By EBELE ENEMCHUKWU
Not many more excuses will exist for anyone still undecided about being anywhere but in Calabar, Cross River State in the month of December, particularly if they attended the Theme presentation event which held at Eko Hotels and Suites recently.
As mind blowing as the evening was, that, from experience, was “THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG” when compared to what this year’s Carnival Calabar tagged AFRICANISM has in store.
The event organised by the Cross River State Carnival Commission in conjunction with Promotional & Innovation Synergy Limited had in attendance, the Chairman of the Carnival Calabar Band Association, Senator Princess Florence Ita-Giwa; Chairman of the Carnival Calabar Commission, Mr. Gabe Onah; Mrs. Mary Onah; Emeka Enemchukwu; International Consultant to Carnival Calabar, Mr. Ikechi Uko; Deputy Consul General, Consulate Of Brazil, Helges Bandeira; SA to the Governor of Cross River State, Hon. Kenn Aklah; Cross River State Commissioner for information, Mrs. Rosemary Archibong; Executive Secretary, Carnival Calabar Commission, Mr. Austin Cobham; Mrs. Tourism United Nations ’15 – ’17 and Carnival Calabar Influencer, Ebele Enemchukwu; Cross River State Commissioner for Tourism, Hon. Eric Anderson (represented), among many others.
It was indeed an evening laden with what can best be described as magical stage performances, divine music, good food, choicest drinks (including fresh palm wine), laughter and so many other forms of entertainment, all to the delight of both National and International guests.
The Event Hosts and Comedians were great, with Comedian Klint Da Drunk almost causing guests to fall off their seats when he revealed his acronym for LAGOS as “Look Again Go On Speed” in response to Senator Florence Ita-Giwa’s revelation of CALABAR to represent “Come And Live And Be At Rest”.
Congratulations to PIS Limited on their official maiden outing as the Marketing Consultants of Carnival Calabar. Emmanuel Agweye and Nnaemeka Obi are Captains of the PIS ‘ship’ which steered the AFRICANISM outing to a beautiful close.
Recall that the AFRICANISM theme was unveiled three months ago by the Governor Of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade who expressed optimism that “this year’s edition of the tourism event will go a long way in righting the wrongs done to Africans by foreigners, especially colonial overlords, by portraying the continent and its people as the true owners of the real wealth in the world”.
It was a truly beautiful evening and we just can’t wait for Africa’s largest Street party, come December.