Moral lesson on Calabar Carnival BY JOY BASSEY

Calabar carnival festival in Nigeria, also tagged “Africa’s Biggest Street Party”, was created as a part of the vision of making the Cross River State in Nigeria, the number one tourist destination for Nigerians and tourist all over the world. The carnival which begins on every 1st December and last till 31st December has boosted the cultural mosaic of Nigeria people while entertaining the millions of spectators within and outside the state, and boosting industry for all stakeholders.

The Calabar carnival has come a long way. It all started 2004, when the governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke, had a vision of making his state the hub for tourism and hospitality in Nigeria and in Africa. The carnival presents a perfect platform from brand visibility for consumer and market awareness. “According to Osima-Dokubo, the carnival aimed to include more aspects of local heritage and culture and at the same time strengthen the capacity of the locals to participate in an economically beneficial way.” Recently, Cross River State and Calabar is aiming to become the pride of Nigeria or Africa as far as tourism, carnivals and hospitality is concerned.

The programme of the event at the carnival are drafted each year by the committee in charge of tourism and culture activities and new initiatives are introduced every year. In December, 2009, carnival committee organized “carnival cup 200”, a football competition amongst the five competing carnival bands- Seagull, Passion 4, Masta Blasta, Bayside and Freedom Bands. 

The festival which also include music performance from both local and international artists, the annual Calabar carnival, Boat regatta, fashion shows, Christmas village, traditional dances and the annual Ekpe Festival is a yearly events that brings in thousands of tourists at the time of the year. Other activities lined up for the year according to their work plan, include the second edition of Essay Writing Competition which will involve both secondary school and tertiary students, and this will commence in few weeks. These competitions are aimed at resuscitating the reading culture amongst the youths of the state as well as inculcating the carnival culture.

The event has hosted top Nigerian musicians, Nollywood Actors, Politicians and International Artists. Over the last four years international artists like, the Lucky Dube (Late), Akon, Fat Joe, Young Jeezy, Nelly, Kirk Franklin, and many more has thrilled the large crowd of Nigerians and tourist from outside the country. Due to large crowd of Nigerians Artist carries, 2014 Calabar carnival would focus on Nigerian Artist.

A Christian youth group in Cross River State, has protested at the Government House in Calabar, over the conduct of carnival activities on Sundays.

The group also alleged that the state government was apparently planning to suppress Christianity in the state and relegate the religion to the background. 

One of the leaders of the protesters, Rev. Theodore Effiong, who is also the National Adviser and patron of dthe group, expressed regrets that the Calabar carnival has caused the state social and moral setback. He stressed that there was alarming increase in teenage pregnancy, drug abuse and child abandonment.
Expressing their concerns, they lamented that the last carnival to Christmas which took place on Sunday, allegedly hindered many Christians from attending Sunday worship as most of the major roads were closed to traffic.

The protest which took place for two consecutive days, started with the Cross River State Christian Women who appeared in sack cloths at the Government House gate, urging the state Governor Liyel imoke not to allow the carnival or carnival Dry Runs to hold on Sundays again.

Bishop Archibong Archibong, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Cross River Chapter, expressed optimism that Nigeria would be more prosperous in 2014 and beyond.

He also criticized in the just concluded Calabar carnival, saying that it was not the culture of Africa. Bishop Archibong made the comments while addressing newsmen in Calabar, saying that nudity in carnival was not the best for the state. He, however said there was no nudity in Calabar carnival when the former Governor, Mr. Donald Duke, started it.

“we need to be very careful because the way we are going now in this carnival thing we are completely forgetting about morals. “ The way people dance is now sexual, it shows tha there is no shame among our women there is no modesty.

“The people came in and borrowing us the culture that is not our culture and women staying almost naked only with pants and brassier. “I don’t think it is good for this state or any part of the nation; it is not our culture and I believe strongly that we should not encourage it”.

“We should go back to decency and modesty is most important thing. “Archibong called on organizers of the carnival to fine tune the ways participants should dance and dress during the event. He said that moral implication of nudity was bad in a Christian life, adding that the culture of a black man did not accept it.

“In our culture, women should be respected, all their bodies should be covered and is not something that is nice, I felt bad when I saw it. “Apart from Christianity, in our culture, it is unacceptable. It is bad and it is wrong and when something is bad we need to condemn it”.
“The way we are going, we are indirectly getting too lose and what about the younger generation that is coming.

“We are bringing this younger ones from primary and secondary schools into this carnival. “What lessons are we leaving behind, I don’t think any right thinking person will accept that in our culture”, Bishop Archibong said.

Even as some people are still basking in the euphoria of the excitement of the Calabar carnival, Christian groups in Cross River State have criticized the yearly event saying it has caused social and moral setback in the state.

Christian youth in Cross River State also staged a protest to the Governor’s office in black attire, chanting songs as they appealed to the Governor to stop promoting carnival, sexual immorality, ungodly activities and the street dance with its associated ills.
They maintained that carnival was initiated by Governor, Mr. Donald Duke to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Efiks and the people of the state, but under the present administration the essence has been eroded by western culture as most women now parade themselves nude on the street.

In a letter to the Governor, signed by the National Adviser of the Christian Youth Group Ambassador Theodore Effiong. National Secretary Helen Eze, Youth Adviser, Pastor Wisdom Asuquo and Martins Otudor regretted the state Government with the support of dinternational Donour Agencies has spent billions of Naira in the fight against HIV/AIDS, yet was promoting the spread of the killer disease through the carnival.

Ambassador Effiong alleged that some spots on the carnival routes were always aneye sore as a day after the carnival night, the Millenium Park, Cultural Centre and the U. J. Esuene Stdium were often flooded with stained under wears, torn braziers, and ruffled hair attachments.
He challenged the state Governor to obey the state laws, recalling that there was a subsisting law against public noise making. Under the law some worshippers including pastors were allegedly arrested at Bayside in Calabar South, tortured and detained by the police at the state CID for singing and praying in the church loud above approved sound level, yet the loud speakers used during carnival were perceivably louder.
He said that the protest was an advise and a clarion call to avoid the wrath of God.