The Lagos State government has said it will subsequently sponsor FESTAC Music Festival which was initiated by the late singer and songwriter, Olanrewaju Fasasi, popularly known as Sound Sultan.
This was made known in a statement posted on Facebook on Wednesday.
Speaking at the third edition of the FESTAC Music Festival and the first held after the singer’s death, the special adviser to Lagos State g toovernor on tourism, arts and culture, Mr Solomon Bonu, said Sound Sultan’s vision of raising young talents will be kept alive.
He added that the present administration saw the need to support the vision of the music star to develop more creative minds and take interested youths off the streets.
He informed participants at the event that Festac Music Festival will hold annually for four days every December.
The festival director and chief executive of Naija Ninja Production, Dare Fasasi, aka Baba Dee, who is Sound Sultan’s elder brother and also a singer thanked the state government for the recognition accorded the festival in furtherance of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s vision to enhance the skills of young, creative and talented Lagosians.
Baba Dee noted that the Festac Music Festival was held as a tribute to the late Sound Sultan, featuring entertainers łike Kenny Blaq, Vector, Jaywon, Tome, Faze and others.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, The singer wrote: “I had every reason not to activate the event last year’s but honouring Sound sultan was enough reason to keep at it, My Emirate flight to Nigeria got cancelled a day before my trip, and I had to put out another half a million naira on a British Airways ticket despite no sponsorship confirmation.
“My brand manager friend held me up only to disappoint me at the last minute on arriving Nigeria, My years of theatre training instilled ‘the show must go on’ mentality in me, thanks to Alh Wasi Kareem of Zmirage, my Senior colleague and present H.O.D theatre U.I Dr Alphonsus, Amuwo Odofin chairman V.O.B ,my team and all the artist that donated their talents we held the best edition ever, Thank to the Lagos state government for making this commitment, I guess that was why the event had to hold, the child of grace showed up again. Long live Olanrewaju FASASI SOUND SULTAN.”
Sound Sultan died of cancer of the lymphatic system in the United States of America at the age of 44.
