The presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, and the Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, have called for the preservation of the African heritage, saying that is the only way Africa’s story can change for good.
Ezekwesili and Ayade made the call on Friday evening while flagging off the 2018 edition of the famous Carnival Calabar. They were in the company of other dignitaries from within and outside the state.
Tagged the biggest street party in Africa, this year’s edition of the carnival has as its theme, ‘Africanism’.
“Youths from Nigeria and Africa in general should use the opportunity of the carnival to promote themselves and
promote the African culture.
The carnival should be used to change the world’s perception about Africa and indeed change the negative narrative about the continent and its people on the global stage because that is the true spirit of Africanism,”
Ezekwesili said. She also urged the youth at the carnival to choose the right leaders that would listen to their needs and preserve the heritage of the people.
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Ayade, on his part, said Africa remained the emerging continent, adding that “the Western world was the past,
the far East Asia is the present, Africa indeed is the future; therefore Africa holds a lot of promise to the world.”
He stated further:
“Civilisation and writing, having started in Africa, has indeed repositioned Africa as the cradle of invention,
knowledge and innovation. Africa must therefore take its place in the prime of things in the world. You all must
use the opportunity created by the processional dance and drama to tell the African story in a way that everyone will understand.”
The governor also said that the choice of the event’s theme as ‘Africanism,’ went beyond Africa.
“It talks about making Africa the epicentre of the people’s relationship as well as projecting its beautiful people with diverse culture and heritage. Africanism is saying think, act and conduct yourselves as Africans. Africa is not colour, not racism, but a spirit of the heart, goodness of heart, niceness of character, love for fellow human beings and true love from the heart,” Ayade added.
Earlier, the Chairman, Cross River Carnival Commission, Mr Gabe Onah, said that Brazil, Columbia, Mexico, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa were among the many countries that graced the 2018 Carnival Calabar.