By Damiete Braide and Kareem Islamiyat
It was a one-day display of cultural performances from different continents as residents of Banana Island, Lagos, were entertained by various troupes with the theme “Banana Island Multicultural Festival” at the Children Play Ground, Banana Island, Lagos, last weekend.
The cultural fiesta was an opportunity to strengthen cultural ties, foster good neighbourlines, organised by The Korean Cultural Centre, in collaboration with the Banana Island Property Owners and Residents’ Association.
Some of the dance troupes that performed during the festival included Nigeria, India, South Korea, Ghana, Indonesia, South Africa, Philippine, Pakistan, among others.
The Nigerian troupes had performances from the Igbo, Efik, Yoruba, North and Edo tribes, performed to the admiration of the audience.
The Korean team, I.O.F break-dance crew, infused Korean tradition with athletic moves direct from South Korea. The six-man crew, led by Park Seung-Gu, performed twice, and, on each occasion, a mere introduction of the Korean team was greeted with a thunderous ovation, ushering in the energetic dancers on stage.
Earlier in the day, a food testing and fairground experience engulfed the participants, who relished a variety of cuisines and assorted drinks.
At the South Korean stand, guests were treated with various Korean culinary such as Yangnyeom Chicken Boneless, Kimchi Fried Rice, Bulgogi Gimbab, among others.
Director of the Korean Cultural Centre, Kim Chang-Ki, in his address of welcome, said the festival aligned with the Korean Cultural Centre’s goals: “We want to promote Korean culture in Nigeria. We invited the Korean performance team to Nigeria for this festival.
“By promoting Korean culture through its food, we hope to share the awesome Korean experience. I think many Nigerians love Korean food, music and drama. We also know that Nigerians love dancing and they are very dynamic. As a Cultural Centre, we saw the Banana Island Multicultural festival as an opportunity to celebrate the many cultures within the Banana Island. We also saw it as an opportunity to bring the Korean wave to Lagos since it doesn’t have a Korean Cultural Centre.
“The whole aim of KCCN is to create a mutually beneficial bond between Nigeria and Korea, creating awareness and a lasting relationship, both at the grassroots and on an international front. This opportunity provided a place to do that,” he stated.
“We also had various Korean snacks and drinks to share. In the K- Culture experience area, visitors could make inquiries about the Centre’s activities, about Korea and also find out more about Busan’s Bid Candidacy for World Expo 2030. We also had (TAL) mask painting and Hanbok wearing as some activities for participants. We are truly grateful to have so many people turn up to experience the culture, there was a massive influx of both Nigerians and foreigners to our booth,” he said.