Entertainment
CARNIRIV 2014 Records 100% Local Content
This year’s
CARNIRIV has recorded 100 percent. local content unlike the previous events where foreign artistes and contingents dominated the events.
This was disclosed by the chairman, Board of Directors of Rivers State Tourism Development Agency (RSTDA), Hon. Vincent Erinwo, in an interview with The Tide Entertainment at the CARNIRIV village Elekahia on Wednesday.
According to him, this year’s advertorials show that the agency has responded to the yearnings of indigenous artistes by involving them in all the events. He noted that this year’s CARNIRIV tagged “One People, One Nation” is a carnival of local content as musicians and chart topping performers, 23 local government area floats, ten costume bands and visiting troupes from all over the world took part during the one week of intense fiesta.
The chairman said: “RSTDA feels very fulfilled because we have delivered on the mandate given to us by the governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi”.
According to him, this year’s carnival is premised on the biggest stage in the South Saharan Africa which by the grace of the governor is going to be a source of employment to Rivers State in the coming years and a source of revenue generation to the agency.
He reiterated that the equipment the agency has will propel other states to have a stage of this nature and they could also hire them and pay the agency.
The chairman also expressed happiness over the large audience that witnessed the various events as the attendance continues to grow on daily basis. He said the event has recorded over 90 per cent attendance which shows that the CARNIRIV is nationally and internationally acclaimed and accepted as the oldest carnival in Nigeria in its current format established in 1988.
R&B star, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has recounted the early-career challenges she faced, revealing that she was once booed out of the stage while performing at a school event.
Speaking in an interview with Newsmen, the Crazy Tings crooner shared that she wasn’t only booed but was also harassed with plastic bottles.
“I remember one time I was going to perform at my school as an up-and-coming singer and I thought I was going to receiving a standing ovation.
“But I got booed. They even threw plastic bottles at me,” she recalled.
Tems explained that despite the embarrassing incident and other such rejections, she remained determined to pursue a career in music.
The Tide Entertainment reports that Tems admitted that some of the initial rejections she faced could be due to her conviction to stick to her originality instead of doing covers or familiar sounds like most of her peers.
The Grammy-winning singer said looking back now, she is glad that she didn’t compromise her style despite the initial pressures.
A close associate of late singer Mohbad, Primeboy, has appealed for the artiste’s burial nearly three years after his death.
According to him, Mohbad’s body remains in the mortuary since September 12, 2023, pending burial arrangements.
The Tide Entertainment reports that in a statement Primeboy urged the family, public, and government to permit the burial, stating, “It’s been almost three years since Mohbad left us. His body is still in the mortuary. I’m begging the family, I’m begging the public, I’m begging the government, please let’s bury our brother. He deserves a befitting burial.”
It would be recalled that Mohbad’s death sparked public outrage, protests, and investigations. Ongoing autopsy examinations, police inquiries, and legal proceedings have delayed burial arrangements amid family disagreements and public scrutiny.
Nancy Briggs
