The much-awaited Calabar carnival took a centre stage on Thursday as the Cross State Capital stood still with the parade of the bands in their colourful costumes dance through the 12 kilometres carnival route as a large number of residents, tourists and fun seekers cheering them
Penpushing reports that Governor Bassey Out while declaring the parade open explained that the government was bringing back the carnival in a bigger platform where it could truly be referred to as an international brand.
The Governor emphasized that the essence was to ensure that Cross River State was really the choice tourism destination in Nigeria, just as some tourists in an interview with journalists affirmed that the Calabar carnival was truly the biggest street party in Nigeria.
Penpushing further reports that a Medical Practitioner, Dr Adebayo Adeyanju who was attending the carnival for the second time with his wife and two kids, expressed excitement adding that it was really a spectacle to behold, adding that his kids were happy.
The tourist, however, appealed to the Cross River State Government to develop other tourism potentials of the state so that tourism would be an all-year-round activity not just in December during the carnival.
‘We have Obudu Cattle Ranch that is no longer functional; we have the Agbokim Waterfall and even Tinapa. All these great tourist sites were pushed down due to poor management’ the tourist stated.
Penpushing also reports that, a Canadian, Clara Frederick who was visiting Calabar for the first time, said she was having a good time as she had been treated well by the residents and would like to visit again in 2024.
The ceremony was equally beefed up with security operatives at different parts of the city, especially along the carnival route, with vehicular movements effectively diverted, a measure to prevent a reoccurrence of the 2022 incident where some people lost their lives and many were injured by a recklessly driven vehicle which ran into the carnival route.
Penpushing reports that the various bands were expected to interpret the theme of the carnival which is: “The season of Sweetness’, and expected to perform at different adjudication points where they would be judged by a panel and the winning band would go home with a cash prize.
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