Thousands flock to southern Nigeria for Calabar Carnival

Vibrant outfits, music and dancing filled the streets of southern Nigeria, as thousands of revellers gathered for the Calabar Carnival.

The festival is held every December in the capital of Cross River State, drawing around two million visitors from across the country and beyond.

This edition featured participation from the ECOWAS community, as the festival’s chairman Gabe Onah explained.

''This year, with the participation of the ECOWAS community, established for cooperation, with the participation of the Portuguese embassy, with the participation of the Spanish embassy, we are coming back to where we came from, which is going back in time. Appreciating our leaders, appreciating our yesterday, appreciating today and preparing for tomorrow," said Onah.

Also known as ‘Africa’s Biggest Street Party’, the event provides the opportunity for friends and family to bond.

Among the attendees enjoying the community spirit was Joseph Eyo. "As you can see for yourself, actions speak louder than words. It has been a season of sweetness, a season of fun, fun, fun, fun. A season of celebration, a season of happiness. It has been reunion, it has been bonding and meeting old friends, bonding with family members," Eyo said.

The theme of the latest edition was ‘Traces of Time'.

Founded in 2004, the carnival was created with the vision of making Cross River a tourism and hospitality hub. Over the years, the festival has grown to become Nigeria’s largest carnival as well as an internationally recognised event.