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Before Abuja Carnival …What Rivers’ Planners Must Note
This perhaps accounts for the huge expectations that attend the annual Abuja carnival, a mouth-watering epoch that annually attracts from the 36 states of the federation and the capital city, the best in culture, dances, songs, arts, colours and costumes. Nigeria is so blessed that the diversities in colours, style and performances are a strong statement in tourism, and if properly harnessed could be a major revenue source, comparable to that of oil and gas.
From individual states’ perspective, the Abuja carnival is a potent avenue to showcase their rich cultures and tradition and compete for honours not just for state’s pride or culture sake but to assert leadership in tourism and tourism related endeaours.
This is why Rivers State places great premium on the annual festivities, as it helps showcase its rich heritage which has over the years, become a delight for both foreign and local tourists alike.
In fact, what the state showcases in Abuja should serve as an appetiser, even invitation to other Nigerians and indeed the international community to the annual Rivers Carnival, tagged CARNIRIV. This mindset has over the years influenced the choice of groups to people the usually rich and enviable Rivers contingent. For that and the level of preparation by the groups, the state remained perennial champions for years until last year.
Come Thursday, this week, the state, like the rest 35 will converge in Abuja for this year’s edition of the annual carnival, as always, intended to celebrate Nigeria’s Unity, even in her cultural diversities and send a strong message to the world about the improved security situation in the country.
For the states, it is a moment to demonstrate the uniqueness of their various acrobatics, aquatic displays, songs, fashion, style and artistic prowess. Many states are battle ready particularly, Nassarawa, Cross River and Benue which have boasted that they were heading to the fiesta not just to participate, but to win.
To achieve that, and aware that early preparation is key they have long decided on their contingent’s needs, plays to show-case, colours to parade and indeed costumes to display. What they are waiting for is Thursday, November 24, 2011 when the take-off whistle shall be blown for all participants.
How prepared is Rivers? What is the Culture Ministry doing? Which are the selected groups? Or have they not done the selection? If so, when will that be done? When will the groups be chosen and notified? When will such groups update their costumes for such a carnival of competitive nature? What is going on?
As at the time of scripting, not a single group, be it masquerade or dance ensemble has been notified of selection by the working committee peopled principally by officials of the State Council for Arts and Culture.
Similar haphazard preparation last year had cost the state its perennial champion status. In fact, selection of groups became a money spinner for festival organisers with virtually all committee members posturing self-sponsored, hitherto non-existent, ill-prepared, colourless and very fanciless groups, apparently to secure for themselves and their grateful stooges, the approved engagement stipends.
With such bloated number of groups, it became impossible to accommodate award-winning groups that year in year out won for the state the first position. In fact, a group like Periangala Masquerade which rare artistry on two or more long sticks has earned national acclaim, was initially abandoned in Port Harcourt even while the group’s sticks had long been transported earlier.
It took a last minute directive from only God knows where, before Periangala masquerade group was prevailed upon to join others in Abuja. What is the assurance that this year’s will be any different? Barely three days to go, the short-listing and compilation of a final list is still being awaited with the erroneous impression being that costumes of all groups should be intact always. Why so?
The last Rivers State Carnival, CARNIRIV 2010 was such a huge success because local governments were not only financially empowered by way of floats provision, they were encouraged to prepare early. And because the various LGAs made early selections, the appearance, performance and colours of the chosen groups were a splendour to behold.
This is why the Council for Arts and Culture and any other body charged with grooming groups for the Abuja Carnival on behalf of the Government and people of Rivers State must realise that culture is more than a casual Sport among the peoples. It is like soccer competition in which failure can never be condoned.
But everything from conception to actual planning up to these final days smacks of annoying indifference to the cultural hopes and fears of the people and must be checked.
Rivers State is blessed with a very rich cultural heritage. Virtually every local government area is blessed with first class masquerade and dance groups which very rich historical treasures could be harnessed, remodelled if necessary and be empowered to tell our story, the story of resilient people, peace-loving, hospitable and indeed warm lover of culture and tradition.
In subsequent years, it will perhaps be necessary to encourage all the LGs to convoke mini-cultural festivals out from where the best could be chosen to represent the state.
That way, we would be expanding the tourism scope of our cultural potentials as well as choosing the best to wear the state’s colours. Alternatively, there could be an open one-day pre-event audition for interested groups out from which the best could be selected.
For now, the planning is everything but result oriented. Among all other groups, the planners, should have by now, concluded plans for the aquatic contingent that would defend the Rivers prowess in that category, because it would be most unpardonable for the state to flop in Abuja.
During the last CARNIRIV, the aquatic event packaged by popular Nollywood Actor, Sam Dede was a rare beauty, as the Red Snipper (Agbara Masquerade) group dazzled the Tourist beach waters along with very colourful gigs and war canoes representing various local government areas.
Such deep sea treasures like Agbara (red snipper) and Ogwein Masquerade in Water, second only to the famous Odum (Boa Constrictor) should be empowered to tell the story of the Rivers man’s conquest of the sea, land and air, a prowess uniquely Rivers.
My Agony is that today is Monday, and with just three days to go, it is unclear how early today the list will be released, to enable the state prepare well and win, and not return second best like last year after remaining perennial champions since inception.
Soye Wilson Jamabo
Famous Agbara (Red Snippers) Aquatic Masquerade of Rivers State