Earlyface

Tourists and residents of Calabar have
trouped out in their hundreds to watch the
Carnival Calabar reputed to be Africa’s
biggest street party.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that
offices and business premise in Calabar
however remained under lock and key on
Friday to allow full participation in the
carnival.
This year’s event features cultural and
musical shows, freestyle parade,
international heritage parade, children
carnival and beauty pageant.
The event also featured various bands
interpreting the carnival theme in their
floats, dance and songs.
The various bands in display included
Bayside, Passion4, Masta Blaster, Seagull,
Freedom band and the newly introduce
Nollywood band.
The 2013 edition of the Carnival Calabar,
which has as its theme: “Ain’t No Stopping
Us’ will also feature a12 km long road show.
NAN reports that the bands are expected to
translate, interpret and conceptualise the
carnival theme into dance, costumes, floats
all in the spirit of the carnival.
Some tourists, who spoke to NAN in Calabar
said that the festival ranked among the best
in Africa.
Mr Christian Harry, a tourist from Lagos, said
he was impressed with the activities so far
on display.
“Despite the high cost of hotel
accommodation and traffic; the festival
promises to be a memorable one for me and
my family members.
“After one year of work, it’s nice to give
one’s wife and children a treat and spend
quality time with them in an atmosphere of
festivity,” he said.
Harry, however, said the traffic situation had
affected his plans to further explore the city.
Mrs Blessing Asuquo, a business woman
from Akwa Ibom, said that she decided to
attend the festival to explore business
opportunities in the city.
Asuquo said that she was impressed with
the cultural display so far and commended
the state government for the initiative.
A commercial driver, Richards Okonkwo,
said that with the influx of visitors, his daily
income had triple since the commencement
of the festival.
He, however, said that the increased number
ofvehicles plying the roads had increased
the traffic situation, and as such decreased
his profit margin.