Festac ’77, also known as the Second World Festival of Black and African Arts and Culture, was held in Lagos in 1977.
The cost of the event, $400 million (US$2 billion today), and the way the funds were used caused confusion. In order to draw attention to the plight of the masses, Fela drove a damaged VW Beetle to the event in protest. Nigeria rose to the top of the international charts after successfully hosting Festac ’77, also known as the Second World Festival of Black and African Arts and Culture.
The international festival, which took place in Lagos from January 15, 1977, to February 12, 1977, was attended by approximately 16,000 participants from 56 African nations and countries of the African diaspora.The event’s 12-year planning saw the creation of a purpose-built 5,000-seat National Theater, 5,000 high-end apartments, two luxury hotels and a highway network created to avoid Lagos’ legendary traffic jams.
However, FESTAC 77 did not go smoothly as there were disagreements over the event’s $400 million cost (or $2 billion in today’s currency) and the use of those funds.
To draw attention to the plight of the masses, Afrobeat legend and political activist Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti, also known as Abami Eda, drove a battered Volkswagen Beetle in protest during Festac 77.
