Info For You Lot Calabar Carnival Festival: Africa`S Biggest Street Political Party Showcasing Efik, Nigerian, African As Well As Diasporian Cultures

The Calabar Carnival festival is an annual Christmas festival that takes place in Cross River State,South Eastern Nigeria. The lawsuit tagged equally undisputed "Africa's Biggest Street Party", was created inwards 2000 equally part of the vision of showcasing the milestone of the Cross River State, the offset Capital of Nigeria equally the expose 1 tourist destination for Nigerians as well as tourist all over the world.

   Efik ladies from the Cross River State of Calabar inwards their traditional Efik hairstyle an carnival costume at Calabar Carnival festival. Courtesy Tunde LEMUEL

Calabar urban essence developed from an ancient slave port as well as its location on the Calabar River, a tributary of the Cross River,which is lined upward to the main river past times many navigable creeks, gave it its greatest payoff equally a trading port.

Nigerian ace Nollywood stars, Rita Dominics, Ramsey Noah, Peter Edochie as well as other lady at Calabar Carnival Festival at Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.

 Soon afterwards the British treaty amongst the chiefs of Old Calabar, abolishing the slave merchandise inwards 1841, the Efik traders were quick to build a transition from the slave economic scheme to 1 that came to live supported past times palm stone oil merchandise (Noah,1978). Since as well as then Calabar became non exclusively a legitimate merchandise centre simply also a missionary as well as administrative centre. At 1 fourth dimension (1901 - 1906), Calabar was national capital, earlier it was removed to Lagos (Jennings andOduah, 1996). The eastern regional uppercase was also located hither earlier it was transferred to Enugu (Udo, 1978). The locational lag on the part of Calabar was the lack inwards (especially land) transportation evolution inwards the hinterland.

The carnival which get down on every 1st of Dec as well as terminal till 31st Dec has boosted the cultural mosaic of Nigeria people patch entertaining the millions of spectators inside as well as exterior the State, as well as boosting manufacture for all stakeholders. Calabar Carnival resembles its model- carnival or "mas' inwards Trinidad as well as Tobago (T&T)- Calabar Carnival is a street parade that is organized past times bands amongst department of performers dressed inwards identical costumes as well as masks.
Statue of an Efik woman, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria

There is a loud music, dancing, competitions, floats as well as fifty-fifty Cross River State band. However, Calabar Carnival is unique inwards that it is a Trinidadian-style carnival held inwards an African urban essence without pre-existing Caribbean Area influence (Amanda B Carlson, 2010).

Carnival is a street festival which brings communities together inwards celebration, largely on the dorsum of voluntary participation – the archetypal large social club showcase. In the Britain it tin embrace highly localized British traditions, such equally Notting Hill's flagship African-Carribean event, to to a greater extent than recent hybrids accommodating both Brazilian as well as globe music as well as a diversity of street as well as performing arts (Goodwin, 2008).

Carnival's community spirit is the resultant of the cumulative efforts of many talented artists –musicians, costume designers, dancers, street theater performers as well as audio engineers. Carnival arts are immediately recognized past times the Arts Council equally a "combined art": 1 that, at its best, brings together many fine art forms as well as traditions inwards novel innovative production as well as surgical physical care for (Agnes, 2004)

The Calabar Carnival has gone a long means since its inception inwards 2004, when the as well as then governor of the State, Mr. Donald Duke had a vision of making the province the hub for tourism as well as hospitality inwards Nigerian as well as inwards Africa. In its offset celebration, it featured the Ekpo Cultural group, the Mary Slessor Caravan, Cocoa pod, the depression reason Gorilla of the terminal pelting wood inwards West Africa. The Carnival presents a perfect platform from build visibility for consumer as well as marketplace awareness.

"According to Osima-Dokubo, the carnival aimed to include to a greater extent than aspects of local heritage as well as civilization and
at the same fourth dimension strengthen the capacity of the locals to participate inwards an economically beneficial way”. Recently, Cross River State as well as Calabar has operate the pride of Nigeria or Africa equally far equally tourism, carnivals as well as hospitality are concerned.

             Northern Hausa representatives at Calabar Carnival

Calabar Carnival, equally it is called, is a unique display of African heritage, showcased through music, dance, drama as well as visual creativity, which is reflected inwards the blueprint of floats, costumes as well as make-up. Since
inception, this festival, which has operate 1 of the biggest tourism as well as leisure attractions inwards West Africa,
has grown tremendously inwards popularity as well as scope.

