Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has unveiled the 2024 Carnival Calabar with the theme: “Our Shared Prosperity”. Otu described the carnival, which is part of the 32-day Christmas festival as an asset to Nigeria’s tourism industry.
He stated this during the unveiling held at Transcorp Hotel in Calabar, noting that the carnival had become a tool for social re-engineering, arts renaissance and economic growth.
The governor performed the ceremony alongside his Kwara State counterpart, AbdulRaham AbdulRazaq, represented by his Deputy, Kayode Alabi, and the first daughter of President Bola Tinubu, Dr Folashade Tinubu-Ojo.
He said that over the years, the activities of the Carnival Calabar and Christmas Festival had left his administration with no option but to make it even bigger and better.
Otu said his administration acknowledged the value of the security of life and property and no stone would be left unturned in making the state a haven for residents and potential investors.
Former Minister for Tourism, Edem Duke, commended Otu for bringing back vigour into the carnival within a few months in office.
Duke, who is also the leader of Calasvegas Band that won the first prize for overall best competing band in the 2023 edition of the festival, also called on the Federal Government to adopt Carnival Calabar as a federal tourism project that fits the marketing bill, and branding of the country’s image.
Chairman of the Carnival Commission, Mr Gabe Unah, disclosed that the state carnival commission had secured a partnership with the European Cultural Centre, adding that carnival globally was marketed through channels.
