The Lagos State Government has restricted commercial vehicles from plying the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) and its environs tomorrow when it holds the Eyo festival.
Private cars and commercial vehicles will also be restricted from plying inner Marina and Lagos Island and also on the Third Mainland Bridge.
The Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), at a news conference yesterday on the preparations for the festival, said provision for 310 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and LAGBUS buses would provide free transportation for spectators.
The buses are to be situated at 52 locations to convey spectators from Ikorodu, Badagry, Epe and the larger metropolis from and to TBS.
There will be dedicated car parks at the Marina from which buses will convey spectators to the TBS.
Fashola described the Eyo festival day as that of gaiety and splendour during which the Lagos Island will be filled with the Eyo masquerades and prayers offered for the older practitioners.
He said the festival, in honour of the late Otunba Theophilus Benson(SAN) would hold between 6.00am to 6.30pm.
He urged the public not “to open their umbrellas, smoke pipes or cigarettes or ride bicycles or motorbikes. They should not adorn a cap, hat or any other head wear near the masquerader; religious head gears are however excluded. They should not attempt to take photographs of the Adimu, Alakete Pupa, Agere, Ologede and Oniko groups.”
Fashola said the state planned to place the festival on the international tourist map; hence the publicity it has received so far.
His words: “As you may have noticed, the coming is intended to be a little different from past performances. I note that the modest change is of some concern to the elders of the craft who have also noticed a decline in the standards of performance, introduction of unwholesomeness and reduced viewership.
“It was obvious that there was a need to re-engage the society to the festival and return kits to previous standards without change to festival values and precepts.”
Fashola’s Special Adviser on Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, told reporters after the conference that 800 Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) officials would be deployed to ensure free flow of traffic within TBS and its environs.