Ben Ayade, Donald Duke, others participate in the bikers' segment of the festival

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December 28, 2017 1:56 PM

The event witnessed throngs of spectators who laid siege on the 12-kilometre carnival route to watch acrobatic displays.

The executive Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, led 250 power bikers, including the former governor of the State, Donald Duke during the bikers’ segment of the Calabar Carnival, which took place on Wednesday afternoon.

According to reports by CHANNELS TV, the event witnessed throngs of spectators who laid siege on the 12-kilometre carnival route to watch acrobatic displays.

Governor Ayade who was carrying his wife, Mrs Linda Ben-Ayade, was stated that the essence of the parade is to connect with young people. He said, “the bikers’ parade intention is to connect with young people.

“If you look at the audience in the carnival, it has undergone dramatic change in the last 10 years – from the elderly to the middle age, now to the young people and if you don’t change the content of the carnival to reflect the enthusiasm and the adrenaline pumping nature of the young people, you will be boring to them.

“So we need to create an atmosphere that shows that the governor has the wisdom of a sixty-year-old and the enthusiasm of a child – an old head on a young shoulder; I can afford to act like I am young, a youth and at the same time be a governor”.

Speaking on how he has broken his own record, Ayade said:

“Just look at the crowd, this is record breaking. I have broken my own record. Last year, it was a huge success but today, I am afraid if the carnival tomorrow will be able to carry this bikers’ parade that we did today.

“Red scorpion but if you look at the head, it is a crocodile; if you look at the fins it tells you that look – I am an Octopus. You can’t really tell my story, I have the capacity to change at all times. If I want to be a young person, I will; as a professor, I will; as a senator, I will; if I want to behave like a lawyer, I will; but more importantly, that I don’t forget my history.

“So, my bike tells the story of the blend in one person, and that is the story that you see in that. It is custom made, designed by myself and produced only to me in the entire world,” Governor Ayade said.

Article by Misthura Otubu

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