Over 3,500 Revelers Rehearse Along 12 Kilometre Carnival Calabar Route

Over 3,500 revelers stormed the twelve kilometre Carnival Calabar routes as Governor Bassey Otu flagged off the second rehearsal ahead of Africa’s Biggest Street Party in December.

READ ALSO: Calabar Carnival 2022 returns in December
Governor Otu, who was represented by the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Mr. Elvert Ayambem said described the revelers adorned in the colours of their bands as depicting a beautiful scenery and ready for another feat.
Otu commended the band leaders, the carnival commission and Special Adviser Event Management, Mr. Effiong Ekpenyong for organising another dryrun different from the first one held last October.
He reiterated the administration’s commitment to give residents, tourists, visitors and guests the best experience Africa has ever seen, saying, “it is a beautiful scenery and this is a test of what is ahead of us. The first dryrun was a complete implosion and I equally know that this one is going to be very electric, showing that the main carnival is going to be second to none in Africa. It is going to be the biggest; it is going to be the most organized.”

“Now is the ‘Season of Sweetness’ and everything we intend to do from now on in the carnival proper is going to be one in a million and one of a kind. The carnival in Cross River is back and back in the true essence of it. The days of cutting corners just to make Cross Riverians happy that carnival is fun are over. We are back and we are back super and superior as it has ever been,” the governor further stated.
Continuing, he assured, “the concert, which comes immediately after this dryrun is going to be super. At the last one, we danced in the rain. But, this time we are prepared to weather any storm to have another great musical concert.”
Innovations
Earlier, the Chairman of the Carnival Commission, Mr. Gabe Onah remarked that the first dryrun was a huge success, noting that the second dryrun has been designed to further publicize the event as well as test the preparedness of the competing seven bands.
According to Onah, this innovation in this year’s dryrun was to “challenge the bands to perform at the four adjudication points along the 12 kilometre route. Each contesting bands will be performing for 10 marks. Our innovation is to make the three dryruns more competitive and the bands have shown that they are ready. The last dryrun was tough and this second one, the band have come prepared. It has never happened.”
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mr. Austine Cobham said that the to enhance early flag off, certain measures such as increased crowd control measures and collaboration with band leaders as well as Nigerian security agencies were taken to reduce vehicular traffic on the route.
Cobham said, “the flag off today was smooth because we had mostly human traffic. Over time we discovered that the hindrance to early flag off was due to vehicular traffic. But, today we achieve near zero vehicular traffic at the starting point. For the first time we were able to achieve a less than 35 minutes early flag off, which in my opinion is commendable.
“To enable spectators have a clear view of the revelers from the sidewalk, the commission further deployed over 300 marshals. This number is besides those deployed by each of the seven bands. In all we have 3,500 revelers on the move and enough marshals,” said Cobham.
He added, “although the different Nigerian security agencies are not part of the commission’s architecture, I can assure you that there are adequate security personnel on the route.”

Some residents turn petty traders decided to cash in on the gathering to sell commodities ranging from banded shirts, soft drinks and snacks and shoes, while more than hundred street sweepers under the Calabar Urban Development Authority (CUDA) cleaned up the streets as the float moved along.

O.O