Beyond A Great CARNIRIV Tackling The ‘Last Minute’ Syndrome

Amidst initial apprehension, suspicion of sabotage on the part of local government council executives and indeed doubts over a better package than that of the 2011 edition, the annual Rivers State Carnival, CARNIRIV eventually climaxed with a dizzying crescendo of success. It also gave organisers a huge sigh of relief because the 100 edition indeed earned the global brand built around it and in its wake ended-up creating a be-numbing nostalgia that can’t wait till 2013.

However, the climax was not a true reflection of the dull days leading to the opening, when some local government areas, either as a game-plan to deceive fellow competitors or demonstration of unseriousness exhibited a lackluster indifference to an ordinarily epochal global event. Less than two week’s to the event, local government areas complained about funds to see them through the programme.

That was in spite of the fact that the 2012 edition of CARNIRIV ought to have started with the close of the 2011 edition. But with tales of shabby treatment of contingents after the 2011 edition and doubts of possible participation, to expect the kind of success eventually recorded was to say the least, a pipe dream.

But it appeared some local government areas had other plans. For instance, on a day its chairman, released N2 million as second tranche for groups mobilisation and float preparation, Hon. Tamuno Williams of Okrika local government area told The Tide reporter that the council lacked funds to pursue the Carnival preparations. Being defending champions, that revelation could easily give other councils a false sense of hope and did.

What was however, unknown to many was that Okrika had secretly held a reception for its victorious contingent of 2011 and retained the winning team after encouraging executive hand-shakes. Therefore, each of the groups: Ekpete/Ogwein, Great Ikule Masquerade Group, Pioru, Periangala, and indeed the aquatic team started secret training. Days later, each of the groups was handsomely mobilised to update their costumes, and refine their dance-steps, choreography, structure, aesthetics and indeed sharpen their physical health needs to meet their usually demanding physical performances.

While that was on, the local government area enlisted another rare cultural treasure the legendary Deke Masquerade, last played about 54 years ago, to capture a blend of ancient and modern, intended to translate into effective act, their pre-festival performance synopsis earlier submitted to the organisers.

In the end, that Okrika finished tops would be a sad surprise to other competitors, who thought the local government area was indifferent to CARNIRIV 2012, judging from the discouraging dummy Hon. William sold to reporters and bought by many.

But not all local government areas were genuinely fooled by that Okrika tactics. Etche like Bonny, Ikwerre, Opobo/Nkoro and indeed Emohua also set-up early, central rehearsal grounds. In the case of Etche, to avoid prying eyes of fellow competitors who might steal their styles, set-up a rehearsal ground in the GRA Port Harcourt where loud drums beats, music and dance-steps electrified the vicinity virtually every evening.

Bonny local government, ever adept in culture and tradition also stuck to their familiar secrecy in masquerade preparation and costume development. Even the war-canoe and gigs which could not be effectively handled indoors was done in secret until last Wednesday, when it allowed an ecstatic Port Harcourt Tourists Beach crowd to eventually behold the boats’ splendour.

Even the technical team of the state’s Tourism Development Board, under Sam Dede, as Director-General was guilty of keeping most cards to its chest.

The Board, for instance, had commissioned the famous Agbara (Red Snipper) Aquatic Masquerade for the aquatic event, but chose to leave it as a surprise to tourists and enthusiastic Rivers people, who for the first time were thrilled by three giant red snippers at sea, complete with functional fins, tails, gills, head and month. Yet no prior word of such performance by the state.

The Agbara Masquerade of Rivers State was a command performance by persons from nearly all ethnic nationalities, Bonny, Ikwerre, Okrika, Ekpeye, Kalabari and Ogoni, and finally became the high-point of the International Aquatic Festival (IAF) asides the traditional, boat regatta and ceremonial sea war-fare, dominated by Okrika and Bonny local government areas.

As it was with the IAF, so it was with Ekere, rhythm of the tribes which started last Tuesday, with daily performances by all local government areas in turns. This year however, Egelege (traditional wrestling) was added to the bill.

Here also, the ‘last minute syndrome’ told negatively on some of the competitors. Some were not only physically unfit to fight, they attended the event to learn of the rules same day.

For instance, in the second fight of the Day One between representatives from, Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt, the former tired out within barely three minutes and could not continue while another passed out on Thursday, final day of the wrestling event.

But the beauty of every day laid in the quality of show the night offered and the galaxy of music stars from different genre that coloured the events. From Shaggy to Patra, 2-Face to Seun-Kuti, Duncan Mighty to the internationally acclaimed Reggae maestro, Morgan Heritage, the nights were indeed electrifying and did the tourists have a mouth-full of fun.

If the Carnival Village events were a pleasure to behold, the international heritage parade of Saturday was a jaw-breaking delight as all 23 local government areas contradicted their perceived initial indifference to show-case their rich and enviable heritage in colours, music, dances and floats. In line with rules of the organisers, each float displayed great artistry with functionality at its best that dassled the city in ways words could hardly capture.

The procession which took-off at the School of Arts and Science, Rumuola about 10am climaxed along Aggrey Road, once known as Carnival Road with a sea of human heads massed in fanciful Christmas colours in wait to behold the reverie only CARNIRIV could give. And was it worth it, even at about 6pm when each of the floats eventually made it to Aggrey Road, in the old Port Harcourt City.

Next day, Saturday was the procession of free bands and local and international tourists groups that gave a suiting end to the event with a feel of a moment’s madness in indulgence, reminiscent of youth. Afterall, CARNIRIV 2012 did not only rise-up to its billing as a meeting point for the West African coast, with the annual selection of a peace ambassador as Miss ECOWAS, but indeed a global brand with high number of international tourists and globally recognised and hailed music artistes it annually attracted, but more so, this year.

Successfully as CARNIRIV 2012 may appear, it must be said that it can only be better. For proper mobilisation of the citizenry to cope with the expected visitors, a lot of publicity, sensitisation and education need to be done early. Subventions to local government areas need not wait till a week to the event for proper planning.

Local government areas on their part needed not wait for such subventions before planning for CARNIRIV, which has since been institutionalised as a major tourism-based project. It was for the reason that local governments yearly appropriate various sums of money in their fiscal projections for CARNIRIV. So, why wait, when you can do it early?

The lack of early preparation, no doubt robbed some local government areas of well deserved honours. What Rivers State presented in CARNIRIV 2012 cannot be said to be its cultural best. There is a lot more to showcase if we do away with short cuts and carefree attitudes.

Today is the best time to start preparations for CARNIRIV 2013. It should begin with LGA’s commissioning research into their rich histories and fish-out famous but extinct masquerades, plays and playlets that do not offend civilisation and start early to develop them.

The Tourism authority should appoint the zonal supervisors and LG coordinators early to nurture such research projects and develop them into global brands for CARNIRIV 2013. Government should not wait till a week or so to the event to release needed funds and should encourage the State Tourism Board to fashion viable partnerships for sponsorship of some events.

My Agony is that Okrika, Bonny and Ogu/Bolo local government areas fooled many other LGA’s with the dummy that they were ill-prepared for CARNIRIV 2012, while in fact, they started early and got to their enviable ends.

May be, this will serve as a lesson to other LGA’s keen to listen to little lies often flown as kites only to slow them down. It starts now.