Barely two days to the start of the biggest street party in Africa, expectations have heightened with hoteliers, transporters, tour operators, photographers, food vendors, artisans and others already taking advantage of the business boom the period offers. Lets takes a look into the glitz and glamour that is about to be unveiled at the Carnival Calabar 2013.
It’s another season for the Carnival Calabar. What makes it tick is not all about the colour, dance, costumes and display of culture, but the ability to interpret its theme and conceptualise it into a package to generate attraction. Accordingly, the theme is expected to be translated, interpreted and conceptualised into dance, costumes, floats and carnival spirit which will be a display of designs, colours, styles and funfairs. The interpretation and expression of the theme in both junior and senior categories go along with cash prizes which winners receive.
After Nollywood, Carnival Calabar is touted as the highest brand in Africa and it is unique because unlike others, it is designed, to reflect our tradition, passion and creativity. This year’s edition of the festival will, no doubt, make previous editions pale in comparison as the city is already receiving visitors from far and near.
Reputed to be Africa’s biggest street party, the 12-kilometre road show has “Ain’t No Stopping Us” as its theme for 2013.
At the unveiling ceremony at the Cultural Centre complex, Calabar, Governor Liyel Imoke called on Cross River indigenes, Nigerians and all carnival participants to put their best food forward and plunge into the festival with determination and resilience, attributes that have come to describe the spirit of the festival.
The 32-day festival, which has its main spectacle, the Calabar carnival, features other events that are equally remarkable. These seemingly pseudo events give colour and content to the entire festival. These activities include cultural displays, musical contest, talent discovery, theatre concerts, tours, and poetry and essay competitions, rallies and advocacy walks.
As Carnival Calabar bands are putting finishing touches to their strategies, design, innovation and rehearsals, Bayside, Freedom, Masta Blasta, Passion 4 and Seagull Bands are ready for contest of art and expression come December 27.
Carnival Calabar made its debut in 2000 as a street parade. Since then, it has become etched on the core of the Calabar festival. In 2004, the parade was expanded with the introduction of costumes and formation of five competing bands, namely Seagull, Masta Blasta, Passion 4, Bayside and Freedom Bands. In 2007, the event was extended to a two-day event with the introduction of the children’s carnival and cultural parade by Imoke.
Carnival Calabar was modelled after the oldest Caribbean Carnival of Trinidad and Tobacco which began in 1723. Carnival Calabar has evolved over time and has taken on indigenous flavours that spotlight the depth of the Cross River heritage.
The carnival is akin to military training. It is not a spontaneous outburst of mass hysteria; rather, it is structurally planned and strategically implemented. It starts with the birthing of a theme from sessions of creative travail. Once the theme is unveiled in a spectacular ceremony, it becomes the duty of the competing bands to synchronise it into their theatrics and interpret the given theme in the course of the 12-kilometre walk through a combination of costumes and choreography.
“Celebrating our culture and people” was the theme for 2006. 2007 had as its theme, “Celebrating our heritage through culture” while “Sustaining the earth’s treasures through our culture” was 2008’s theme. “Land of our birth: our people, our heritage” was that of 2009 and “Our strength, our resilience” shaped 2010. 2011 had “Endless possibilities” while 2012’s “New dawn” has ushered in the theme for 2013, “Aint no stopping us.”
The five gladiators
Carnival Calabar has five official competing bands with each having its own peculiar trait, uniqueness, strength and supporters.
Bayside Band
Bayside is a very energetic band. It has participated in all editions of the carnival and has remarkable achievements, including winning the runner-up position in 2005/2006, and emerging overall winner of the best band on the road in 2007. Their signature colour is blue.
Freedom Band
They are known for emerging with best carnival king and queen and the most creative band in the 2005 carnival Calabar float. Their signature colour is yellow.
Masta Blasta
One of the biggest carnival bands with a penchant for fanfare, Masta Blasta band, has won the “Carnival spirit” prize multiple times since 2005. They can be identified by their unique colour of orange.
