Island Project Report

Yinka Olatunbosun

The need to understand and document Lagos residents’ perspectives on recreation, leisure and tourism has birthed the release of the journal titled ‘The Lagos Island Project Report.’

A product of the collaboration between the Sahara Centre and LUDI, the report includes insights that can provide sources of reflection for designers, architects, urban planners, real estate developers and policy makers.

In simple terms, the report draws stakeholders’ attention to the real reason why urban planning is needed- which is to improve the lives of the people. In this pilot edition of the project report, Lagos Island was selected for its economic, socio-cultural importance, Afro-Brazilian heritage and historical value as a subject of the research.

This research as well as the resultant journal is vital given the prevalence of new urban development that are said to be for the people. A case in point is the creation of new theatres in Lagos. Many of these theatres have remained inaccessible to the public and the art community for which they were supposedly constructed.

In addition, the researchers are sensitive to the history of recreation, culture and tourism in Lagos and how urban development might be eroding elements of this socio-cultural history. With support from Goethe Institut, this research made discoveries about the huge culture and tourism potential in Lagos Island and how the creative industries and their spaces such as museums, galleries, performing art theatres are pivotal to the creation of a vibrant leisure economy.

The Sahara Centre for the advancement of culture and tourism was founded in 2019 as a non-profit. Its’ Research Director, Sahara Centre, Adun Okupe revealed that the research project started long before the Covid-19 pandemic around the idea of making Lagos a more livable city.

“We engaged a tour guide who is an architect that understands the Afro-Brazilian heritage. We had interns from the University of Lagos. We had different surveys conducted with visitors, residents and business people. We looked at key hotspots and visited on different days of the week. The people were happy that their opinions were sought. They remembered with nostalgia many provisions that were there for them like the community spaces,’’ she said.

Olamide Ejorh, the Executive Director, Lagos Urban Development Initiative (LUDI) explained the rationale for publishing this report.

“We have elections next year and we also know that the economy is plummeting. Unfortunately, the people are not being heard and this is what stifles development and urban planning. 

“This report highlights the fact that people are involved in all these decision making processes. Hence, this research talks about how we can bring people together, understand their wants and needs, and how they want to use space,’’ she said.