When the annual Carnival Calabar and Festival returns
this December, the fear of whether or not the Professor Ben Ayade-led
government of Cross River State would sustain the annual event will not only be
over, revelers will have more to thank the new government for.
Governor
Ayade announced at a glamorous unveiling of the 2015 edition of Carnival
Calabar theme tagged ‘Climate Change’, that the carnival can only get better
with additional activities and restyling of the old ones, revealing that Bikers
Day and Disco Fiesta are part of the new offerings this year.
The
event which took place at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos had
dignitaries from the Corporate Nigeria, the United States Embassy in Nigeria, actors,
actresses and several investors.
Governor
Ayade whet the appetite of many at the
event, while marketing what has come to be known as the best tourism
destination in Nigeria, with oratory prowess.
The
2015 edition of the December festival will be the first to be organised by
Ayade, who took over from former governor, Senator Liyel Imoke. The festival was
founded by Imoke’s predecessor, Mr. Donald Duke in 2004.
At
the end of the presentation Sunday night, many applauded the festival
initiative as Progress in Running.
Ayade who enjoined all to be a part of this year’s festival,
revealed that Carnival bands from 14 countries will be performing this year, while
the notable children Carnival has also been repackaged to take the form of
family funfair.
He surprised many when he invited all the Beauty Queens
at the event to the stage, and enlisted them automatically as members of a new
band called the Governor’s Band. “Irrespective of their states of origin, they
represent the beauty, elegance, style and class of the average Cross River youth,” said the governor.
The
Cross River helmsman who also announced plans to set up ‘the biggest garment
factory’ in Nigeria on December 15, said there is need to localise the production
of the costumes used during the event, as a business angle to the festival.
The governor assured of security, praising the State as
having the lowest crime rate in Nigeria. “Our people are emotional stable
and content with what they have. However, s full team of security will be
mobilised for the festival,” he said.
Guests at the
unveiling include comic actor John Okafor, aka Mr. Ibu, sonorous singer, Waje,
CEO of EbonyLife TV, Mo Abudu, Dance Hall singer, Patoranking, reggae artiste
Blackie, Olu Maintain, Kce and actors Enyinna Nwigwe and Elvis Chuks.
