Lagos International Jazz Festival (LIJF) 2016 to honour Benson Idonije @ 80

Organizers of the Nigeria’s first and premier Jazz festival and the largest Jazz festival in sub-Saharan West Africa – the Lagos International Jazz Festival (LIJF) have unveiled plans for this year’s event.
The festival themed; ‘Jazz in the Megacity’ which holds from April 29 to May 1, coincides with the end of the April Jazz Appreciation Month and the April 30th United Nations recognised International Jazz Day.
According to Inspiro Productions, this year’s festival is dedicated to honour veteran broadcaster, music writer and legendary Jazz critic Benson Idonije aka Benjay who turns 80 this year and is also a prelude to Celebrate Lagos@50 in 2017.
Lekan Babalola two times Grammy award winner is curating this year’s event with a strong emphasis on music education and showcasing the Next Rated in Nigerian Jazz and Jazz related music. Student bands from several of the city’s leading music schools will be featured on the 1 venue 4 stage grand finale. These schools include the Span Academy of Jazz And Contemporary Music, 10 Strings Music Institute, The Peter King School Of Music and others.
The first Lagos International Jazz Festival was held in 2008 and after a brief hiatus is now its 4th edition. The event seeks not only to position Lagos State as a global Jazz tourism destination but also showcase the best of the city’s Jazz and Jazz related music practitioners on an international platform. The 2015 edition of the festival was dedicated and honoured the founder of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival tagged ‘Africa’s Grandest Gathering’ Rashid Lombard.
The venue and complete line up for the event and will be released at a later date the organisers stated.