The Carnival Calabar has become an integral part of Cross River’s cultural identity and will endure for generations to come, Governor Bassey Otu has said.

Mr Otu stated this on Sunday while unveiling the 2025 Carnival Calabar Mascot and the newly created Diaspora Band at the Second Dry Run in Calabar.

Mr Otu said the new mascot reflected the beauty, growth, and resilience of Carnival Calabar, celebrating its 20-year evolution into a major African cultural showcase.

He noted that he approved the creation of a mascot capturing the carnival’s identity, heritage, and resilient spirit over two decades.

He declared the unveiling a landmark moment, adding that Carnival Calabar has become part of the state’s cultural identity and will endure for generations.

“In the same vein, I unveil the new Diaspora Band, created to reconnect Africans abroad with their roots through culture and artistic expression. My administration is strengthening ties with the diaspora community through the state Diaspora Commission, which has recorded notable progress,” he said.

Gabe Unah, chairman of the Cross River Carnival Commission, described the unveiling as a tribute to the state’s enduring cultural heritage.

He recalled the October homecoming of 92 African diasporans, an event that inspired the formation of the Diaspora Band.

Mr Onah said the governor approved the band to give Africans in the diaspora a platform to express shared history, memory, and cultural reconnection.

“With the 2025 theme ‘Traces of Time,’ the Diaspora Band will join the carnival procession with a sub-theme highlighting heritage and reconciliation,” he said.

He called on Africans in the diaspora to join the band and help lead Carnival Calabar into its next cultural phase.

The Calabar Carnival is an annual carnival held in Cross River. Also known as ‘Africa’s Biggest Street Party’, the carnival is held every December and was declared by then-Governor Donald Duke to be an annual activity marking the Christmas celebration.

Mr Duke said his vision for creating the festival was to make Cross River a home of tourism and hospitality in Nigeria and Africa.

The festival has grown over the years, making it Nigeria’s biggest carnival and an internationally recognised festival.

It used to be a month-long event that began on December 1, but was reduced to two weeks by former Governor Benedict Ayade.

Countries that have participated in the Calabar Carnival include Brazil, Turkey, South Africa, and Egypt, among others.

The carnival is also a popular event within Nigeria, with many states sending delegations.

(NAN)