Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the 2019 edition of Abuja Carnival will be decentralised and will hold in area councils of the FCT, instead of restricting it to a few venues in the city centre. Mohammed said that will elicit more participation by the residents of the FCT.
The minister, who spoke on Tuesday, when he paid a courtesy visit to the FCT Minister, Alhaji Muhammad Musa Bello, solicited for support and cooperation from the host ministry, saying this year’s edition will showcase Nigeria’s unity.
He also said the carnival which is scheduled to hold from the 23rd to the 25th of November and with the theme: “Culture for Peace,” will kick off with Street Carnival and Opening Ceremony at the Old Parade Ground to Area 1, then Children Fiesta, at Government Secondary School, Garki (Area 10).
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Mohammed also said Kuje Stadium will host the Durbar, while Jabi Dam will be the venue for the Boat Regatta. Also, according to the minister, there will be a Masquerade Fiesta at Government Day Secondary School, Gwagwalada, Traditional Cuisine Fair/Bush Bar at Old Parade Ground, a Command Performance/Award Night at the Banquet Hall, State House, and a Contemporary Music Fiesta at the Old Parade Ground.
Alhaji Lai therefore appealed to the ministers of the FCT to partner with his ministry in providing accommodation for participants from the various states – venues, security, medical services, waste management control, decoration of venues and streets, street merchandising and traffic and transport control.
The FCT minister expressed delight at the revised version of the carnival, saying the event will create social and economic activities across the various locations in the FCT.
“It will make people to be active for some time, generate movement of resources and upgrading of facilities in the areas so I think this will be the ultimate benefit apart from the carnival which is meant to showcase and cement our unity as a country” he said.