Festivals

Adopt Carnival Calabar as National Event – Ex-Minister

Published

3 years ago

March 27, 2024

Former Minister of Culture and Tourism in Nigeria, High Chief Edem Duke, has urged the Federal Government to officially designate the Carnival Calabar as a national event.

Backing his plea, the ex-Tourism Minister highlighted the distinctiveness of the Calabar Festival compared to festivals in other states. He emphasized that the Calabar Festival, inaugurated in 2004 under the vision of former Cross River Governor, Mr. Donald Duke, was established to transform the state into a tourism and hospitality hub. Since its inception, the festival has been sustained and grown over the years.

This appeal was made on Sunday during the unveiling of the 2024 Calabar Carnival and Festival theme at the Pearl Ball Hall of the Transcorp Hotel in Calabar.

High Chief Edem Duke pointed to examples such as the Rio Carnival, which, despite being held outside the Brazilian capital, was embraced and celebrated by the Brazilian government.

In presenting the theme for the 2024 Calabar Festival as “Our Shared Prosperity,” Cross River State Governor, Prince Bassey Otu, underscored the significance of security for the success of tourism initiatives. He emphasized that his administration places utmost importance on ensuring the security of lives and properties.

The Governor also took a moment to acknowledge the pivotal role played by the competing and non-competing bands in the growth and success of the Carnival Calabar and festival. Their leadership qualities and creativity in crafting engaging content for television viewers were lauded as commendable efforts.

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Culture

OLOJO….Ile Ife’s September Gift To Culture

Published

9 hours ago

October 5, 2026

Mariam Balogun

By Halima Adaba,

It was a featubal if the people. It was for the anciebt town of Ile Ife, which the Yoruba race refards as the Source.

Also read: Olojo Festival 2026: Ooni Urges Leaders to Prioritise Citizens

And ut was a festivsl for the King, Arole Oduduwa, Oonirisa, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.

And so between September 24 and 28th 2026, the annual featuval dazzjed in all its white glory.

Tge Monarch paid the traditional ancestral homage and offered propitiation as part of the sacred rites of the Olojo Festival.
It was a powerful expression of Yoruba heritage, spirituality, and enduring tradition.

Call it a collection of beautiful moments, faces, colours and cultural expressions.

Every frame tells a story.

Every face carries the energy.

Every moment keeps the heritage alive.

Undoubtedly one of the most sacred cultural celebrations in Ilé-Ifẹ̀. It marked a day associated with creation, thanksgiving, ancestral heritage, and the sacred appearance of the Ooni of Ife wearing the revered Aàrẹ crown.

There were also the devotees of the famed god of thunder – Sàngó who were hardly conspicuous at the festival.

Many other traditional groups came out with candor, showing a powerful expression of Yoruba cultural identity, spiritual devotion, and respect for the ancient traditions of Ilé-Ifẹ̀.

Devotees of Sàngó bekieved the ‘appearance’ of the god of thunder on Seotember 26th could be understood as a symbolic meeting of ancestral heritage, spiritual devotion, and the celebration of creation.

It was a moment when the sounds of drums, chants, and traditional praise poetry brought the history of the Yoruba people to life.

Although Olojo is closely associated with Ogun, the god of iron, and the sacred traditions of Ile-Ife, the presence of Sàngó devotees reflected the rich diversity of Yoruba spiritual heritage.

Also read: Olojo Festival 2026: Ooni Urges Leaders to Prioritise Citizens

As a participant enthused at the festival, “To witness Sàngó Olúkòso emerge on Olojo Festival day is to witness a living expression of history, identity, and ancestral pride.”