Brazil, Turkey, South Africa, and Egypt have expressed their keen interest in participating in the upcoming 2023 Calabar Carnival. Additionally, twenty-six Nigerian states have signaled their excitement to join the annual festivity, themed ‘Season of Sweetness’ for the milestone year.
Executive Secretary of the Carnival Commission, Mr. Austine Cobham, affirmed the significance of the 2023 session as it marks the carnival’s 20th anniversary. Cobham highlighted the collective beauty, elegance, pageantry, and talent that participating countries and states will exhibit as the event commences on December 1.
Speaking ahead of the carnival in Calabar, Cobham assured rigorous security measures are in place to safeguard attendees’ lives and property during the festivity, which traditionally runs through the Yuletide season.
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He emphasized that the impact of the 32-day carnival would resonate throughout Cross River State and the entire nation, extending beyond Calabar. Plans include setting new benchmarks by introducing fresh events and reinstating the children’s carnival after a ten-year hiatus.
Cobham noted, “Our goal is to ensure that the central and northern parts of the state equally partake and revel in the carnival’s festivities, not just Calabar.”
It’s important to note that the Calabar Carnival was suspended in 2021 due to the outbreak of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 pandemic in Cross River State.
