Thousands of gaily dressed and excited kids on Monday paraded the streets of Calabar marking the grand finale of the Dangote Group sponsored Calabar Children Carnival.
The carnival train involved several groups of children of different ages who paraded the 4 kilometers distance from the Botanical Garden located near the Mary Slessor roundabout through the IBB Highway and terminated at the Esuene Stadium.
Different bands that participated in the final parade include Bayside band, Freedom band, Masta Blasta band, Seagull Band, Passion 4 and army children band.
Preparatory to the Carnival parade, thousands of children attired in different creatively designed costumes gathered at the Calabar Botanical garden for final rehearsals. While at the Botanical Garden which was fully branded with Dangote banners, the children were served thousands of packs of cooked Dangote Noodles. The company had established a kitchen in the Carnival Village from where over five thousands plates of noodles from its stable were prepared and served to the children and their handlers.
Dansa Foods, a subsidiary of Dangote Group established various serving points along the dry run route where participating kids were served refreshing portions of various products from the company. The children reinvigorated with the drinks danced and marched with new strength to the terminating point at the Esuene stadium.
The entire carnival route from Mary Slessor Avenue to the main bowel of the stadium was fully branded in Dangote colors. The main bowel had several Dangote flying banners, branded cubes and pitch panels.
Visibly elated at the level of support from Dangote Group, the band leaders commended Dangote Group for the sponsorship of 2011 Children Carnival Calabar. Austin Cobhom leader of Bayside band described Dangote sponsorship of 2011 Children Carnival Calabar as unprecedented. According to him, with the sponsorship, all the refreshment needed by the bands was supplied free by the Group.
For the Seagull Band led by Affiong Effiom, the sponsorship is a demonstration of Dangote Group’s strong commitment to support the Nigerian child. According to him, the Group has given the Nigerian child an avenue to express his talents.
Mrs. Elenda Osima-Dokubo, Executive Secretary Cross River State Carnival Commission was full of praise for the level of support from Dangote Group. She said the commission is elated at the level of support and described the group as a worthy partner towards helping children discover their talents. According to her, the group in providing all the refreshments for both the dry run and Children carnival proper has shown its interest in the welfare of the Nigerian child.
Dangote Group’s sponsorship of the Calabar Children Carnival held on December 26 2011 was borne out of the need to promote the development of the Nigerian child as well as provide them with a means of expressing their creativity according to Tony Chiejina, the Group’s spokesman.
Dangote Group’s commitment to the well-being of children informed the development of a whole range of products tailored to their welfare and its sponsorship of the Children Carnival part of strategies to ensure that the average Nigerian child is given the opportunity to explore his or her talent. Dangote Noodles and Dansa, the beverages subsidiary of the group were on ground to offer both the children and their handlers a taste of the range of products from the stable.
Charles Uwa Omoregha, General Manager, marketing-Tourism Bureau Cross River State commended all the sponsors of Calabar Carnival 2011 especially Dangote Group for sponsoring the Children Carnival. He urged other corporate bodies to take a cue from Dangote Group in promoting the nation’s abundant cultural, natural and human resources via sponsorship of projects like Calabar Carnival.
The Carnival started in 2004, when the then State Governor, Mr. Donald Duke evolved a vision of making his state the hub for tourism and hospitality both in Nigeria and Africa.{jcomments on}
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