‘Why We Shunned Abuja Carnival’

The Abuja Carnival ended recently with only six states and the FCT in attendance. JOSHUA DADA, OSOGBO, ALO ABIOLA, ADO-EKITI and OKECHUKWU OBETA, Awka, report on why many states shunned the festival

The Abuja Carnival which ended last week has been criticised as the worst organised in the history of the annual carnival. Apart from the poor participation of states with only seven (including the FCT) out of 36 states in attendance, the usual funfair and razzmatazz that the carnival is usually greeted with were missing just as there was no participation of foreign countries.

LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that Osun State may have shunned the 2014 Abuja National Carnival for security reason. Investigations revealed that authorities of the state ministry of culture and tourism opposed Osun State’s participation at the event because the insecurity bedevilling the nation.

A director in the ministry who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the state was not favourably disposed to being part of any gathering where the security of its citizens is not guaranteed.

According to him, information at the disposal of the ministry revealed that no adequate security measure was put in place adding that the security situation does not permit such a sordid arrangement.

Another version of the reason behind the decision of the ministry to stay off the carnival may not be unconnected with paucity of fund.

It was reported that only contingents of seven states which include Kogi, Zamfara, Ebonyi, Niger, Akwa Ibom, Kano State and the FCT took part in the opening ceremony.

Efforts to get the comments of the former commissioner for culture and tourism in the state, Alh Sikiru Ayedun failed as couldn’t answer his phone calls.

Ekiti State was among about 30 states of the federation that did not participate in the carnival as the annual fiesta which gives various states the opportunity to showcase their cultures to the world was boycotted.

The state’s director of culture, Yomi Longe who spoke with LEADERSHIP on why the state was unable to attend the carnival said the absence was not deliberate but attributed it to change of government in the state at the time.

Mr Longe said Governor Ayodele Fayose actually approved their proposal to participate in the carnival but for the serious financial challenges being faced by the state.

“The allocation has dropped by N600 million coupled with the huge debt profile the state is battling with. The governor who is just settling down cannot execute most state programmes nor perform his responsibilities which include prompt payment of salaries and pension arrears.”

The director who participated in the carnival as adjudicator said the state actually prepared for the event it has been attending since its inception in 2005.

He added that it was pretty difficult for the state to be part of the event that would approximately cost it N10 million to participate.

“We don’t want a wish-washy participation because whatever is what doing is what doing well. We recognise the efforts of the government to ensure that we attend the carnival.”

Longe who noted that only six states and the Federal Capital Territory attended the event said the security situation in the country could also be responsible for the non-participation of many states.

“It was a low-keyed event giving the security situation. There was also the issue of time constraint; no enough time for publicity, seminar and exhibition for the participating states ahead of the carnival by the organiser,” he added.

On his part, the Anambra State commissioner for information and culture, Chief Tony Onyima said the state did not take part in this year’s edition of the Abuja Carnival because the invitation was communicated to the state belatedly.

Dismissing the insinuation that the state contingent’s absence at the event was due to fear of insecurity arising from the spate of bombing and killings by Boko Haram insurgents, Onyima said that was not true as the state only received invitation to the event just a week to its commencement, hence it could not make the necessary arrangement to enable the contingent participate effectively.

“We (Anambra State) did not participate because we received the invitation too late; just a week to the date for commencement of the carnival. The state’s absence has nothing to do with the insecurity in the north. Our state had always participated in the annual event and we would have gone for this year’s edition if not that the invitation was received too late,” the commissioner stated