By Jonathan Ugbal: Government House Correspondent
A total of 27 cultural troupes participated in the 2017 edition of the Cross River Cultural Carnival.
These consists of cultural troupes representing the eighteen local government areas in the state and 9 other visiting states who are competing for various prizes at the event which the Deputy Governor, Professor Ivara Esu said will kick start the main activities of the Carnival Calabar and festivals.
“Today we are beginning one of the Carnival events that will take us through the streets of Calabar,” said Esu while flagging off the Carnival, adding that: “It is our first major event of the 3 days of various events related to Carnival including the main event on the 28th.”
Also, Esu averred that: “Today we have a cultural Carnival in which all the 18 local government are vying for honors here not in terms of how they deliver the messages from the various local government, how they portray the culture of our people.
“To support them, we have people who have come from 9 different states; we were expecting quite a number but 9 have already arrived. I understand that Niger state is here, Plateau is here, Akwa Ibom, Anambra state, Nassarawa state; Some of them were here last year and they are here again.
“We urge them to compete because the competition is not limited to our local governments. Other persons who portray their culture very well during this process will also win prizes. So, I urge them to perform their very best and that everything must be done with decorum.
Earlier, the chairman, Cross River Carnival Commission, Mr. Gabe Onah, maintained that “culture is the palmoil with which our tourism is eaten, especially the culture of Cross River State,” pointing out that: “this has remained our strength.”
The Cultural Carnival took the participants round major streets in Calabar with an adjudication point at Rabana Roundabout.
Below are pictures:
