How Sam Dede Unveiled CARNIRIV Sculpture

The unveiling of the CARNIRIV sculpture
at Aggrey Road last Monday by the Director General of Rivers State Tourism
Development Agency (RSTDA), Sam Dede marked the official opening ceremony of
CARNIRIV 2012. The ceremony which was scheduled to start by 8.00am could not
hold till about 1.45pm leaving the spectators, participants and the press
stranded for hours.

Speaking on the issue the veteran
Nollywood  actor of the Isakaba Fame
noted that the road work from Lagos bus stop to the venue of the ceremony at
Aggrey road was to start by 8.00am and not the unveiling. He noted that the
unveiling of the statue marked the official kick off of the CARNIRIV 2012 and
apologised for the delay.

He noted that CARNIRIV had come to stay
as it could metamorphosed from a local celebration to an international
phenomenon through the administration of RT Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, he
therefore urged all the sons and daughters of the state to see CARNIRIV as
their non celebration that binds us together as Rivers people and contribute to
its success.

The unveiling ceremony was witnessed by
a large good of spectators while the participants included cultural and
masquerade dancers. According to the Chairman of Area United Organisers of the
masquerade dance, Mr Ibiba Okujagwu, the masquerade is played yearly to usher
in the CARNIRIV Festival.

He said the masquerade is a sign of
unity of the Rivers people that binds us together as an entity and prayed that
we continue to live in peace and celebrate our cultural heritage.

It
would be recalled that the plague was unveiled formally by Group Captain
Earnest Adeleye, Military Governor of Rivers State in commemoration of the
official opening ceremony of Rivers Cultural Carnival (CARNIRIV) on October 28,
1988.