Based on its outstanding performance in marketing the 2015 carnival by Okhma, the event and destination marketing agency which won the marketing right to the Carnival Calabar and Festivals, the organizers of the event has announced a retainership agreement with the agency through the chairman of the Cross River state Carnival Commission, Mr. Gabe Onah and Mr. Ken Anklah, Special Adviser to the governor of Cross River state, Professor Ben Ayade on Festival and Events.
According to the organizers, Okhma introduced interesting activities towards the funds drive for the carnival, one of which was the CEO breakfast meeting with the governor which featured top CEO’s and business leaders from eighty-four organizations in Nigeria who were not only interested in investing in the carnival but also in the economy of Cross River state as espoused by the vision of the new governor aimed at recreating and repositioning the economy of the state.
Some of the organizations included, Airtel, MTN, Lafarge, Nigerian Breweries, UBA, Zenith Bank, Heritage Bank, 7-UP Bottling company, CocaCola, Coscharis, Dana Motors, Flour mills and a host of others.
Mary Ephraim, the managing director of Okhma Global Limited said, “We are very excited to be retained on this beat. Last year, we had challenges of having little time to work with. I recall we put together the CEO’s meeting with the governor barely fourteen days to the commencement of the carnival. Even though the turnout was impressive, few of them did mention the short time left to D-day. Many got involved, but promised bigger volumes this year.’’
‘’We are happy His Excellency, Governor Ben Ayade expressed satisfaction with our efforts. However, we promise all stakeholders that we would deliver even bigger this year. Also having worked closely with the sponsors and based on feedbacks, we have made suggestions to the carnival commissions about new tweaks and angles to existing events and new events that we believe would improve and ease revenue generation”.
The theme for the 2016 Carnival is centered on “Climate Change” which seeks to draw attention to the challenges of global warming and its effect on the environment as well as preservation of future livelihoods. With the carnival, participants and revelers attack the problem with creativity as their major tool.
It is also noteworthy that with Cross River being a major tourism destination in Africa, preservation of its wild life and natural fauna becomes a task for accomplishment, which Governor Ayade is now spearheading.
