Prof. Ben Ayade, the Governor of Cross River State has said that no fewer than two million people are expected in Calabar during the 2017 Calabar Carnival.

As reported by independent.ng, the governor stated this on Monday in Calabar when the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed paid him a courtesy visit.

The Minister was in Calabar to declare open the final dry run of the carnival and inspect bands, costume making centres, rehearsal sessions for the festival.

Ayade said that 75 per cent of the expected tourists from across and outside the country were youths below the age of 35 years.

“Before now we used to have mostly the elderly and the rich people who have the finance capacity that come for the carnival.

“But the situation has changed so rapidly that you see more youths participating in the festival.

“The watching public has been so dynamic, there is a massive change and it is increasingly becoming a huge focussed programme,” he said. .

The governor said the theme for the carnival, “Migration” was deliberately chosen to preach to the youths the pains and consequences of illegal routes to Europe and America.

He said the carnival would be used to discourage young people from leaving Nigeria for the supposedly greener pastures overseas.

“When you see the float, procession, drama and dance, they are dramatically telling sad stories of a perilous routes which end in slavery and death.

“It is not just a dance, you must have the intellect to interpret what go beyond the performances telling stories of consequences of migration

“Calabar carnival is not just a street party but a lecture, training and formative structure to build new character and create new opportunities for young leaders.” he said.

The governor thanked the Minister for the visit noting that his presence had underscored the endorsement of the festival and it’s roles by the federal government

In a response, Mohammed said that Calabar Carnival had evolved over the years to become an international event and the federal government would continue to support it.

He said that his presence in Calabar spoke volume of the readiness of the federal government to partner and support the State in promoting the carnival.

Specifically, he said the federal government would leverage on Information and Communication Technology to promote the festival.

The Minister recalled that the Federal Government recently granted pioneer status to the Creative Industry whereby investors in the sector enjoyed tax holiday for three years among other benefits.

He therefore encouraged corporate sponsors and investors in the carnival to apply in order to benefits from the policy.

The Minister also assured that the carnival would benefit from the proposed 100 million dollar grant his ministry and stakeholder were seeking from the Central Bank of Nigeria for the support of the creative industry.

He disclosed that foreign participants in the carnival, like the 26 pageants from various countries contesting for Miss Africa 2017, already benefitted from the simplified Visa policy of the government.

The Minister said he was impressed with the level of preparation and the commitment by the government, band leaders and the performers to the carnival.

Source: https://www.brainnewsradio.com/calabar-carnival-to-attract-two-million-tourists-governor-ben-ayade/

Lalasticlala

Wow..This is nice. Proudly Cross Riverian

Let the carnival begins

Am set.
Calabar here I come

Beautiful people
Beautiful state

Does this man know what 2 million people is ?

izaray:
Wow..This is nice. Proudly Cross Riverian

You a cross riverian yet u didn't know about this before now.

Abeg wait for me nah

optional1:


You a cross riverian yet u didn't know about this before now.

Habah, i do

There already...seriously God create this people well. See kaka....see kakashi peninsula.

SalamRushdie:
Does this man know what 2 million people is ?

Off course, Cross River State, is a state of tourisim.. The man knows what his estimating at.

izaray:
Habah, i do

But you more surprised than I.


How una dey fro that side
Abadia

optional1:



But you more surprised than I.


How una dey fro that side
Abadia

You are right darlin. I base in Abj, packing my bags already though. Ah!! My Local Govt dnt speak this one(Efik)

cummando:
There already...seriously God create this people well. See kaka....see kakashi peninsula.

You?
Pray I don't catch you this weekend.

.

optional1:



You?
Pray I don't catch you this weekend.

Hehehehehe......I'm praying seriously

But then again it depends on the kind of catch

izaray:
You are right darlin. I base in Abj, packing my bags already though. Ah!! My Local Govt dnt speak this one(Efik)

We'll meet there then.

Abadia the most common way to say helllo you no sabi. Come to sambisa forest our chairman wants to see you in his palace.

cummando:

Hehehehehe......I'm praying seriously

But then again it depends on the kind of catch

Catch you as u explain that stuff up their.

Calabar here I come.

optional1:


We'll meet there then.

Abadia the most common way to say helllo you no sabi. Come to sambisa forest our chairman wants to see you in his palace.

No be Ediakon, no laff me abeg, i no sabi speak efik, am not kidding. They forgot to use it as a general course in my primary days

izaray:
No be Ediakon, no laff me abeg, i no sabi speak efik, am not kidding. They forgot to use it as a general course in my primary days

Lolz, sorry not laughing at the Ediakon oh...
Laughing at the excuse.


Ediakon is response to Abadia.

Like I said Abadia
Your respond is Ediakon so correct.


Though, I'm not from the south...
Still learning....

optional1:




Lolz, sorry not laughing at the Ediakon oh...
Laughing at the excuse.


Ediakon is response to Abadia.

Like I said Abadia
Your respond is Ediakon so correct.


Though, I'm not from the south...
Still learning....

Aww....My head don swell like kilode Tnks

optional1:




Lolz, sorry not laughing at the Ediakon oh...
Laughing at the excuse.


Ediakon is response to Abadia.

Like I said Abadia
Your respond is Ediakon so correct.


Though, I'm not from the south...
Still learning....

Its idiokor

Prestige16:
Its idiokor

Izaray come see the right word oh..

optional1:



Izaray come see the right word oh..

Thanks dear, gonna copy it some where

izaray:
Thanks dear, gonna copy it some where

Thanks to prestige16

Listening to the "inlimited" governor talk reminds me of an old soul classic song of the great group The Temptations called "Just my imagination" paraphrased as:

I tell you I can visualize it all
This couldn't be a dream for too real it all seems
But it was just my imagination once again runnin' way with me
Tell you it was just my imagination runnin' away with me

What a wonderful dreamer, this gov.

What time is it gonna be aired abeg?

COOL10:
What time is it gonna be aired abeg?

From 28th from 10am thats for the main carnival.any visitor coming to calabar for the first time should holla me for sightseeing guidance.

SalamRushdie:
Does this man know what 2 million people is ?

am sure u read d part he is referred to as professor?

senatordave1:

From 28th from 10am thats for the main carnival.any visitor coming to calabar for the first time should holla me for sightseeing guidance.

. Alright,thanks.

two million..is it opening ceremony of the world cup.