Some Nigerian entertainers are making last-minute attempts to secure invitation to the Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, Lagos as French President Emmanuel Macron comes visiting on Tuesday (today).
Mr Macron is special guest at an event put together by French television network, Trace TV.
The evening will feature music, drama and fashion show.
Sources close to the organisers told Qed.ng that invitation is premium and a list of invitees was compiled weeks ago.
Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode will play host to Macron, but the state government has limited control over who will attend, this online newspaper was reliably informed.
“We are yet to secure invitation for some of the people we wish to attend,” a source in Alausa, who pleaded anonymity confided in our correspondent on Monday.
Among those still waiting to confirm their attendance are entertainers and journalists.
As exclusively reported by Qed.ng, Kunle Afolayan will be introducing Nollywood to Macron at the Shrine.
Speaking in a telephone interview with Qed.ng on Monday, the October 1 director confirmed that some actors and guild heads in Nollywood have approached him for enquiry about attendance.
“Some people even think I am the one compiling the list, but that is not true. My own role is to introduce actors and other stakeholders from the Nigerian film industry,” Kunle said.
He is, however, overjoyed that the French president is meeting with the Nigerian creative community at a venue many ordinarily associate with negative things.
“The narrative about Nigeria’s creative industry is changing positively and we are glad the world is noticing, he added.
The filmmaker was at the Shrine over the weekend in company of Banky W, who will also be performing, to prepare for the event.
Among those that are said to have secured invitation are Joke Silva, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Jide Kosoko, Kemi Lala-Akindoju and Yomi Fash Lanso.
A massive renovation work has been done at the Shrine and a new power generating set recently acquired to make it ready for Macron.
The Lagos State Government on Sunday announced that movement will be restricted from 12 noon to 12 midnight on Tuesday in the Alausa, Afrika Shrine and Agidingbi areas of Ikeja.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transportation, Dr Taiwo Salaam, urged motorists to make use of alternative routes provided.
