Calabar carnival: 'Africa’s 'biggest street party'

By Emmanuel Onyango

It was glitz and glamour as revellers filled the streets in the southern Nigerian city of Calabar over the weekend for an annual vibrant carnival.

The Calabar Carnival is locally dubbed “Africa’s biggest street party” and draws thousands of partygoers every December to the city that is capital of Cross River state. This year marked the carnival's 20th anniversary.

Large crowds turned out to watch a colourful parade of drummers and dancers drawn from Nigeria’s different communities.

The climax of the carnival was the colourful street parade over a 12-kilometre route that saw the winning group walk away with prize money.

Cross River state Governor Bassey Edet Otu said the carnival "showcases the core of culture, unity, and diversity".

"The carnival provided a perfect backdrop to showcase the vibrancy of our culture and the potential of our people, setting the tone for building collaboration and progress," Governor Otu said.

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