A non-profit social group, Club Seventies Epe, has appealed to  Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to work towards improving the annual Kayo-Kayo Festival in Epe community for global attraction.

Kayo-Kayo Festival is an annual religious and cultural festival observed in commemoration of the arrival of King Kosoko and his warlords to Eko-Epe in 1851.

Kayo-Kayo, which literary means “eating to satisfaction”, is known with the Epe community of Lagos state.

President of the club, Yusuf Yunus, said upscaling the festival was important to attracting tourists and strengthening the economy of the community.

Yunus, noted that the age-long festival had not gained enough visibility due to the limited scope of programmes inculcated into the celebration.

He advised the state government to engage professionals in the area of festival organisation to further develop programmes for the event, to make it more attractive and entertaining.

“Kayo-Kayo festival can be better packaged to attract tourists, the Club Seventies Epe is calling on Governor Sanwo-Olu to put this on the front burner, get professionals to redesign programmes for the yearly festival.

“More interesting programmes should be inculcated, also, publicity should be improved on, we observed that adequate awareness is usually not created prior to the commencement of the festival.

“We are concerned because we know what the festival can fetch us. When the festival is properly organised, it will provide opportunities for local artisans, vendors and performers to showcase their talents and generate income.

“We want the festival to become a more vibrant and attractive celebration of Epe’s rich culture,” he said.

According to Yusuf, expanding the Kayo-Kayo festival can attract numerous benefits, including: cultural exchange, community development, cultural preservation, global recognition, economic empowerment and unity.

He said to improve the festival, government can look into incorporating various music genres, dance styles and cultural acts peculiar with the community, to cater to different tastes.

“Government can also create a marketplace for local artisans to showcase and sell their handmade crafts, textiles and souvenirs.

“There could also be a platform for cultural workshops where interactive sessions for attendees could be created to learn traditional Epe dances, music and art forms.

With this, a deliberate attempt is made for cultural integration and exchange.

“The festival could also leverage the social media, online advertising and influencer partnerships to reach a broader audience,” he said.

The 2024 Kayo-Kayo festival will hold from July 19 to July 27.