Nigerian Newsday

By Dije Ibrahim

The president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has said that the Abuja Carnival was expected to be a permanent feature and a programme on the Worlds tourist calender. The President said this at the opening ceremony of this years Abuja Carnival held in the Federal Capital city last week.

Flagging off the event, President Obasanjo said that with over 300 groups in the country with diversity in culture, language and food, Nigeria and Nigerians hold it a duty to themselves and Africans in the diaspora to enhance the global perception of cultural values of Nigeria in particular and Africa in general.

He went further to say that the carnival was an opportunity for Nigeria to showcase the different aspects of her ways of life, which are breath taken.

The Abuja Carnival now an international event started last year and it is expected to be an annual event.

This year’s event showcased the different cultures of the 36 states of the federation like Masquerade, Boat Regetta and Durbar.

Among the foreign guests who graced the event were 35 Americans, some of whom are students from ten (10) American Universities.