EXPERIENCE AN AMAZING ATMOSPHERE AT THE BANANA ISLAND CULTURAL FESTIVAL

Hearing the name “Banana Island”, one could imagine the area being set aside for banana plantation. But it is not so. The name is derived from the banana- shape of the island as portrayed by the aerial photograph.

Banana Island is an area of Ikoyi-Lagos, Nigeria, 8.6km east of Tafawa Balewa Square. The area is part of the Lagos Local Government Area of Eti-Osa in Central Lagos, and it is known for its wealthy, multi-cultural community and has some of the most expensive real estate in Nigeria. The Island also has one of the highest densities of millionaires within the country.

The Banana Island is known for being a community in Nigeria with the presence of people from virtually all the continents of the world. You would think it should be difficult for residents of the place to mingle freely or even know each other due to the quietude and the untainted environment of the area. But the Banana Island residents, through their annual cultural festival, which is a celebration of different nationalities living within the island, get to know themselves and the nationalities feel at home though they are hundred miles far away from their original homes.

The festival which was first celebrated in 2015 has become a yearly celebration showcasing what countries, irrespective of colours and race, can do when they unite together. The level of conviviality among the residents, though multi-cultural, is demonstrated in the festival.

At the festival, which is annually staged at the Oval Garden in the Banana Island, allows residents to display their various culture, foods, drinks, etc. At each stand, there is a placard bearing the nationals, Poland, France, South Africa, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Rwanda, Italy, Cameroon, Jamaica, Philippine, India, Japan, Indonesia, etc. Their flags are shown and their national anthem being sang.

There is so much to eat and drink. As part of the fun, you can just get into any of the stand of the countries represented there and get a taste of the foods and drinks. You can also get to interact with them to know their countries and their tribes.

The festival is just about bringing the different countries together and making them feel at home, and lots of music accompanies with dancing take the stage. Each country representatives are allowed to take the stage to entertain the audience in their respective local music and dances. It is just all about having fun, as you get to know each of the country representatives without traveling in the air to visit their countries.

This year festival which is themed “Looking Back, Giving Back” is a huge networking /bonding activity that the community looks forward to annually.

EXPLORE YANKARI NATIONAL PARK

Make a point to visit the Yankari National Park; one of the largest national parks in Africa with natural eco-system and unique features. It is Nigeria’s first and best managed forest wildlife conservation product with an area of 2,244 square kilometers where tropical animals can be found in their natural habitat.

Yankari National Park is an area of rich biodiversity; it shelters teeming species of large mammals like elephant, buffalo, hippopotamus, lions, water buck, bush buck, monkeys, and about 153 known species of birds and reptiles. It is also fascinating to know that Yankari National Park has the largest concentration of elephants in the West Africa region. You can observe these mammals as you walk through the passageway.

You would not also like to miss the opportunity of getting enmeshed into the ethno-historical and archaeological attractions such as the catacomb and Dukkey wells of about four meters deep the park is equally enrich with.

You could also indulge in warm and relaxing sensations as you soak in the free flowing warm spring’s pools. The Wikki Spring, Tunga-Maliki Spring, Gwana Spring, Dimil Spring and the Mawulgo Spring are the five spring’s water that oozes out from cretaceous deposits of shale and sandstones.

Yankari National Park also provides amenities for more than 100 visitors a night, which includes accommodation, restaurant, and conference hall, indoor and outdoor games.

The park can be reached from Bauchi town through Bauchi-Gombe paved road for a distance of 37km to Dindima on the east bank of the Gongola River. From Dindima, following the park’s signpost, one has to make a right turn after Gongola Bridge on a laterite road which leads to Mainamaji, the base camp of the park.

The physical environment, water resources, the climate and weather, the geological, vegetation and the floral species found in the park make it an ideal destination to explore.