The Emir of Borgu Kingdom in Niger State, HRH, Mohammed Haliru Dantoro has commended the initiative of the organisers of the Lagos Motor Show, describing their effort to hold the maiden edition of the event as historic.
The Emir who spoke at the weekend in Lagos at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Lagos Motor Show, which was held at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), said Nigeria is a very historical country and therefore, everything should be done to preserve the country’s past legacies and rich history.
According to him, “Some of the cars you are seeing being displayed here today, are cars of the past. But today, people who did not have the opportunity to see them then, are now privileged to see them.
“It takes a mind of nationalism, a mind of patriotism, and a very good background to put this kind of show together. Cars are meant to be handled and treated very well. A man can be seen and predicted by the kind of cars he drives.
“We thank God that today, the things of old have become the things of the future. Indeed, your past says a lot about your future. It’s therefore, my prayer that this initiative should be continued and that vehicles that are glittering the whole areas, which are heritage of the past, should be given to the Foundation for preservation so that we can tell a better future, tomorrow.”
The Emir prayed that in these trying times, all that the organisers of the Lagos Motor Show are doing to preserve old cars will be copied by the country’s leaders to not only preserve the nation’s cultural heritage but also “preserve our national economy.”
“All Nigerians must contribute their quota to make Nigeria great again. The government alone cannot fix the rot in the country and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cannot fix Nigeria alone because of its multiple challenges.
“What the country needs now is collective responsibility of all Nigerians both at home and abroad. Nigeria must rise above its current challenges, and we need the prayers of all Nigerians asking God for direction. This is a period when Nigerians must come together and collectively address the challenges of the country, ranging from insecurity to corruption and hunger,” he further said.
He thanked the organisers of the Lagos Motor Show for putting up a historic show where classic and vintage cars, including electric-powered motorbikes and vehicles, were in exhibition.
Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman of the Lagos Motor Show Organising Committee and Chief Promoter of the event, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo said the exhibition featured innovations and developments in the auto industry such as the Internet of Things (IoT) in automobiles, energy-efficient cars, Electric Vehicles, and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered low emission vehicles.
“We are here today to witness what I call history because we are a people with history. We are telling this story today by way of showing our passion for motoring. As a young undergraduate many years ago, I wrote weekly articles about motoring in Nigeria, addressing cars of the future.
“What we are seeing here today is a collection of cars before independence, cars at independence, and cars of today. What you see today at this Show is a story of cars from the 50s up to 2023,” Adebayo said.
Car Collector and Enthusiast, Chief Olu Okeowo, in his remarks, said, “Personal cars tell more about the personality of a person, and it is good to preserve what we have, be it cars, or anything that has value. Today we are seeing the collection of cars preserved by car collectors and it is indeed great to see old and vintage cars on display,” Okeowo said.
Some of the exhibitors at the 2024 Lagos Motor Show (LMS) include but not limited to Toyota by CFAO; L-SOLUTIONS (Toyota Suzuki Mitsubushi, Mercedes Benxz, E-Mobility) Automobiles; Suzuki by CFAO; Sano by CFAO; LEXUS – Brass Motors; Work And Play -Motor Sports; and many others.