Thousands of excited young Nigerians took over the streets of Calabar to participate in and catch a glimpse of this year’s inaugural Carnival Calabar dryrun.
READ ALSO: Calabar Carnival: Governor Otu Unveils 2023 Theme “Season of Sweetness”
Carnival Calabar dubbed ‘Africa’s Biggest Street Party’ is held in December every year as the flagship tourism programme of the government of Cross River State in southern Nigeria.
This year’s event, which is the 19th edition of Carnival Calabar, has been christened “Season of Sweetness”, a theme the now seven competing bands would be interpreting through dance, music, costume and design of the floats amongst other criteria.
The governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu represented by his deputy, Mr. Peter Odey in the company of service commanders, band leaders including the Chairman of the Carnival Bands Association, Mrs. Onari Duke, the Commissioner of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Abubakar Ewa as well as other tourism stakeholders flagged off the first test run of the carnival at the Millennium Park, Calabar.
In a brief remark, Governor Otu said, “I assure you all that we are going to have the best carnival this country has ever seen this year. We are ready for the biggest tourism show in Nigeria and with the presence of all the service commanders in the state here at this flag off, it means that security is guaranteed.
“We are sending the message to our friends, tourists and visitors all over the world in America, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago as well as our sister African countries to come to Calabar because we are very ready to host you; we are ready to give you the warmest welcome. I must assure you again that this year’s carnival will be the best,” said Otu.
A new beginning
Earlier, the chairman of the Cross River State Carnival Commission, Mr. Gabe Onah acknowledged the excited demeanour of the crowd of spectators, who lined the 12 kilometre route to cheer on the revelers of the seven competing bands.
Onah said, “today signifies a new beginning for us in Cross River State. Carnival Calabar is back, the 32 days Calabar Festival is also back. The cultural milieu that had turned around Cross River in the turn of the millenium, changing the landscape of Nigeria and using this as our best foot forward.
“The musicals are back, as after the dryrun, the event management unit of the governor’s office led by the Special Adviser, Mr. Effiong Ekpenyong would be showcasing a concert musical of all band leaders and the community of Calabar.
“The city lights of Calabar are coming back, the city streets are becoming greener and the icing on the cake of all these is the Carnival Calabar, which is Africa’s Biggest Street Party and Cross River State’s gift to the world and God’s gift to Cross River State,” the chairman said.
The dryrun is the first out of three rehearsals to be held before the main carnival in December, while the reintroduced Children’s Carnival dryrun has been scheduled for December, a week after the last test run along the 12 kilometre route.
It would be recalled that at the inception of the carnival in 2004 by the former governor, Mr. Donald Duke, there were only five competing bands, which included Bayside identified by blue colour, Passion 4 spots green, Freedom has Yellow as its main colour, while Masta Blasta uses orange and Seagull maintains red.
Two new bands were admitted into the competitive category by the immediate past governor, Professor Ben Ayade and these included Diamond identified by the colour purple and Calas Vegas chose gold as its colour.
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