Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy has unveiled official logo of the rebranded Abuja International Carnival scheduled to hold in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) Abuja.
Musawa, alongside other stakeholders, had formally unveiled the logo at a ceremony on Wednesday night in Abuja.
The Abuja Carnival, now Abuja International Carnival, a fiesta that showcases the rich cultural heritage of Nigeria, is set to return after an eight-year hiatus.
The repackaged cultural festival, slated to hold from November 21 to 23, is being organised by the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy(FMACCE) and Yankee Entertainment.
In her speech, the minister said the staging of the Abuja International Carnival is in alignment with the Ministry’s goals of promoting cultural diversity and supporting the creative economy.
According to her, the carnival will serve as a platform to remind the world of Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and a springboard for national cohesion and acceptance.
“The Abuja International Carnival aims to boost cultural tourism and enhance Nigeria’s international profile and foster national unity, boost international culture promotion and create economic opportunities for local artists and entrepreneurs.
“It is one of the events we really need to showcase to put the country in the forefront of cultural promotion.
“We knew that we needed to create something sustainable which would be able to attract not only investments but tourism into our country.
“The former administration had started the Abuja Carnival, and we want to continue with it and also make sure that it is given long-term attraction and sustainability,” she said.
Earlier, Kehinde Adegbite, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Yankee Entertainment, said the rebranded carnival would showcase Nigerian cultural diversity and creativity to a global audience.
Adegbite said the carnival will feature a range of activities, including floats and street shows, musical concerts, traditional food competition, boat regatta, Durbar, children’s Fiesta, and art exhibitions.
“I have been to so many places in the world, festivals and carnivals, they have the population, money, but they don’t have the culture, but we are in a country where our culture can strive.
“Abuja Carnival was created in 2005 by Olusegun Obasanjo with the sole aim of showcasing Nigerian talent and culture to the world and it ran until 2016 before it was paused.
“We strongly believe that with this platform, we will bring it back again; bigger and better to an international standard and that is why it is now called the Abuja International Carnival.
“The carnival belongs to all of us, it is our pride, and no matter where you go in the world, you still carry a green passport which shows that you are a Nigerian,” he said.
Heads of organisations from the public and private sectors and cultural enthusiasts were present at the unveiling ceremony, including Sen. Ben Murray- Bruce and Ayodele Olawande, Minister of State for Youth Development .
Others include Ben Igweh, FCT Commissioner of Police and Uche Nwosu, former Governorship Aspirant in Imo State, among others.
The event also featured scintillating comedy and music performances by different artistes, including a foremost Nigerian R&B and pop musical group Styl-Plus.
