Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has cautioned bikers on safety as he flags off bikers carnival as part of the signature events marking the 2025 Calabar festival.
Speaking on the occasion, the governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to guaranteeing the safety of all and sundry during and after every event of the thirty-two day festival. He pointed out that the bikers carnival was a recent innovation to the festival to promote tourist experience, while also promoting global cultural exchange with participation from both local and international bikers.
Represented by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, governor Otu said he had personally inspected the carnival route with a view to ensuring that it was safe for the parade of bikers and spectators alike from both local and international communities. He assured all participants that Cross River State remains the safest and well-prepared to host such events of global reckoning. The governor further advised the bikers to avoid recklessness during and after the parade in the state.
“Let us tell the world that Cross River State is safe. I have gone round the routes myself; there are no potholes and the roads are smooth,” he said.
Governor Otu emphasized the importance of strict adherence to safety protocols, urging all bikers to wear helmets, reflective vests and ensure proper riding discipline to avoid accidents. He added that ambulances, medical personnel and insurance coverage had been put in place to guarantee a hitch-free event.
“With doctors on ground, ambulances stationed, and insurance fully covered, we want this carnival to be remembered only for positive reasons,” he stated, before officially declaring the 2025 Bikers Carnival open to the glory of God.
Earlier, Chairman of the Cross River State Carnival Commission, Gabe Onah, described the Bikers Carnival as part of a broader effort to preserve cultural heritage and reconnect younger generations with the values and creativity embedded in Carnival Calabar.
He also revealed the presence of the ECOWAS Commission, with representatives from twelve member nations, noting that their participation underscored the growing business, talent and creative-sector opportunities associated with Carnival Calabar on the regional stage.
The event attracted strong international attention, with the Ambassador of Portugal to Nigeria, Paulo Santos, praising the organisation, professionalism and enduring legacy of the carnival. He described his presence in Calabar as both a cultural and historical “homecoming.”
“Calabar means ‘the quiet harbour’ in my language,” the ambassador explained, recounting the historic ties between Portugal and the ancient city. He lauded the enthusiasm and scale of participation, saying the carnival looked as though it had been organised for “200 or even 2,000 years,” rather than just two decades.
Ambassador Santos pledged to encourage other diplomats in Abuja to experience Carnival Calabar, urging them to forgo their usual end-of-year holidays to witness what he described as one of Nigeria’s most exciting cultural highlights.
Some spectators at the event commended the high standard of its organization and called for its sustainability.
An octogenarian UK-based diasporan, Mr. Richard Nzerem, from Imo State, who couldn’t contain his excitement for witnessing the activity described it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, noting that after spending over sixty years in the United Kingdom, the Bikers Carnival had exceeded his expectations and left him more fulfilled as a Nigeria.
