Cross River State governor, Bassey Edet Otu, has given assurances that the 32-day Christmas festival in the state which in the past, served as a major item on the nation’s tourism calendar, has been fully repackaged and restored.
Otu made this known at the Millennium Park, Calabar, before flagoff activities signalling the commencement of festival activities.
Flanked by his wife and a retinue of government officials and aides, the governor was particular that the decision to bring back the festival was primarily driven by the desire of the people to see it back. “We did a needs assessment of our people and one of the key points of that assessment was that the people wanted the Calabar Christmas festival and the state’s tourism road map restored. What we are therefore doing today is a direct response to the yearnings and aspirations of the people. It is also an open invitation to fun seekers, tourists and visitors at home and abroad to come to our state and have the experience of a lifetime.”
The governor went on to perform the Christmas tree lighting exercise followed by a massive fireworks display accompanied by ecstatic cheers from the huge crowd gathered at the park.
This flagship Christmas festival, suffered a slump in the last administration as compulsive components of the festival were ignored, even scrapped and mediocre activities activated instead. Her trademark carnival is the biggest street party in Africa.
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