Towards repositioning the African largest street festival, Carnival Calabar, the Governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu, has again appointed Okhma Global, an innovative organisation focused on building sustainable cities through tourism as the official marketing company for the grand festivity in December 2023 in order to promptly identify revenue areas of the event, position the event as an international event held in the state, get strategic partnerships in the private sector by ensuring their ROI amongst others.
   
Governor Otu announced this during a private investment breakfast meeting involving over a hundred CEOs of top organisations from across the various sectors of the Nigerian economy and other stakeholders in Lagos recently.
  
With a development roadmap to position Cross River State, which is best known for its hospitable people, eco-friendly environment, industry, agriculture and mostly tourism as Nigeria’s powerhouse megacity, Okhma Global would focus on making the Carnival a catalyst for a new economy for the state.
  
Speaking on the target, the Managing Director of Okhma, Mary Ephraim-Egbas, who noted the opportunities the Carnival Calabar under the leadership of Governor Otu would provide and how the interested partners could plug in their brands and organisations for maximum benefit, said, “the Carnival Calabar is due for a rejig with renewed focus to create and execute an event that meets certain milestones and is a catalyst to the transformation project moving from municipals to cities. With an impressive turnout of more than 1.5million participants for the carnival, we are exploring the possibility of granting access rights to businesses that are interested in making long-term investments. These companies will have exclusive opportunities to maximise the potential of this thriving carnival route and festival event.”
  
On the economic impact of carnival in Cross River with a forecast for 2023/2024, Ephraim-Egbas, who noted that Brazil generates massive revenue through its carnival season, said: “The State of Rio de Janeiro generated revenue of four billion Brazilian Reals. Meanwhile the combined revenue of Sao Paulo’s and Bahia’s tourism sector amid their festivities amounted to nearly five billion Brazilian Reals. In the same vein, Carnival Calabar can contribute Billions of Dollars to the economy of the state and bring great returns and opportunities for the private sector, transforming its fortunes and creating a better life for its people.”
  
During his speech, Governor Otu, who took the audience through the history of the carnival, his vision for Cross River State and the importance the carnival and tourism would play in his plans to reposition Cross River as the tourism capital of Africa, disclosed the policies the leadership of the state had put in place to create a business-friendly environment for investors and partners who identify with the economic aspirations of the state.
  
Otu said: “My joy and pleasure stands tall as I’m privileged to behold myself before the great doyens of tourism and creative industry of Nigeria. I’m also happy to be associated with and to share with you the sweet smile of Cross River State and welcome all to the flag up ceremony of 2023 Carnival Calabar, themed, ‘The Season of Sweetness’.

“It is the peace, smile, happy face and rich cultural heritage that provides and makes our state the must visit tourism destination in Nigeria. The peace, happy face and warmth await you all. I invite you to enjoy our peace, happy environment and proud heritage.

“It also gladdens my heart to share with you the current indications of the growth of Alternative Tourism markets. We intend to strengthen our tourism infrastructure and facilities to stimulate its growth as added value to the tourism industry. Tourism entails the transfer of wealth from where it is abundant to where it is lacking.

“This process or movement has peace as its foundation. Without peace and love and a smiling face which encourages movements, there cannot be a viral tourism industry. We shall do all it takes to ensure that our state tourism package is inclusive of peace, security, and a clean environment amidst other tourism variables.

“The Cross River State offers the world as Africa’s greatest Creative theatre on the move “Carnival Calabar” that conveys distinct intangible and tangible tourism experience in the planned events of Cross River State. I assure you that my administration would without an iota of doubt inherit and continue to explore and employ the great natural tourism endowment and the creative resources abound in our state to transform Cross River State socio-economically.”
  
The Governor said: “This year’s theme ‘The Season of Sweetness’ would showcase the Carnival Calabar as an intellectual platform to entertain, educate, inform and showcase to our national and international visitors our rich cultural heritage and content.

“As Africa’s biggest theater on the move and sweetest street party, Carnival Calabar had in recent past led the cultural interface with other rich and great cultural and artistic brands which have metamorphosed and stand shoulder high with dual purpose as Nigeria’s best foot forward in cultural diplomacy and as an important significant pull attracting tourists to the shores of Cross River State and Nigeria in its season.

“It is in the recognition of the huge contributions accruing from this sector that I have directed the State Carnival Commission to take all necessary effective steps to ensure the re-launching, restoration and repositioning the Carnival Calabar to its former glory so as to enable its proper roles in the state economy as it were. I stand on the footprint of Abraham Lincoln and say that, I am a slow walker, but never walk back.

“As I walk slowly, with intent to consolidate the gains of tourism and creative industry of the state that have become the mainstay of the socio-economic development of the state.

“To this effect, it is the humble intention of my administration to explore all avenues to ensure its sustainability with the private sector as main actors and players.

“To further strengthen the base, I intend to submit a proposal to the State Assembly and obtain an approval and put in place economic incentives for the Private Sector to specifically encourage its participation in state tourism and creative industry. We thank all our sponsors and to say our doors are wide opened for coexistence. We also thank our media partners.”
   
The Calabar Carnival and Festivals is a flagship event in the state’s tourism offerings, which spans 32 days, celebrating culture, artistic excellence, and unity among people of diverse backgrounds.
      
Okhma is expected to liaise with corporate organisations with interest in the carnival and reach agreements on behalf of the government of Cross River State for a successful Carnival.
  
With live broadcasts reaching 42 countries in Africa- a cumulative viewership of over 200 million, the partnership offers the opportunity for maximum visibility, engagement with a broad consumer base, and the opportunity to showcase their commitment to corporate social responsibility and promotion of the rich cultural heritage of Cross River State and Nigeria.