Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State, yesterday, in an interview with newsmen at the Carnival Calabar Cultural Festival said that the 2018 Calabar Carnival will not only help in telling Africa’s true story but will also show that the continent has come of age.
The governor stressed that the continent is new at the epicentre of the world’s development and holds a lot of promise for the future of humanity.
The governor made the remark during the flag off of the 2018 Calabar Carnival, which is the peak of Christmas festivities in the state.
Ayade, who was accompanied by his wife, Lynda; presidential hopeful, Oby Ezekwesili; Senator Ita Giwa, as well as the newly crowned Miss Africa, Congolese Dorcas Kasinde, stressed that the continent has to be united as one single and united entity so as to proffer solutions to the challenges taking the country anti-clock wise.
“We are here to tell the African story ourselves. Africans have a platform to use the opportunity of this dance and drama to tell the African story in a way that we know.
“Everything about Africa is taking global stage and the platform offered by this event is to show that Africans have really matured.”
“So, Africanism is saying think, act, conduct and carry yourself as an African. Africa is not colour, faces but the spirit of the heart, goodness of the heart, niceness of character, love for fellow human beings as well as providing a shoulder for your brother to lean on”.
Earlier, chairman of the Cross River State Carnival Commission, Mr Gab Onah, stated that the theme for this year’s festival was chosen to underscore the need for Africans to tell their story by themselves adding that this year’s event is larger than others and several countries are part of the event including Brazil, Columbia, Mexico, Ghana, Lithuania, amongst others.
