No fewer than 12 states on Thursday arrived Abuja for the 2012 Abuja National Carnival scheduled to begin on Nov. 24.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the states were on ground preparing their costumes at the Old Parade Ground, Area 10.
The states are: Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Nasarawa, Katsina, Yobe, Anambra, Rivers, Ekiti, Niger, Ebonyi, Kogi, Bayelsa and the host FCT.
The state contingents expressed their readiness for a successful event.
Some of them told NAN that they would be showcasing floats that would reflect “Carnival of Peace and Harmony’’ being the theme of the event.
Mr Emmanuel Unung, the Director of Arts, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Akwa Ibom, said that the state’s float would reflect the need to harness the agro-economic potential of the three major tribes in the country.
“We are going to bring the importance of cultivating cocoa and groundnut to compliment oil toward increasing the national income for national peace,’’ Unung said.
According to him, Nigerians should see the need to appreciate diverse potentials as the strength of the nation lies in its diversity.?
He said that Akwa Ibom would display masquerades that would promote the state’s cultural heritage.
Mr Kolade Salami, the Cultural Officer, Oyo State Council of Arts and Culture said that the state intended to combine ideas that would speak peace.
Salami explained that Oyo’s design of six human hands holding the national flag while it rotates would signify the dynamic nature of a country with six geo-political zones.
“This will be accompanied by an impression of a rainbow illumination that will shed light on different components that make up the country,’’ he said.
Salami added that there would also be a display of a dove to signify the importance of peace being crucial for national development.
“We are out to demonstrate that Nigeria is not static; it is dynamic and we need peace to achieve our dreams and Nigeria must move from glory to glory,’’ he said.
Mr Mustapha Bagudu, the Assistant Director of Galleries, Social Development Secretariat in the FCT, said that the FCT would display a basket filled with kola nuts with a view to expressing the need to embrace peace by all.
Bagudu said that the display would portray the significance of kola nuts as used in various communities in the country to express peace.
According to him, FCT will also showcase a dome to express peoples’ demand for peace in the parliament.
He said that there was need to continue to promote peace in the Nation’s parliament, adding that the parliament needed peaceful deliberations to promote national peace.
NAN reports that there is no significant sign like the usual street decorations to usher in the four-day carnival.
However, a few states were seen building their floats for the events.
Meanwhile, some government owned secondary schools were shut down to provide facilities to accommodate the contingents.
A schedule issued by the Ministry of Culture, tourism and National Orientation showed that the carnival will begin with street carnival from Area 1 to the Eagle square.
The event will also include primary and secondary schools performances.?
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