Yilwatda, Others Grace 20th Carnival Calabar

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, and his wife, were among those who graced the 20th anniversary of Carnival Calabar.

Others in attendance included the Minister of State (Industry), Senator John Owan Enoh and his wife, some retired military officers, and Nollywood actors, among others.

Speaking while flagging off the event christened Africa’s biggest Street party, at the historical Millenium park in Calabar, Cross River State, Governor Prince Bassey Otu, charged the various bands to interpret the theme in a manner that the world will continue to remember the state.

“The Carnival you see today, what we are going to unveil is going to be 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 practicalized and come in a perfect way and manner so that the world remembers the Cross River,” the governor said.

Otu affirmed that the Calabar Carnival remains one of the most critical events in the state’s tourism calendar, as it embodies two decades of ingenuity, resilience, continuity, and sustainability.

Admonishing the competing and non-competing brands to refine their skills and present the best in their presentation, he said: “I see several wants-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 used the event to recognise and applaud his predecessors, including former Governor Donald Duke, for the vision behind the Carnival, the sustainability efforts of Liyel Imoke, and the resilient nature of Ben Ayade, who, despite COVID-19, still saw the event through.

Earlier, Gabe Onah, Chairman of the Cross River Carnival Commission, remarked that the event has had a tremendous impact on the state’s commercial economy.

Onah announced the presence of the French and English-speaking ECOWAS Commission, the Spanish consul, the Portuguese Ambassador, as well as other relevant local and international partners to the year’s event.

For the Portuguese Envoy, Paulo Santos, he lauded the Cross River government for the success of the Carnival, which is in its second decade.

Santos, overwhelmed by the organisation of the event, remarked that he would encourage other diplomats in Abuja and its environs to seek end-of-year holidays in Calabar.

Revellers after the flag off danced through the 12 kilometres Carnival routes, stopping at the various adjudication points to interpret the theme in line with the guidelines of the competition.