Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda and wife, were among those who graced the 20th anniversary of Carnival Calabar.
Others in attendance included Minister of State (industry), Senator John Owan Enoh and wife, some retired military officers, Nollywood actors, among others.
Speaking while flagging off the event christened, Africa's biggest Street party, at the historical Millenium park in Calabar, Cross River State governor, Prince Bassey Otu, charged the various bands to interpret the theme in a manner that the world will continue to remember the state.
"The Carnival you see today, what we are going to unveil is going to be some very explosive outcome and of course we want all the bands to understand the theme of this year's Carnival which happens to be the traces of time.
"We want to see it practicalized and come in a perfect way and manner that the world is going to remember Cross River," the governor said.
Otu affirmed that the Calabar Carnival remains one of the most important in the tourism calendar of the state as it translates two decades of ingenuity, resilience, continuity and sustainability.
Admonishing the competing and non competing brands to refine their skills and present the best in their presentation, he said: "I see a number of wants-to-be bands, your performance today will show whether you will be promoted to that vacancy, so put in a
quintessential performance today and we will put you there.
The governor used the event to recognise and applaud his predecessors including former Governors' Donald Duke for the vision of the Carnival, the sustainability by Liyel Imoke and the resilient nature of Ben Ayade, who in spite of COVID 19, still saw the event through.
Earlier, Chairman Cross River Carnival Commission, Gabe Onah, remarked that the event has tremendously transformed the commercial economy of the state.
Onah announced the presence of French and English speaking ECOWAS Commission, Spanish consul, Portuguese Ambassador as well as other relevant local and international partners to the year's event.
For the Portuguese Envoy, Paulo Santos, he lauded the Cross River government for the success of the Carnival which is in its second decade.
Santos, overwhelmed by the organisation of the event, remarked that he would encourage other diplomats in Abuja and its environs to seek end of year holidays in Calabar.
Revellers after the flag off danced through the 12 kilometres Carnival routes, stopping at the various adjudication points to interpret the theme in line with the guidelines of the competition.
