The colours of Abuja carnival

Contrary to fears that the 2009 edition of the Abuja Carnival may not hold due to the late appointment of its management team, paucity of funds and other logistic problems, the four-day fiesta started on Saturday, November 21 with a lot of colour. Residents of Abuja besieged the sidewalks along the carnival route which ran through Garki Village, Area 1 and Festival Road before terminating at the Eagle Square.

With the exception of Ogun, 35 states, the FCT and three of the six expected foreign countries - South Africa, Ghana and Egypt had floats showcasing different artistic and symbolic representation of our cultures and traditions at the opening. Children and the National Youth Service Corp also had their floats. The contingents performed their distinctive dances to the admiration of people who captured the dances with their cameras, cell phones or engaged the services of commercial photographers.

The Nigerian president, Umaru Yar'Adua, who expectedly stayed away, was represented by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Bello Gada. The president restated his administration's support for the carnival and noted that it would be repositioned to make it generate employment for Nigerians.

The Durbar and Polo Tournament

The Durbar, a popular attraction of the carnival, held with the support of the Dangote Group. The Borno Emirate and the Machina Emirate of Yobe State had over 600 beautifully adorned horses on display during the show.

Speaking with newsmen at the Durbar ground, Executive Director, Industries, Dangote Group, Isa Tata, disclosed that the company has spent N20 million annually on the Durbar since the inception of the carnival as part of its corporate social responsibility.

For the first time in the history of the carnival, activities included the Abuja Carnival Polo Tournament organised in collaboration with the Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army. The tournament held in two parts before and after the Durbar, gave spectators more treats.

Children were not exempted

The children's segment of the carnival focussed on how to keep the young abreast of Nigerian cultures and tradition. Nine schools selected from around the FCT, Osun and Cross Rivers State participated in the music, dance, storytelling, drama presentation and poetry recitation sessions supervised by Denja Abdullahi, Manager Operations of the carnival.

The activities held at the Arts and Craft Village and sponsored by De-United Foods, makers of Indomie Noodles, was witnessed by the contingents from Egypt, Ghana and South Africa (in Nigeria to understudy the organisation of the carnival, ahead of their own plans to have one in 2011).

MTN Music Concert

The MTN sponsored music concert at the Eagle Square was another activity that attracted youths. Wande Coal, Stella Monye, Six Foot Plus and some Abuja based artists and comedians treated people that thronged the Square every night from 7pm till dawn to the best of contemporary Nigerian and African music. The sponsors threw some freebies into the mix for people.

Record breaker

Kebbi State participated in the Boat Regatta which had always been the exclusive reserve of south-south states, especially Rivers, Cross Rivers and Delta. Though Kwara State made its second appearance, the participation of Kebbi in the event held at Jabi Lake indicated that northern states are ready to join in the fun.

Cultural night and command performance

The cultural night held at the amphitheatre of the Arts and Crafts Village featured two states each from the six geo-political zones and the Oyo State cultural troupe with its moving ‘Bata Extravaganza.' The best three performances of the night qualified to perform during the command performance.

The performance began with a curtain raiser by the National Troupe of Nigeria and their counterparts from Ghana, Egypt and South Africa. Cross Rivers, Nassarawa and Plateau State troupes that qualified from the cultural night held the previous day also performed; as did poet Akeem Lasisi who performed two poems, ‘I Salute the Earth' and ‘It's a Small World.'

Members of the diplomatic corps, government officials, and other eminent Nigerians attended the show. The Esama of Benin, Gabriel Igbinedion, Retired Justice Alfa Belgore, Minister of Information and Communication, Dora Akunyili, Minister of Culture and his permanent secretary, Bello Gada and Goke Adegoroye, a handful of governors and deputy governors from Ekiti, Edo, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Kwara and Ondo states also attended. Happily, they were not disappointed by the quality of performances as evident in their warm applause.

Rivers is the best

After a series of scintillating performances, Rivers State emerged overall winner for best interpreting the theme of the carnival, ‘Celebrate Nigeria' in its presentations. The state was tops with its creative float shaped like a fish, boat regatta, colourful masquerades and carnival revellers in their bright costumes and very large contingent.

Apart from the cash prizes Rivers and the two runners up, Nassarawa and the FCT received at the big street party where overall prizes were awarded for the first time, the artistic director of the carnival, Rasaki Ojo Bakare, disclosed that they would be on standby for engagement in foreign cultural exchanges.

"It will not end here. The essence of this carnival includes the need to showcase our culture and tradition to the world, and so every year, we shall source sponsors in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, to export the best of our cultural heritage to the world," he promised.