In recent times, Africa has been said to live the fastest growing tourism part amongst international arrivals reaching a 7.5 per centum increase over that of the previous twelvemonth amongst 360 1 yard one thousand tourists recorded inwards 1998, 25 1 yard one thousand (6.94%) visited Africa (Odunsanwo, 2009) .

The World Tourism Organization (WTO, 2004) rating Nigeria equally the most visited province inwards West Africa, projections had it that if benefits as well as activities of travels as well as tourism is utilized effectively, it could live a strength for positive growth as well as economical specially for a developing province such equally Cross River State (Ajake, 2008).

Over the past times years, the Cross River State authorities has used this carnival to drive its tourism sector as well as render exposure for its citizens, equally good equally prepare its vast tourism sites as well as infrastructure such equally the Obudu Ranch Resort, the Tinapa Business Resort, Marina Resort. 
"Costumes were established into the Carnival inwards 2004 to larn inwards to a greater extent than sophisticated as well as Comparable to the famous Brazil Carnival. Cross River State is a famous tourist destination boosting of the Obudu Mountain Resort, Kwa Water autumn which was the site for Miss World photograph shot inwards 2002, Drill Ranch,National Museum, Marina Resort(Slave History Museum), Calabar Botanic garden. For Business visitors Cross River province also has the Free merchandise Zone as well as the Tinapa Resort." 
According to Governor  Liyel Imoke of Cross River State “The Calabar Carnival is unique inwards blueprint as well as presentation as well as y'all can’t say this is similar Brazil, Notting Hill or Trinidad as well as Tobago. It is unique as well as it’s a build nosotros must protect, grow as well as celebrate.  It’s a build nosotros tin purpose to modify the perception of Nigeria similar Nollywood.” The carnival has ever been a showcase of talents, the performing arts as well as civilization as well as on exciting rallying dot non exclusively for residents simply also for indigence living away from home.

The festival commenced amongst a tree-lighting ceremony on Nov xxx at the Millennium Park, Calabar as well as volition destination amongst a thanksgiving ceremony on Jan 1 of the succeeding year. Usually, musical concerts that characteristic renowned national as well as international artistes are used to build the carnival real attractive.

People similar the belatedly Lucky Dube, Joe, Alpha Blondy, Hugh Masekela, Oliver Mtukudzi, Akon, Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, Chevelle Franklyn, Fat Joe, NeYo, Asa, D'banj had at 1 fourth dimension or the other graced the lawsuit amongst their rhythms as well as lyrics. Calabar Carnival takes identify on Dec 26 as well as 27 each year.

    Efik traditional article of apparel as well as civilization on display at Calabar carnival festival, Cross River State,Nigeria

Participation has consistently grown from a pocket-sized few yard to the hundreds of thousands from inside as well as exterior the state. Participants as well as dancers are organized into bands that are required to display their
skills, talents, costumes, masquerades as well as dances routines during the parade that promenades along a
12km road through the urban essence of Calabar. The 5 registered bands are:
i. The bayside band; which goes amongst the bluish colour.
ii. The liberty band; which goes amongst yellow
iii. Passion four; amongst green
iv. Master blaster inwards orange
v. Seagulls inwards Red.

The carnival Calabar of 2006 comprised of a cultural carnival which is a unique characteristic as well as a farther enrichment of the festival. This is the introduction of the cultural carnival grouping into the carnival band. The 
Governor’s vision was to ensure that cultural values as well as contents shape a major ingredient of the experience. Thus a band of cultural trip the lite fantastic toe troupes’ drama from the eighteen local authorities of the Cross River State, cultural grouping from other states of the federation equally good equally non- indigenous communities living inwards Cross River State participated for a full experience. In all these, the cultural content of the carnival has been heightened to 
play upward trado-originality as well as inwards a higher identify all the cultural African content (Cross River province Tourism Bureau, 2010)
Events for the 2011 Calabar carnival, for example, started on the 30th of Nov amongst the Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Millennium Park as well as run till the 1st of Jan 2012.

Stars who featured inwards the exhibit included Don Moen who performed alive on the fourth of December, Sean Kingston Live on 16th December, Yolande Adams alive 18th December, Rick Ross Live on the 28th December, Al Jarreau Live on the 17th of December, Rayvon 29th December. Salif Keita performed on the African Night sixth December. Nigerian musicians who were also part of the show: D' banj, Psquare, Tuface, J Martins, MI, Ice Prince as well as lot more.

