Carnival: FCT residents, vendors call for quick fixing of new date

Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and festival vendors on Wednesday called for a quick fixing of a new date for the 2019 Abuja Carnival.

They made the call when News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) visited some proposed venues of the 2019 Abuja Carnival.

NAN reports that the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture on Tuesday announced the postponement of the carnival, adding that a new date would be announced in due course.

At the Old Parade Ground, the proposed venue of the Opening Ceremony and Street Carnival, floats and side kiosks were seen with vendors and some contingents hanging around.

ALSO READ Indian organisation to train 250 Nigerian doctors in 5 years

Mrs Grace Ayuba, who sells shoes, bags and other female accessories, said she had already bought wares to be displayed for sale at the carnival.

“The sudden postponement of this carnival will really affect us as some of us have already gone to market to buy goods for sale.

“Whatever the reason for the postponement, just within few days before the carnival, we plead with the government to come up with a new date very soon,” she said.

Mrs Ronke Adams, who deals on water and soft drinks, said she had stocked her shop with various brands, lamenting that her capital ‘will now be tied down.’

“The carnival is a period we always looked forward to making sales for the Christmas, but this sudden shift is really a concern,” she said.

Mr Sunday Johnson, a corps member serving in the FCT, said: “We have been excited, waiting to witness the Abuja Carnival because Calabar Carnival is the one known by some of us.

“We hope that arrangement for a new date will be made by the government as soon as possible,” he said.

Mr Suleiman Mohammed, a delegate from Zamfara State, said he had procured some woods and materials to construct a float for his contingents, and was looking forward to disposing them due to the postponement.

“We were about constructing our float before we heard of the postponement, and we are left with no options than to look for buyers for the materials we have purchased already,” he said.

NAN reports that Abuja carnival is an annual event that holds in the nation’s capital to showcase the diverse cultural events and practices in the 36 states of Nigeria and the FCT.

It features road shows, music, cultural dances, masquerades fiesta, durbar and lots more with participants from Nigeria and beyond