It was another major milestone in the journey of IPADA (The Return) and the upcoming IPADA Carnival celebration scheduled to hold in November and December of this year in Lagos, Nigeria, as Founder of IPADA Carnival initiative, Tourism Icon, Otunba Olawanle Akinboboye, took an entourage for inspection and conclusion of use of the Lekki Deep Sea Port, where the cruise ship carrying returnees from different parts of the world will berth.
“This indeed is a major landmark in the preparations towards the hosting and celebration of IPADA Carnival,” said Akinboboye, at the Lekki deep sea port.
According to him, it is a beautiful thing to confirm and ascertain today, the readiness of the Lekki located Lagos deep sea port.
“We are expecting a huge number of our brothers and sisters from the Diaspora to arrive soon for this grand celebration. And like I have said, it is beautiful in our eyes to see the possibility of this dream that has been hanging for so long, coming to reality. Our great great great grandfathers were taken away from this shores, in slave ships with deep sadness, but today, through this same Atlantic ocean, we are creating a return not in slave ships again, but in cruise ships. Their coming is a thing of joy to them and to us and it is a great call for a grand celebration.”
During the early morning inspection, Otunba Olawanle Akinboboye’s entourage where in luck to see, a mighty ship from France dock at the port and many could not help but visualise and imagine the joy of a cruise ship arriving and berthing at this same deep sea port, in another few months.
“History is about to be made, soon when we will receive our brothers and sisters here at this port. We are taking our time to ensure save and secure modalities to this effect. Assistance with regards to visa services is now available on IPADA website. Same as cruise information and flight information. We have also made provisions for tourists to pay instalmentally, in order to help them pay at their convenience, so that they can make the return journey home to Africa, for this grand IPADA Carnival celebration. The journey has finally began,” Otunba Olawanle Akinboboye added.
