Calabar carnival 2021: Cross River govt commences early preparation amid COVID-19

Recall that in March 2020, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government had issued a directive to shut down all commercial, social, academic and religious activities across the country in a bid to discourage large crowd and to contain the spread and resurgence of the novel coronavirus.

In a statement signed by Christian Ita, the Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to Governor Ben Ayade, the state government said that it was set to inaugurate a content development team in February 2021.

The statement reads in part: “The team would have as its core responsibility, the development of strategies and modalities that will incorporate every aspect of entertainment into the carnival; the aim is to have a carnival that is richer in content, bigger, bolder and better organised. Also, the team will be saddled with the responsibility of organizing this year’s event to mark the Valentine season.”

It would be recalled that the Calabar Carnival was introduced by Governor Donald Duke during tenure in office as governor, Cross River State, and was sustained by his predecessor, His Excellency, Senator Liyel Imoke, who handed over to Senator Ben Ayade.