Niger Delta
Calabar Wears New Look Ahead Of Carnival
The capital city of Cross River State, Calabar, is wearing a new look ahead of the commencement of the 2023 edition of the Annual Calabar Carnival scheduled to begin today.
The TIde’s source reports that in a bid to ensure seamless movement, the State Government has put finishing touches to the rehabilitation of major streets and roads in the city.
While drainage system across Calabar Municipality are being desilted, waste managers also worked round the clock to rid the streets and roads of wastes.
The lawn on major roads and streets, especially in the carnival routes, have received the attention of the landscapers.
The aesthetics of Calabar have been further enhanced with the reactivation of street lights on major roads and streets across the municipality.
The government is also matching word with action to organise the best carnival since its inception in 2004 by carrying out rehabilitation of junctions in the city.
While the junctions have been adorned with lighting and Christmas decorations, the foremost Millennium Park has been transformed to signpost the commencement of the carnival.
The decorated junctions include Eleven Eleven, Mary Slessor, Calabar Calabar, Effiete and Etta Agbor.
Executive Secretary of the state’s Carnival Commission, Mr Austine Cobham, had recently disclosed plans to make the 2023 edition of the festival the best organised in history.
Cobham had disclosed that four countries, South Africa, Brazil, Turkey and Egypt would participate in the carnival.
He further said 26 states of the federation had also indicated interest to be part of the annual carnival.
He assured that adequate arrangements had been put in place to ensure security of lives and property before, during and after the festival.
stopped. For instance, the children carnival is coming back after 10 years.
“Again, concentration will not just be in Calabar alone, central and northern parts of the state will also be made to feel the carnival.
“Just like we are lighting up major roads and streets in Calabar for the festival, same will be done in central and northern parts of the state”, he stated.
The source also reports that as part of the plans to ensure seamless movement in and out Calabar, the State Government had on Tuesday inaugurated additional aircrafts to boost the fleet of the state-owned airline, Cally Air.
The Governor, Sen. Bassey Otu, had said the Boeing 737, with the previous plane, yesterday, started and will be flying from Abuja and Lagos to Calabar during the 32-day carnival.
The annual carnival, which started in 2004, has taken place every year, except in 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 lock down.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning, Rt Hon Evans Bipi, has eulogised Gen Gabriel Asabuja over his recent birthday celebration in Port Harcourt.
Bipi said Asabuja is worth celebrating following his numerous contributions and support to the administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
He described Asabuja as a strong pillar of governance in Rivers State, adding that the Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning is happy working with him.
He noted that Asabuja’s position as a team leader of the Ministry’s taskforce has been amazing, saying the Ministry is proud associating with him.
The former lawmaker hinted that since Asabuja assumed office as leader of the taskforce, the Ministry has witnessed tremendous improvement.
Bipi said the Ministry will always stand by him to ensure that the dreams of the Governor Fubara-led government are achieved.
On his part, the celebrant, Gen Gabriel Asabuja expressed gratitude to God and the Commissioner for the honour done him.
Gen Asabuja also commended Governor Fubara for his tremendous and good leadership in the State, saying his group will continue to give the Governor maximum support in order to achieve more for Rivers people.
Gen Asabuja described Rt Hon Evans Bipi as one of the best brains working with the Governor, saying under Bipi, the Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning has shown capacity to leverage on the Governor’s mantra of Rivers First.
He said both the personnel of the Ministry, the Directors and adhoc staff are happy with his style of leadership.
The Joint Provincial Council, East of the Niger, Anglican Communion, held its 2025 Annual General Meeting at St. Michael’s Church, Rumuomasi Deanery, Diocese of Evo from Saturday 15th — Sunday 16th February, 2025.
The meeting which had the theme, “Kept By His Mercies”, with text from Lamentations 3:22-23, had the Archbishops, Bishops, their wives, Chancellors, Financial Secretaries and Synod Clerical Secretaries of the 58 Dioceses as delegates.
At the opening ceremony on Saturday, the Dean of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and Chairman of the Council, Most Rev Blessing Enyindah, charged delegates to stay focused and committed to the matters for discussion and implement decisions reached for the growth of the Church in the region and the advancement of the business of God’s Kingdom.
Most Rev Enyindah, who is also the Archbishop of the Niger Delta Province and Bishop of the Diocese of Ikwerre, lauded the Diocese of Evo for the giant strides recorded in just 15 years of existence while tasking the leadership not to rest on its oars but to strive further to complete the work of the Kingdom in their hands.
Addressing the council in his welcome address, the Bishop of the Diocese of Evo and host of the Joint Council, The Rt Rev Innocent Ordu, welcomed the delegates, and reminded them that the theme is apt and fit as it reminds the Church of God’s inexplicable and instructible mercy towards mankind, which supersedes His righteous judgements.
Bishop Ordu further lamented the many challenges bedeviling the country, such as skyrocketing cost of living, ravaging sicknesses and ailments, proliferation of harmful drugs, natural disasters, high level corruption in public offices, inept political leadership, amongst others, which he said could not consume mankind because of God’s mercies.
In their separate speeches, delegates saluted the Diocese of Evo for willingly accepting to host the council and the comfort they enjoyed during their stay.
Earlier, the council appointed the Synod’s Clerical Secretary of the Diocese of Evo, Rev (Canon) (Dr) Ebenezer Owhor as the Assistant Secretary of the Joint Council.
Also, before the commencement of plenary, the women of St. Michael’s Church, Rumuomasi Deanery thrilled delegates to good traditional tunes and dance steps while His Royal Highness Eze( Sir) Raymond Chinda led the chiefs and elders of Rumuomasi community in Oropotoma Kingdom, to appreciate the council for choosing the community to host the meeting.
They solicited for prayers of peace, unity and development from the council.
The meeting ended on Sunday evening while the Archbishops and Bishops worshipped in various churches in the Diocese of Evo.