2022 Carnival Calabar: Ayade advocates re-integration of African culture
The Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade has called for African re-integration to break the commercial and custom barriers to promote trade between Africa and beyond.
Governor Ayade made the call on Friday morning during the 2022 Calabar International Carnival, the last edition of Carnival Calabar under the governor’s watch, held at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar.
His words, the governor said, “Indeed that is one the key function of the Carnival of this nature, the reality is that for us to reintegrate Africa, bring unanimity in our direction and our focus, we need a cultural platform of this nature to be able to interact. I will hope that by the nature of these platforms Africans would then realise that, there is a need for us to come together. We must break the barriers.
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement was intended to break the commercial and customs barriers in such a way that it will be easier for us to trade the African continent and beyond. Let us believes that the Carnival Calabar will create a platform where people will come together as Africans and begin to play together from
playing together we move on to commerce and when we create commerce together relationship grows. Then Africa will become the hub of commerce of the world”
“Why would we continue to put barriers against ourselves? Let the Carnival Calabar become the very first basics for which we can justify the fact that Africans can work together. Therefore as Africans, we need to come together, relate with each other and create a new direction so that Africa can move from being the third world into a civilised world” the governor said.
Earlier, on consolidating his achievements in the past Seven and a half years of his administration the governor said, “I am very excited about the way and manner my last Carnival is ended and I am ending it on a strong note and I feel happy that the theme has translated to the concept, the projects and of course what I have done for these years to be able to kinetically crystallised Cross River State in a way and manner that I have set the foundation, build the house above the floor level, just waiting for somebody else to do the finishing, as I have done mind. Senator Bassey Otu would have the singular responsibility of ensuring, that every single project that I have championed, would crystallise in such a way that it will add ultimate value to the society” the governor assured.
The highlight of the event, was the announcement of the winners of this year’s Biggest Street Party, the 2022 Carnival Calabar by the chief Acrigator, Prof. Udoka. He said, in the Cultural Carnival category – States, the 3rd position went to Kwara State, Kogi State got the 2nd position while Nasarawa State get the 1st position. On the local Carnival, contested by all the 18 local government areas of the state, Ogoja LGA get the 3rd place, Calabar South Local Government Area took the 2nd position and Odukpani Local Government Area emerges 1st.
In the Calabar International Carnival category 9 countries, Lithuania, Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa, India, Brazil, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, including the host country, Nigeria contested. Meanwhile, the 3rd place went to Lithuania, Brazil took the 2nd position while South Africa claimed the 1st position.
In the mother of all the Carnival, Carnival Calabar. The Best Interpretation of Theme went to Passion4 Band, Best Reflection of Carnival Spirit was also won by Passion4 Band, and the Originality of Carnival was also won by Passion4 Band. In all, Calavagas Band scored 1606 points to get 3rd place in the contest, The Seagull Band garnered 1679 points to become 2nd, while the Passion4 Band scored a total of 1762 points to emerge 1st, being the overall winner.
Prof. Udoka thanked the governor and the Tourism Commission for allowing him to serve.