Passion 4 Band
It is an extremely creative band with a prize winning consistency. They lead with a strong youth base and beautiful costumes. They are always the competition’s favourites, having won the first prize several times since 2005. They are adorned in green colour.
Seagull Band
Red is the colour of this band whose major feature is an array of top Nollywood stars and movie celebrities it parades every year, courtesy of Senator Florence Ita-Giwa. Seagull is a fierce competitor, having won the first place severally in the children’s category and placed first on two occasions in the adult category.
Investment opportunities
Cross River State government’s interest in developing the tourism industry beyond conventions and sightseeing was initially received with contempt by cynics, who felt the move was a waste of resources. Carnival Calabar had been booed and viewed as waste of public fund, but this year, 29 states of the federation and 15 countries will take part in this edition.
The five gladiators
Carnival Calabar has five official competing bands with each having its own peculiar trait, uniqueness, strength and supporters.
Bayside Band
Bayside is a very energetic band. It has participated in all editions of the carnival and has remarkable achievements, including winning the runner-up position in 2005/2006, and emerging overall winner of the best band on the road in 2007. Their signature colour is blue.
Freedom Band
They are known for emerging with best carnival king and queen and the most creative band in the 2005 carnival Calabar float. Their signature colour is yellow.
Masta Blasta
One of the biggest carnival bands with a penchant for fanfare, Masta Blasta band, has won the “Carnival spirit” prize multiple times since 2005. They can be identified by their unique colour of orange.
Passion 4 Band
It is an extremely creative band with a prize winning consistency. They lead with a strong youth base and beautiful costumes. They are always the competition’s favourites, having won the first prize several times since 2005. They are adorned in green colour.
Seagull Band
Red is the colour of this band whose major feature is an array of top Nollywood stars and movie celebrities it parades every year, courtesy of Senator Florence Ita-Giwa. Seagull is a fierce competitor, having won the first place severally in the children’s category and placed first on two occasions in the adult category.
Investment opportunities
Cross River State government’s interest in developing the tourism industry beyond conventions and sightseeing was initially received with contempt by cynics, who felt the move was a waste of resources. Carnival Calabar had been booed and viewed as waste of public fund, but this year, 29 states of the federation and 15 countries will take part in this edition.
Huge resources accrue to the state from sponsorship and advert slots on local and international media as the ceremony is streamed live. On the streets of the parade, a sizzling flow of commerce takes place as small businesses operate with glee. The multinational and larger corporations strategically market and promote their bands by sponsoring several aspects of the festival.
Christmas village
This is a place where intensive business activities take place. People bring their goods from outside the state to sell at affordable prices. Also, the soul-inspiring musical displays by local artistes at night are another striking feature of the village. Over 10,000 people troop to this place on a daily basis to relax and enjoy the serenity of the environment while also listening to good music.
Guest performers and innovations
As Africa’s biggest street party, the carnival counts world renowned cultural groups as guest participants in the parade. This year, the carnival will receive a plethora of performers from 15 countries. According to the commissioner in-charge of media and publicity in the Cross River State Carnival Commission, Liz Ogbudu, delegations from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), France, Trinidad and Tobago, Benin Republic, Togo, Equatorial Guinea, Tanzania, among others, will come with the unique flavours of their cultural theatre, transforming the carnival into the slithering string of colour. Perhaps, most notable of the guest performers is the Beija flo de nilopiliz band from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This carnival band of exceptional dance artistes is a multiple winner of the Rio Carnival in Brazil. A delegation of 50 from this band will be sponsored to the Carnival Calabar by the offshore International Cement Company (OICC), led by Kare Do Susa.
Christmas village
This is a place where intensive business activities take place. People bring their goods from outside the state to sell at affordable prices. Also, the soul-inspiring musical displays by local artistes at night are another striking feature of the village. Over 10,000 people troop to this place on a daily basis to relax and enjoy the serenity of the environment while also listening to good music.
