By Jonathan Ugbal
Sunnel Thuesem, the Danish tourist Cyclist currently on a tour across Africa says Calabar is where he received the highest level of reception and hospitality.
Thuesem, 26 who arrived Calabar Wednesday, CrossRiverWatch learnt lauded the state government and Cross Riverians for the warm reception accorded him and said that his perception about Cross River State amd Nigeria as a whole has changed following his interaction after the Danish authorities had warned him that it was a no-go area.
Thuesem CrossRiverWatch gathered signed up to a Charity while in the Gambia alongside four others and cycled the entire west coast and got into Nigeria through Benin republic where he eventually reached Calabar through Abakaliki – Ugep -Akamkpa route where he was welcomed at the Calabar Calabar roundabout by a contingent led by the Special Adviser to Governor Ayade on youth matters, Prince Godswill Edward , Special Assistants on Sports and Tourism, Effiom Effiwatt and Eric Anderson respectively as well as many others.
“He was taken on a tour of sports facilities and other Tourism locations in Calabar” Effiwatt told CrossRiverWatch on phone, adding that; “He was delighted with what he saw and has departed by ferry to Cameroon as he continues his journey into Central Africa.”
“I asked him why he was doing this, and he said that it was borne out of his love for cycling” Edward said in a telephone chat.
He added that; “That spirit, that drive he displays, Our youths need to show that too because they have so much energy with nothing to exhaust it on.
“As a government, we will see how we can partner with him to promote sports tourism in order to engage our youths. This we need to do because when the youths have no place to exhaust their energy, any negative thought they have, the choose to use it which is not good.
“He has completed about 70 percent of what he set out to achieve after spending 1 year and about 3 days on the road and I want to say to youths that they cam achieve what they set out to do positively.”
Thuesem, has since departed for Cameroon via Bakassi on a ferry as he aims to complete his journey by arriving Southern Africa in 6 months time.