The 20th edition of the annual Carnival Calabar at the weekend kicked off in grand style in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, with all 36 states of the federation participating in a colourful celebration of Nigeria’s rich cultural diversity.
In a show of unity and heritage, the 18 local government areas of Cross River State also took to the streets, displaying their unique traditions, costumes, music and agricultural produce before thousands of spectators.
Dubbed Nigeria’s biggest street festival, the carnival featured a mix of major attractions, including the Christmas tree lighting, Carnival Calabar dry runs, the Calabar food festival and parade of bands.
The festivities also included live music performances, cultural dances, fashion showcases and sports competitions.
The theme of the 2025 edition, ‘Traces of Time,’ was intentionally chosen by the Cross River State Government to reflect on the evolution and enduring impact of the carnival since its inception in 2005.
The cultural parade, which officially marked the opening of the event, commenced at Millennium Park, where the 18 local government areas of the state brought their heritage to life through vibrant costumes, traditional rhythms and symbolic displays.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, the organiser of the AKWAABA African Travel and Tourism Market, Ikechi Uko, told The Guardian that this year’s carnival not only celebrates two decades of artistic expression and mass participation, but also serves as a living archive of history, heritage and communal pride.
Uko explained that the carnival was the deep interplay between tradition and contemporary expression, dismissing the notion that the carnival had eroded the tradition of the Cross River people.
According to him, the cultural procession that marked the official take-off of the carnival represented inherited traditions passed down through generations, while the street carnival slated for December 29 reflects modern creativity.
He said: “Your culture is who you are now.
Afrobeat is our culture, and that is who we are today. Tradition is different from culture. Those are the things handed over to us by our parents, and you will need people who will maintain them.
“There were lots of traditional dancers at the opening ceremony. Some people will tell you the Carnival Calabar has destroyed the culture. The carnival is showcasing the culture of the people today, instead of destroying it, as claimed by some people.”
Also, one of the participants in her 60s, Nkoyo Eshiet, told The Guardian it had long been her dream to witness the carnival in person.
Eshiet said that the event was more than a carnival and appealed to the State Government to sustain the legacy.
“I cannot describe it. It is more than a cultural display. I have always wanted to witness this carnival. My appeal is for the State Government to sustain and expand this legacy.”
The immediate past edition of the carnival, held in 2024 under the theme ‘Our Shared Prosperity,’ lasted for 32 days.
According to a report by the Cross River State Tourism Bureau (CRSTB), Margaret Ekpo International Airport recorded over 10,000 inbound passengers between 1 November and 29 December 2024, compared to 7,452 passengers within the same period in 2023.
The report noted that 79 per cent of the visitors arrived from other parts of Nigeria, while three per cent came from the diaspora, largely for leisure and carnival-related activities.
In total, an estimated 150,000 visitors entered Calabar by road, air and sea in December 2024, spending about N8.875 billion on transportation alone, a 42 per cent increase in visitor numbers when compared to 2023.
