Abuja aglow with carnival processions

Sunday Trust investigation revealed that major streets in Abuja came alive with singing and drumming from troupes participating from all the 36 states of Nigeria. The carnival procession which included cultural contingents from participating states took off from the Radio House in a procession through the major streets of Garki and ended up at the […]

Sunday Trust investigation revealed that major streets in Abuja came alive with singing and drumming from troupes participating from all the 36 states of Nigeria. The carnival procession which included cultural contingents from participating states took off from the Radio House in a procession through the major streets of Garki and ended up at the eagle square where it was officially declared open. While explaining the rationale behind the street procession, Professor Ojo Bakare, the carnival’s organizing chairman, explained that,” Carnival, is a street party. It has to do with colour and razzmatazz.

“It is the commitment of this team to take the festival back to the street. We have marked out the movement chart, through which the carnival party will navigate the city. We must take the carnival back to the people; it is a street party and keys into the spirit of the people’s communal cultural festivals.” Also seen together with the cultural procession were officials of the Federal Road Safety commission, FRSC and the Directorate of Transport Service otherwise known as VIO trying to control vehicular movement in the city.

This year’s carnival which is the fourth edition since it debuted in 2005 with the theme: “celebrating Nigeria” is billed to herald the celebration of the nation’s 50th anniversary. According to Bakare, “The theme is meant to set the mode for Nigeria’s 50th anniversary. Because we are in a competitive global market where people crave for success, this year’s carnival must not only be successful but be the best of its kind”.

The event, which takes place in the nation’s capital city from 21st November through the 24th, will also witness some adjustments in some program packages like the poetry and performance night. According to Bakare, some of the programs will be merged to make room for varieties.  A night spiced up with music performance, comedy, poetry performance and other art forms will appeal more to the audience than one that holds the audience bored with of one repetitive art form.

Also, the craft exhibition day, he said, “will run together with Nigerian cuisines day so that a tourist who attends such an event will have something to engage his attention. While one person will be busy buying craft work, another tourist, he said, might be busy sampling Nigerian cuisine varieties.”

It was also learnt that this year’s edition of the carnival would witness cash prizes attached to the gong prize gift usually given to winners in the competitive categories.

But while the nation would be celebrating her rich cultural heritage, parents of students in the FCT public schools that were closed to camp the cultural delegations from all the participating states have condemned the FCT’s decision to keep the students out of school.

Some of the parents who spoke to Sunday Trust described the act as “unfair and irrational”.  Mrs Bello Ahmed, whose children’s examination at the Government Secondary School, Kubwa was suspended for the carnival said that “this is uncalled for. The organisers of this carnival should have thought of a better date when the school will not be in sessions to hold the programme.” Another aggrieved parent, Mr James Odion said the decision to keep the schools under lock and key for the period of the carnival “sends a signal that the government values the carnival more than educating the youths.”

Also reacting; an official of Government secondary school, Kubwa where some of the cultural troupes are camping who spoke to this medium on an anonymous condition said “We are forced to go on two weeks break because of the carnival. Actually, we should have rounded up the examinations but we were forced to go on two weeks break. The break is affecting us and we cannot do anything about it because, the directive is from the headquarters. We are only expressing our views. But apart from that there is nothing else we can do?’ he asked rhetorically.

In his reaction, FCT Secretary of Education, Alhaji Halilu Pai said that students from the affected schools would only lose seven school days and  extra lessons would be organised by the school authorities to make up for time lost.”

Some of the participants at the cultural show expressed excitement with the carnival. For instance, Chukwudili Nwafor from Anambra state who spoke to Sunday Trust said “We are Ngbokiti cultural dance troupe from Anambra state. We have dances to perform here. We will be here for 5 days and we hope to emerge victorious in the contests.” Elozin Apkonketin from Imo state in a chat with this medium said “The carnival is to bring us all together to showcase our cultural heritage and also to unite the country in the process.”