By Fabian Ekeruche
Lagos, Dec. 16, 2025 (NAN) – In a proactive move to ensure a secure and incident-free celebration, the Lagos State Government has launched a comprehensive safety and fitness campaign ahead of the highly anticipated annual Eyo masquerade festival. The initiative, which included a community fitness walk and public sensitization drive on Lagos Island, underscores the state’s holistic approach to managing large-scale cultural events.
The event was organized by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) in collaboration with the Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) of Lagos Island Local Government Area and Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area. This partnership highlights a critical strategy in modern disaster management: empowering grassroots structures as first responders.
Led by the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the walk commenced from the Lagos Island East LCDA Secretariat and proceeded through the bustling Adeniji Adele Road axis. This visible, public engagement serves a dual purpose: it demonstrates the readiness of emergency personnel and directly disseminates safety information to the community where the festival will take place.
Addressing participants and onlookers, Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu framed physical fitness as a cornerstone of effective emergency response. “Effective emergency response begins with healthy and prepared personnel,” he stated, connecting individual wellbeing to systemic resilience. He assured residents of the administration’s commitment under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to delivering dividends of democracy in security and emergency management.
Oke-Osanyintolu provided concrete details on the state’s preparedness, noting that LASEMA and its local partners possess the manpower, equipment, and capacity for a full-cycle response—before, during, and after the festival. “We have conducted thorough risk and vulnerability analyses specific to the Eyo festival and have deployed personnel and equipment accordingly,” he explained. This pre-event risk assessment is a best practice in crowd management, aiming to identify potential choke points, medical aid requirements, and traffic control needs.
He issued a direct appeal to the public, urging safety consciousness and adherence to regulations. A specific warning was made against the use of firecrackers and the making of hoax calls to emergency lines, which can divert critical resources from genuine emergencies. The LASEMA boss reiterated the functionality of the toll-free emergency numbers 767 and 112, assuring the public of prompt response.
The community leaders present amplified this message. Mrs. Mosurat Balogun, Vice Chairman of Lagos Island East LCDA, noted that the walk “creates tangible awareness that emergency responders are on the ground.” Mr. Aru Folami, Vice Chairman of Lagos Island LGA, highlighted the area’s vulnerability due to its high population density and aged infrastructure, making such collaborations essential. He revealed local efforts to mobilize volunteers, including Red Cross members, for community-level monitoring.
The Eyo festival, also known as the Adamu Orisha play, is more than a cultural display; it is a massive gathering that transforms the heart of Lagos Island. Scheduled for December 27, it attracts thousands of residents, visitors, and diaspora Nigerians. The government’s pre-festival campaign, therefore, transitions from routine preparedness to a targeted, high-stakes operational plan. The assurance extended to diaspora visitors is particularly significant, acknowledging the event’s role in tourism and national heritage.
This integrated approach—combining personnel fitness, equipment deployment, risk analysis, inter-agency collaboration, and public sensitization—sets a benchmark for managing major public events in megacities. It signals a shift from reactive emergency response to a proactive culture of safety, where the community is an informed partner in ensuring a peaceful and joyous celebration of Lagos’s rich cultural heritage.
(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
FBO/KTO
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Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo
