Governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Otu, announced this during the recently held private investment breakfast meeting involving over a hundred CEOs of top organisations from across the various sectors of the Nigerian economy and other stakeholders at the event put together by Okhma on behalf of the state government.

This appointment further accentuates Okhma’s industry position as one of Nigeria’s leading creative marketing agencies and return-on-investment optimizer. In her pitch, before Senator Prince Otu took to the podium, the Managing director of Okhma, Mary Ephraim-Egbas, took the spell-bound audience through the opportunities that the Carnival would provide and how the interested partners could plug in their brands and organisations for maximum benefit. Senator Prince Out took the audience through the history of the carnival, his vision for Cross River State and the importance the carnival and tourism would play in his plans to reposition Cross River as the tourism capital of Africa. He also disclosed to the businesses the policies the leadership of the state had put in place to create a business-friendly environment for investors and partners who identify with the economic aspirations of the state.

Ephraim-Egbas, enthused by the endorsement of His Excellency, Prince Out, expressed her excitement about the appointment and promised that members of the Okhma team led by her are poised to deliver the biggest haul of investments and partnerships into the Carnival and Festival. Re also remarked that this would be Okhma’s sixth cycle of involvement with the carnival which clocks its 19th cycle this year. Thus, making them the most successful marketing service provider to the carnival and also holding the yet unsurpassed record of attracting the highest amount in sponsorship for the annual program.

As the exclusive marketing firm, Okhma is expected to liaise with corporate organizations with interest in the carnival and reach agreements on behalf of the government of Cross River state for a successful Carnival. In the final words of the governor, “ I have been very happy to have met all of you. I think we exceeded expectations in terms of the quality of attendance. As you all know, I returned to Calabar straight from this event. However, I am leaving Mary behind to work with you and represent us.”

The Calabar Carnival and Festivals, a flagship event in the state’s tourism offerings, spans 32 days, celebrating culture, artistic excellence, and unity among people of diverse backgrounds. With LIVE broadcasts reaching 42 countries in Africa- a cumulative viewership of over 200 million. This partnership offers the opportunity for maximum visibility, engagement with a broad consumer base, and the opportunity to showcase their commitment to corporate social responsibility and promotion of the rich cultural heritage of Cross River State and Nigeria.