Guest performers and innovations
As Africa’s biggest street party, the carnival counts world renowned cultural groups as guest participants in the parade. This year, the carnival will receive a plethora of performers from 15 countries. According to the commissioner in-charge of media and publicity in the Cross River State Carnival Commission, Liz Ogbudu, delegations from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), France, Trinidad and Tobago, Benin Republic, Togo, Equatorial Guinea, Tanzania, among others, will come with the unique flavours of their cultural theatre, transforming the carnival into the slithering string of colour. Perhaps, most notable of the guest performers is the Beija flo de nilopiliz band from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This carnival band of exceptional dance artistes is a multiple winner of the Rio Carnival in Brazil. A delegation of 50 from this band will be sponsored to the Carnival Calabar by the offshore International Cement Company (OICC), led by Kare Do Susa.
Also, a delegation from France will debut with puppetry (street theatre) during the parade, while the le ventille orchestra group from Trinidad and Tobago will render classical performances.
Criticisms from religious bodies
Some men of God and personalities are of the opinion that the level of display of nudity in the 2012 edition of the carnival was the highest since its inception, and that such was in contravention of African values which encourages women to cover their bodies.
Criticisms from religious bodies
Some men of God and personalities are of the opinion that the level of display of nudity in the 2012 edition of the carnival was the highest since its inception, and that such was in contravention of African values which encourages women to cover their bodies.
They found fault with costumes of some bands, which made dancers half nude, thereby painting a picture of promiscuity, depravity and high level of immorality. Speaking on this assertion, Bishop Emmah Isong of the Christian Central Chapel, Calabar, Cross River State, frowned on the costumes and noted that the governor’s wife had once banned costumes which expose vital parts of the dancers’ bodies.
“I do not hate the tourism inclinations of the Cross River State government or the Calabar carnival if it brings Dollars into pockets of Cross Rivers indigenes, but any activity of whatever name, which spreads the spirit of lust, promotes idolatry and promiscuity is condemnable. If carnivals entail dancing naked in the streets, then, government would have to look deeply into it,” he said.
Expectations
Cross Riverians and tourists are already savouring the excitement the carnival will bring. By now, it has become trite to the state that carnival Calabar holds enormous economic opportunities for SMEs in the state. The tourism calendar of Cross River State happens to be an all-year agenda, but arguably with the unprecedented demographic shift during the Calabar festival, the money bags of stakeholders in the hospitality industry will bloat this year more than ever, as people expect to catch in on the opportunity to make the show a dually beneficial one. There will emerge needs in transportation, tour guidance, catering, event management, accommodation and live entertainment.
Expectations
Cross Riverians and tourists are already savouring the excitement the carnival will bring. By now, it has become trite to the state that carnival Calabar holds enormous economic opportunities for SMEs in the state. The tourism calendar of Cross River State happens to be an all-year agenda, but arguably with the unprecedented demographic shift during the Calabar festival, the money bags of stakeholders in the hospitality industry will bloat this year more than ever, as people expect to catch in on the opportunity to make the show a dually beneficial one. There will emerge needs in transportation, tour guidance, catering, event management, accommodation and live entertainment.
The festival is 32 days long, but in all sincerity, that time span is inadequate for a tourist to take in the cultural offerings of Cross River State. The hills, the plateau, the plains and valleys spread across 18 clusters of historically rich and culturally harmonious people present a worthwhile undertaking.
The question now is, who will cart home the numerous cash
prizes this year as all the bands- Masta Blasta (Gold), Bay Side (Blue), Seagull (Red), Freedom (Yellow) and Passion 4 (Green) have expressed the zeal to outdo one other.
prizes this year as all the bands- Masta Blasta (Gold), Bay Side (Blue), Seagull (Red), Freedom (Yellow) and Passion 4 (Green) have expressed the zeal to outdo one other.
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