The popular annual Carnival Calabar will soon be transformed into a veritable platform for African discourse.
This was made known by the Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade.
He described the carnival as Africa’s biggest street party, stressing that he had a burning desire to see Africans speak in one voice.
Ayade spoke on the project during the unveiling of the theme for the 2018 edition of Carnival Calabar which included a short video presentation on illegal mining exploitation across Africa by a few rich foreign aristocrats.
The unveiling of the theme was held at the state’s Executive Chamber in Calabar.
The governor expressed optimism that this year’s edition of the tourism event would go a long way in righting the wrongs done to Africans by foreigners, especially colonial overlords, by portraying the continent and its people as the true owners of the real wealth in the world.
His words: “Because Nigeria’s foreign policy is Afrocentric, the unification of Africa has become critical, let the carnival speak to power, speak to Africans that the African Union must rise and defend Africa.”
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Ayade expressed joy over the choice of this year’s theme – Africanism – said “time has come when Africa must start thinking as a country and provide a shoulder for weaker African countries to lean on.”
He said he made a choice of using the carnival as a platform to tell the African story as well as remind the world that civilisation started in Africa and that Africans are the greatest semblance of God.
The governor further disclosed that he intended to bring intellectualism as a more rewarding adventure to the carnival and indeed African heritage to represent every sector of African structure in the global space.
Ayade charged the band leaders of the 2018 carnival to make Africa proud by talking big about the continent as according to him, “Africa has grown and will war no more.”
He added: “Make the streets glitter with things and colours that truly represent Africa as only this will show we have come of age.”
