Picture Caption
L-R: Representing Cross River Southern Senatorial District, Senator Gershom Bassey; Cross River State Deputy Governor Prof. Ivara Esu; Cross River State Governor Prof. Ben Ayade and wife Linda; Leader of Seagulls Band Princes Florence Ita-Giwa; Immediate past deputy Governor of the state Barr. Efiok Cobham and the Speaker CRHA Rt. Hon. John Gual Lebo at the flag off of the 2017 Carnival Calabar by the state governor yesterday.

In what was total shutdown of the city of Calabar, over a million revellers yesterday thronged the 12kms route, to watch an endless stretch of carnival bands to interpret this year’s theme of Migration through drama and dance.

Apart from the crowd that greeted the biggest street party in Africa, there was also an increased addition of four non-competting bands bringing the total number of bands to nine, with five competing.

Significantly, the 2017 carnival also played host to a 1500-man contingent from Imo State who on ground to understudy the annual event.

Flagging off the event at the Millennium Park Calabar, Cross River governor, Prof Ben Ayade, lamented that Africa remained blessed and rich, wondering why young men and women had reasons to leave its shores.

Ayade, who after the flag off led the the bands through the carnival routes amidst cheers by the young, old and visitors into the state, disclosed that “Africa is so blessed and rich. Sometimes we begin to wonder why young Africans go through the Mediterranean sea, Sahara desert through Morocco and other difficult routes finding themselves in Libya, used as slaves and reduced as subhumans,” adding that, “we must put an end to that.”

Reasoning that Africa is the future and the only continent that has everything, the governor enjoined young men and women to, “put an end to migration, and should rather come to Calabar as we have provisions for jobs and have created opportunities as politicians and people in government, for you to have good jobs so that you can stay back here.”

To Africa leaders at all levels, Ayade maintained that “we have a responsibility to reverse the trend associated with migration for that is what the theme this year is telling us. As we watch the bands dance and tell their story in a dramatic form, we want to see the interpretation which is the ultimate aim.”

Continuing, the governor intimated that “this year’s carnival is not just about dancing and celebrating, but telling a very painful and sorrowful story as it relates to migration,” adding that “in due time Africa will rule the world.”

Advocating the return of migrant Africans to their respective countries instead of taking risks through perilous roads in the quest for greener pastures, Ayade said, “governments of Africa will continue to make efforts at ensuring that they return, we shall, we will and will do so.”