Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu Seeks Global Recognition For Calabar Carnival

 

Cross River State Governor, Prince Bassey Otu, has described the 20th anniversary of the Calabar Carnival as a major tourism event with the potential to project the state onto the global stage.

According to a statement issued on Monday, the governor spoke while flagging off the event at Millennium Park in Calabar, the state capital.

Dignitaries at the colourful event included the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma; the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, and his wife; the Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Enoh, and his wife; retired military officers; and Nollywood actors, among others.

Addressing participants, Otu charged the various bands to creatively interpret the theme of the carnival in a way that would leave a lasting impression on the global audience.

“The Carnival you see today, what we are going to unveil is going to be of some very explosive outcome, and of course, we want all the bands to understand the theme of this year’s Carnival, which happens to be the traces of time.

“We want to see it practicalised and come in a perfect way and manner that the world is going to remember Cross River,” the governor said.

Otu reaffirmed that the Calabar Carnival remains one of the most significant fixtures on the state’s tourism calendar, noting that it represents two decades of ingenuity, resilience, continuity and sustainability.

Admonishing both competing and non-competing bands to refine their skills and deliver outstanding performances, he said, “I see a number of want-to-be bands. Your performance today will show whether you will be promoted to that vacancy, so put in a quintessential performance today, and we will put you there.”

The governor also applauded his predecessors for their foresight and vision in initiating the carnival.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Cross River Carnival Commission, Gabe Onah, said the event had significantly transformed the state’s commercial economy over the years.

Also speaking, a Portuguese envoy, Paulo Santos, commended the Cross River State Government for the success of the carnival as it marks its second decade.

Santos said he would encourage other diplomats in Abuja and its environs to choose Calabar as a destination for their end-of-year holiday.