A’Ibom Govt Unveils Plans to Celebrate 2023 Christmas, Carol Festival

Okon Bassey in Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State Government has unveiled its month-long plan to celebrate the 2023 Christmas and Carol Festival.

Unveiling the planned Christmas festival yesterday at the Ibom Icon Hotel and Golf Resort, Uyo, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr. Charles Udoh, said that the 2023 edition of the Christmas Park would hold from December 1, 2023 through January 2, 2024, at the Unity Park, Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo.

Udoh hinted that the 2023 edition of the program, which started seven years ago, has been “rebranded and reloaded with 100 per cent local content to mostly accommodate the younger generation.”

He assured that the event is carefully engineered to showcase the entrepreneurial drive of Governor Umo Eno and to ensure that Akwa Ibom State would become more marketable.

He further said that the theme of the 2023 edition of the annual carol festival slated for December 15 is “Arise, Shine, for Thy Light has Come,” which is taken from Isaiah 60:1. 

According to him, the month-long celebration would offer each local government area, the opportunity to display its talents and unique features.

The commissioner also noted that each day would be set aside for hangouts for people of the state from different sectors, ranging from the governor, commissioners and their spouses, the legislature, journalists, ALGON, the elderly to families, including the Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo Communities and the Niger Delta, with special focus on ‘Happy Hour’, where kiosks randomly picked would be empowered with N100,000 upfront sales to promote the hour.

Other side attractions include traditional wrestling, tombola night, pageant and fashion shows, twin night and Bob Marley tribute night among others.

The commissioner called on business owners in the state to avail themselves of this unique opportunity to project their businesses and talents by pre- registering.

 In a message, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Ini Ememobong, assured his ministry’s readiness to partner with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and other stakeholders of the event to ensure all round success. 

Ememebong, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in his Ministry of Information, Mr. James Edet, appealed to different media platforms to project the state positively to the wider world by showcasing its local contents.

Also, the Commissioner for Power, Mr. Camillius Umoh, and his transport counterpart, Mr. Orman Esin and Mr. Aity Dennis Inyang, who are all members of the planning committee, in their separate goodwill messages, assured of adequate backings to actualise the events blueprint and showcase the rich content of the state to the outside world.

Earlier, the Director of Administration, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Anthony Isonguyo, observed that this year’s edition of the celebration would be outstandingly different because of its rich local content.

He averred that the festival was targeted at sourcing, mentoring and showcasing indigenous talents and the rich heritage of the state.

Man’s Sex Romp with Girlfriend Claims Her Life in Ilorin Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Operatives of the Kwara State Police Command have arrested a middle age man whose alleged marathon sex with her girlfriend led to her death in Ilorin.

Already, the police command has commenced full investigations into the incident to ascertain what happened during the sex romp between the deceased and the man.

The incident according to THISDAY checks happened on Monday at a guest house around Temidire Community Area, Offa garage, Ilorin.

It was gathered that the middle age man who owned a barbing saloon was said to have taken his girlfriend to a nearby guest house for fun.

Sources close to the area told journalists in Ilorin yesterday that the man was said to have been under drug so as to impress her girlfriend before it turned sour for him.

Sources said that “during the outing, the girl was said to have been tired while substance suspected to be blood was gushing out of her private part.

“It was at this point that the lady became helpless and thereafter gave up the ghost.”

THISDAY further learnt that the development was said to have led the man to raise alarm and this consequently attracted the workers of the guest house and prompted them to take the lady to a nearby hospital where she was confirmed dead.

The owner of the guest house informed the police about the matter at “A Division” located around Challenge area, leading to the arrest of the suspect. 

The Kwara State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Mr.  Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed the incident yesterday and said that “the state police command has arrested the man involved while full investigations have commenced to know what really happened between the man and deceased during the incident.”