In preparation for the forthcoming Calabar Carnival, the Governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu, hosted a breakfast meeting with various CEOs of top companies on Friday, November 3, 2023, at the Wheatbaker Hotel in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State.

During the meeting, the governor expressed appreciation for the partnerships and highlighted the importance of local content in building the nation’s economy. He said, “We are adopting renewed drives at maintaining our historical approaches. While we strive to raise the bar in our tourism offerings, local contents remain the centre piece of our actions in order to build our national economy.”

Also speaking at the event, the chairman of the Calabar Carnival, Gabe Onah, shared the state’s vision to become the nation’s investment hub. He said, “The vision of Cross River State is to become the nation’s investment hub, the evidence of good governance, highly supportive government policies and programmes, excellent infrastructure, and a vibrant business environment.”

Besides discussing the way forward for the state, there was also a group of traditional dancers at the event, who showed up in elaborate and colourful costumes to entertain the guests in attendance.

The Calabar Carnival holds annually in December, but the first dry run was held on October 15, 2023, while the second dry run will hold on November 12, 2023. The theme for this year’s edition is ‘Season of Sweetness’.

Some notable personalities that attended the breakfast meeting included Senator Florence Ita-Giwa; Onari, wife of a former Cross River Governor, Donald Duke; the CEO of Zenith Bank, Ebenezer Onyeagwu; Managing Director of Mouka Foam, Femi Fapohunda; and others.