Creating New markets in Entertainment & Leisure:
It is generally assumed that Africans don’t know how to enjoy, and even if they did, then their idea of fun will be described as totally “expired” when compared to the “cool hangouts” that pervade this generation.
But… wait a minute, these guys love to eat, party, dance, “movie” and drink. Why won’t they enjoy other forms of entertainment that offer therapeutic benefits to their families? Ask me which ones… Our research indicates hunting, water leisure, jogging, Bowling and rowing for fun, etc. The question is why are these forms of entertainment not common around here? Well, I finally got a clue.
A group of Investors initially explored the possibility of a games resort with the regular bowling, games, “legs” and food to go with the center. They zeroed in on the highbrow, elitist community in a part of Lagos, Nigeria to attract the crowds. The center only lasted a few months. However, the “pepper soup” (spicy soups) and music center next to the outlet was always filled each night. A fellow living abroad also shared his experience about his rich cousins that regularly flew in for vacation only to spend half the time shopping–and this affects all age categories. One then wonders why Africans see leisure as more of the “internal” effects of food, dance, and drink and less of the thrills of the outdoors.
New Perspectives, New Benefits: However, things might be changing. A recent News media report following various meetings of Tourism stakeholders indicated that some returnee African Diasporans and new breed of entrepreneurs were really interested in the developing the entertainment and leisure sector and wondered why there were no entertainment centers that could compare to Disneyland in that Region. These stakeholders were widely reported to have called for such leisure resorts to boost the tourism sector in Africa. …The Splashworld park resort is a major shift in the leisure and entertainment trajectory of Nigeria because no other facility of this magnitude has been located in the country or developed by Investors. While one wishes the SplashWorld team the very best success in the new venture, it is our hope that their investment in the South Western region (Ekiti) will be the first of many projects and that it will become a model to attract other Investors into Nigeria to improve economic development and to diversify the income base of the economic activity within the West African region as Disneyland has done in the U.S.