Lagos Island, otherwise known as Eko has a lot of cultural offerings concealed in its bowl. The recent research carried out by the Sahara Centre for the Advancement of Culture and Tourism in collaboration with the Lagos Urban Development Initiative (LUDI) on the area revealed that the Island, which is home to many businesses, boasts of different cultural heritage and tourism appeals.

Being the first of its kind, the report was unveiled recently at the Sahara Centre, Ebute Metta, Lagos.

Titled, The Lagos Island Project Report, it documents residents’ perspective on recreation, leisure, culture and tourism.

The report findings draw attention to the role of efficient urban planning in the life and culture of people and how such could be used to improve their living standard, introduce healthier lifestyle, provide infrastructure and promote culture and tourism in the neighbourhoods. It reminded stakeholders in urban development, especially the government and real estate developers of the need to make the living space reflect on residents’ culture, and at the same time, promoting tourism.

Briefing the media, Dr. Adun Okupe, the Creative Director, Sahara Centre and facilitator of the research, disclosed that Lagos Island was chosen for the pilot project because of its Afro-Brazilian heritage, bustling economic activities, socio-cultural importance and its historical legacies.

Okupe noted that the project interrogated the residents’ attitude to leisure and recreational facilities in their neighbourhood, especially accessibility to recreational facilities such as the theatres, adding that urban planners should carry the residents along in city planning and the provision of infrastructure to give them the spirit of ownership and belongingness.

The project facilitator explained that Lagos with its buoyant economy should give priority to how the city is transformed to enable residents work and play seamlessly, and bring the balance required for holistic and happy life.

The executive director, Lagos Urban Development Initiative (LUDI), Olamide Ejorh, disclosed that some of the findings of the report include, the importance of leisure time to residents in various communities, how safety and security are key to outdoor activities and theatre culture, and how playgrounds and open space are being built up and as such hampering the people from expressing themselves in outdoor leisure activities in their communities.

She noted that the report highlighted how the newer development models seem to erode the diversity and vibrancy of their once cherished cities, displacing them with high rents and living costs, which further results in the decline of the value of existing recreational activities and attractions around them.

The Polish government has requested the return of a number of looted artworks from Russia.

The works – a selection of masterpieces by Italian painters between the 14th and 18th century – were stolen by the Red Army during World War II. They are now hung in the Pushkin State museum of Fine Arts in Moscow.

The paintings, which include “Two Saints” by Spinello Aretino and “Adoration of the Child” by Lorenzo di Credi, were stored in the collections of the Czartoryski family in Goluchow, at the Wilanow Palace, and in Poznan, Wroclaw and Lodz.

“Traces of hundreds of thousands of items lead to the Russian Federation and to the former Soviet republics,” said Piotr Glinski, the Polish Culture Minister, at a press conference.

“[We] will never stop searching for … cultural items that were looted.”

Why was Polish art looted in WWII?

It is estimated the 50 per cent of collections were looted from Polish museums during World War II, when the country was occupied by both the Nazis and the Soviets.

The Polish government has already issued 20 requests to Russia for the return of items and artefacts including archives from the Auschwitz death camp and paintings by Durer and Holbein. All so far have been ignored.

“Until this day (Russia’s) government has not reviewed any of the claims,” said Glinski.

Relations between Russia and the former Soviet satellite state have long been strained but hit a new low on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Poland has been a big backer of Kyiv and pushed for strong sanctions from within the EU.

Looted Polish treasures can be found in many countries including other former Eastern Bloc members. Since 2016 the Polish government has secured the return of 600 items, none of which were from Russia.

A jersey worn by basketball legend Michael Jordan during Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals, his last title victory, has sold for a record $10.1 million (approx. €100 701 540) at a Sotheby’s auction.The sale of Jordan’s iconic red Chicago Bulls jersey, as seen in the hit series ‘The Last Dance’, makes it the highest sum ever paid for a piece of sports clothing.The shirt worn by Diego Maradona against England at the 1986 World Cup, where he scored twice held the previous auction record with a sale $9.28 million (approx. €9.25 million).According to Sotheby’s auction house, the shirt fetched 20 separate bids which drove the price to double its $5m estimate.The previous record sale for a Basketball jersey was for a game-worn and autographed shirt worn by the late Kobe Bryant from 1996-97, which sold in May 2021 through Goldin Auctions for $3.6 million (approx. €3.59 million).Whilst the recent sale of Jordan’s 1998 jersey has shattered basketball-specific and sports-wide records for game-worn items, a Mickey Mantle baseball card that sold for $12.6 million (approx. €12.5 million) in August holds the record for the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever.