The Akpabuyo Cultural Carnival Committee has sought the support and collaboration of the Cross River State Carnival Commission towards the successful staging of the maiden edition of the Akpabuyo Cultural Carnival.
The committee made the request when it paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Evangelist Austin Cobham, to formally brief the commission on its plans for the proposed carnival.
Speaking during the visit, Chairman of the Akpabuyo Cultural Carnival Committee, Comrade Eyo Ita Eyo, said the delegation was at the commission to seek institutional guidance and explore areas of collaboration that would strengthen the organisation and execution of the carnival.
Eyo explained that the proposed carnival was conceived as a platform to revive, preserve and showcase the cultural practices and traditions handed down by the forefathers of the Akpabuyo people.
According to him, several of these cultural practices had gradually faded from public consciousness, making it necessary to create a platform where they could be revived, celebrated and transmitted to younger generations.
“We are here to bring back and revive our culture in terms of what our forefathers were having then in the local government and across the community, some of the things that have not been making use of. We are coming to bring them up again and display them at the Akpabuyo Carnival,” he said.
The chairman said the carnival would provide an opportunity for the people of Akpabuyo to reconnect with their cultural roots while showcasing the community’s rich heritage to visitors and tourists.
He expressed optimism that collaboration with the Cross River State Carnival Commission would provide the committee with the necessary institutional guidance and support to deliver a successful maiden edition.
Responding, the Executive Secretary of the Cross River State Carnival Commission, Evangelist Austin Cobham, commended the committee for the initiative, describing it as an important addition to the state’s already rich tourism and carnival credentials.
Cobham encouraged the team to give its best in showcasing and selling the rich cultural heritage of the Akpabuyo people, stressing the importance of using the carnival to project the community’s unique traditions and identity to a wider audience.
He said initiatives of such nature could contribute to the growth of cultural tourism in the state while creating greater awareness and appreciation of the diverse cultural heritage of Cross River communities.
By Ibu Harrywills