 Apart from the street political party that stretched a 12KM  route, other events lined upward include Ladies Night out amongst Angie Stone, Tiwa Savage, Theater Night, Food Fair, Christmas Concert, Masked Fete, Golf Tournament, Pageant, Comedy Night as well as a lot to a greater extent than activities. Each lawsuit attracts a Ticket price.
Activities for this year’s festival was kick-started amongst the traditional tree lighting ceremony on Nov xxx at Tinapa as well as it attracted Nollywood stars as well as eminent Nigerians.

The Night of Kings as well as Queens asset at the Calabar Stadium as well as featuring the 5 junior as well as senior bands volition concord on Dec 25.  A ascendancy surgical physical care for past times the Steel Band from Trinidad as well as Tobago as well as the Beija-Flor, Brazil’s most successful band at the Rio Carnival volition go on same dark at the venue.
The cultural parade featuring the 36 states as well as the Federal Capital Territory holds on Dec 26 past times 8am. The exhibit volition also characteristic the eighteen local councils inwards Cross River as well as or thence African countries including Cameroun, Republic of Ghana as well as Rwanda. The 2.5 kilometre children’s parade holds thereafter at 2pm.
The festival volition climax on Dec 27 amongst Africa’s biggest street party, the Carnival Calabar, featuring the 5 senior bands - Bayside, Passion4, Masta Blaster, Seagull as well as Freedom.  The Trinidad as well as Tobago Steel Band as well as Brazil’s Beija-Flor volition also participate inwards the street party.
Another uniqueness of the 2013 Carnival Calabar is the inclusion of a Nollywood Band inwards the street parade at the asking of actors acquaint at the briefing as well as who requested Governor Imoke’s permission to participate.

source:https://globaljournals.org/GJHSS_Volume12/8-An-Assessment-of-the-Influence.pdf



Nollywood band debuts at Carnival Calabar •As Brazil, France, Ghana, Rwanda, Arab Republic of Egypt floats ready

Written past times  ’Wale Olapade
AS the organiser of the biggest street political party inwards Africa, Carnival Calabar flags its serial of dry out run to laid the people, tourists as well as dissimilar band contenders for the 2013 edition, Nigerian motion painting stars receive got indicated involvement inwards owning a band inwards the annual carnival.
In addition, this year’s edition of the carnival volition select on a to a greater extent than international season amongst to a greater extent than countries such equally Brazil, France, Ghana, Rwanda as well as Arab Republic of Egypt indicating that they volition live sending bands to the carnival.
This was revealed at a pre-event press conference that took identify at the Tinapa Business as well as Leisure Resort at the weekend.

                Calabar Carnival celebrant

Speaking at the interactive session, Governor Liyel Imoke, explained that Carnival Calabar is of tremendous value to Cross River State as well as Nigeria.
“The truth close Nigeria is expressed inwards Carnival Calabar because it does non discriminate,” the governor explained.
“This carnival is the reflection of Nigeria, the beauty of Nigeria, its uniqueness inwards blueprint as well as presentation as well as similar Nollywood, it tin modify the ikon of Nigeria.
“There is chance for a partnership to grow the carnival as well as the mortal sector specially finance houses demand to empathise as well as invest inwards the creative manufacture because of its potentials.”
According to him, “The partnership tin boost the local economic scheme as well as promote the Cross River brand.”
On the charity content of Carnival Calabar, Imoke explained that the part of his wife, Mrs Obioma Liyel Imoke handles it through an array of activities, adding that a lot comes out of it as well as would desire the press to empathise it as well as projection it collectively equally a brand.

He described Carnival Calabar equally a perfect build because of its value.
Mrs Obioma Liyel Imoke, married adult woman of the province governor explained that a six-kilometre HIV/AIDS International Day walk meant to create awareness equally good equally boot against stigmatisation precedes the 32-Day Calabar fiesta.

According to her, in that location is a serial of programmes packaged to elevate coin for abandoned children, immature mothers patch the Carnival Calabar Queen is picked equally tourism ambassador for the immature ones as well as her responsibleness includes visiting schools to suggest students against premarital sex.

Mr Nzan Ogbe, Special Adviser Governor’s Office, said the carnival has over the years operate an iconic product, which has attained a global credence because people all over the globe participate.
Ogbe explained that this year’s carnival comes amongst diversity of activities, which includes charity show, sports, culture, dance, singing as well as a carnival equally the icing on the cake.
He promised that this year’s festival would live bigger as well as ameliorate than the previous events amongst participants from Trinidad as well as Tobago, Brazil, Cameroon, Rwanda as well as another West African countries.



















































































































































Photo-source:http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=892524

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