The Lagos State commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, claimed in a recent interview on national television that the state is the first African state to attend Lord Mayor’s show in London. The commissioner made the statement while addressing issues bordering on affairs of the state and the public procurement agency.
He described as false the allegation that the governor of the state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, paid his legal fees using state funds, as he addressed the controversies which have trailed the procurement activities in the state. When asked to speak on the status of the Lagos financial hub, Omotosho said, “What you call the roadshow is what we call the Lord Mayor’s show in London. Anytime a new Lord Mayor is in place, after his inauguration, he holds the Lord Mayor’s show. Lagos is the first African state to have been invited to this Lord Mayor’s show which has a tradition of about 850 years.
“The show that you saw on television is a prelude to business engagement and it took place in the heart of the city of business. The whole idea is to make Lagos a financial hub, an international financial centre. A council has been created for that headed by Mr. Governor himself.”
Claim: Lagos state is the first African state (sub-national government) to participate in the Lord Mayor’s Show procession in London
Verification
The Lord Mayor’s Show is an ancient show of London’s independence regarded as the oldest, longest, and least-rehearsed civic procession in the world.
CNN reported the participation of Lagos state in this year’s edition of Lord Mayor’s Show which was attended by Babajide Sanwo-Olu in London. According to the report dated November 14, 2023, Lagos state marked Africa’s inaugural appearance at the Lord Mayor’s Show. This was corroborated by the information on the website of the Lord Mayor’s Show as can be seen here.
Verdict: TRUE
The CDD War Room can confirm that Lagos state is the first African state (sub-national government) to participate in the Lord Mayor’s Show procession.