…Otu
By Onwa Ekor
Wife of the Cross River governor, Bishop Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, says the legacy of the junior carnival can only be sustained through intentional mentoring and value-driven guidance.
Speaking while flagging off the 2025 Junior Carnival
at the Botanical Garden, Calabar, she noted that the event marked the commencement of children-focused carnival activities as part of events to mark the 20th anniversary of the Calabar Carnival, themed “Traces of Time.”
According to her, the theme reflects a deliberate effort to honour the past, celebrate the present and consciously prepare the younger generation to safeguard the future of the state’s cultural identity.
The governor’s Wife described children as the heartbeat of the carnival and the promise of tomorrow, noting that, the Junior Carnival is designed to instill pride, discipline and a sense of responsibility in young participants as custodians of the state’s cultural legacy.
Otu reasoned that the vibrant energy, creativity and talents displayed by the children must be channelled towards sustaining the values, traditions and heritage handed down by previous generations.
She further commended parents, teachers, educators, volunteers and band leaders for their roles in grooming the children, maintaining that many children were not yet born when the carnival began, but are now beneficiaries of a legacy built through years of commitment and cultural pride, which they must continue to uphold.
Earlier, Chairman Cross River Carnival Commission, Sir Gabe Onah, lauded the First Lady for her consistent advocacy for children, education and purposeful celebrations.
He argued that the transition from Children’s Carnival to Junior Carnival aligns with the state’s vision of responsible and sustainable tourism, driven by human capital development and cultural continuity.
