Carnival Calabar: Ex Tourism Minister leads Calas Vagas to victory
Ani Bassey
High Chief Edem Duke, a former federal minister of Tourism has lead his band through Calas Vagas band to victory in the 2024 Carnival Calabar fiesta.
The band which is one of the newly added bands to the competition defeated six other bands to emerge as the winner for the second successive year
The Seagull band, controlled by one-time senator Florence Ita-Giwa, emerged runners up while the Bayside band took third place in the contest.
Each year, revellers adorn themselves in glitzy, colourful costumes and dance through 12 Kilometers in the Calabar metropolis.
They dance to the tune of Afrobeat music played from several loudspeakers that accompany the bands from the Millennium Park via Mary Slessor roundabout, Marian, MCC by Mobile junction to Murtala Mohammed highway and adjudicate at the UJ Esuene Sports Stadium for the competition’s results.
Flagging off this year’s event, the Cross River State governor Senator Bassey Otu said everyone has to be carried along in the economic, social and cultural prosperity in the world.
Governor Otu who spoke against the backdrop of the theme which is “Our Shared Prosperity” said this is messages of this year’s celebration.
“This year’s theme is Our Shared Prosperity and is actually international in nature because we have the global audience here, people of all continents.
” It is to tell everyone that there is a need to bring the economics social and cultural prosperity into what we are doing so that our people will share”, the governor said.
The governor expressed appreciation to former governors of the state for sustaining the carnival and also holding on to what former governor Doland Duke started.
He also indicated that a new band called Diaspora Band may be added in future to cater for the people in the Diaspora.
Gab Onah, the Chairman of the Cross River State Carnival Commission said they have laboured since the start of the millennium to change our story and they are beginning to see the fruits.
He added that his year’s event is another testimonial of their humble effort to unite the world, give love and help foster peaceful coexistence.
Several dignitaries graced the flag off including the Cross River State Deputy governor Peter Odey and Aisha Buhari, the wife of former president Muhammadu Buhari.
Others include the governors of Kwara State and his Kogi state counterpart.
