Preparations are in top gear as over 1000 swimmers from various Parts of Nigeria are expected to storm Rivers State for the first ever Rivers State Water Festival to be held in December at the New Calabar River in Emohua, Rivers State as part of programmes to create awareness about climate change and to showcase the natural tourism potentials in the area.
The project consultant of the Rivers State Water Festival, Mr Kinikanwo Osigbo who led other members of the team on a sensitisation visit to the Emohua monarch, Eze (Amb) Vincent C.B. Okor (Mgbo XII), said the 1000 swimmers expected to participate in the maiden edition of the water event would be selected from their various sports councils across the 36 states of the Federation.
He stated that the environment in the state had been highly destroyed by oil pollution and gas flaring, so they are using the festival to create awareness about climate change and the participants would swim against the tide in the event tagged “Swimming Against the Climate Change”. He said the Water Festival is not only the first in Nigeria but Africa as a continent.
Osigbo said the choice of the New Calabar River is as a result of a-seven-year research project carried out to find out a river that is swimmable in Nigeria and the New Calabar River in the banks of Emohua River alone the East West road is a natural swimming pool with beaches, conducive tropical climate, beautiful mainland vegetations and divine landscapes.
He called on people to visit and appreciate the wonders of nature and invest in the area to boast her tourism potentials.
He maintained that there are investment opportunities in the area such as coral diving, fishing and holiday resort. The consultant called on all hands to be on deck to achieve the lofty objective by making the new Calabar River and Emohua Kingdom the new tourist destination in the state in no distant time.
Earlier in his welcome address, the paramount ruler of Emohua Kingdom, HRM Eze VCB Okor, JP (Mgbo XII) congratulated the consultants for embarking on such a laudable project and for finding the New Calabar River ideal for their project and assured them of support and encouragement of the good people of Emohua Kingdom.
In his address read by the Prince of Emohua Kingdom, Prince Chigozi V.C.B Okor on behalf of the traditional monarch lauded the organisation for the prestigious honour bestowed on him as the life patron of Rivers State Water Festival initiative. He noted that one of the prime resources in Rivers State is her national wonders of which new Calabar Rivers stands out amongst others.