Ini Billie, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State Government has said it will incorporate the World AIDS Day and Twins Day celebration in the 2023 Christmas village.
The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Charles Udoh, said this on Tuesday in Uyo during the unveiling of the 2023 edition of the Christmas Park.
Udoh said the Christmas Village which will run for one month, will open on December 1, 2023 and close on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, at the Unity Park, Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo.
He also revealed that the annual carol festival will hold on December 15, at the Unity Park with the theme: “Arise, Shine, for Thy Light has Come”, drawn from Isaiah 60:1.
He explained that the annual event which started seven years ago has been rebranded and reloaded and would be 100 per cent local content as it would only feature indigenous artistes and mostly accommodate the younger generation.
He said the event was carefully engineered to showcase the entrepreneurial drive of Governor Umo Eno, as well as ensure that Akwa Ibom becomes more marketable.
“This year’s Christmas Park will also mark and observe the international calendar like the World Aids Day, and International Day of Twins where the best-dressed twins will win a prize, just as the best family portrait will also get commendations.
“As part of the new innovation, there will be a happy hour every Friday where there will be a lucky dip among kiosk owners and the lucky kiosk will be given N100,000 (one hundred thousand naira only) to enable people to eat and drink at such kiosks free.
“There will be special days for the Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and Niger Delta during the month-long event while on the 26th of December will also feature a football fans zone, where fans are expected to appear with their favourite club’s jersey and the club with the highest number of fans will also win a prize,” he stated.
Udo further explained that the event celebration will afford each local government area the opportunity to display its talents and unique features, adding that each day will 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.
He mentioned that the buying of kiosks online at www.discoverakwaibom.com was one of the innovations where business owners can pay and choose their kiosk online at only N155,000 each, adding that the ‘Happy Hour’, where kiosks randomly picked would be empowered with N100,000 upfront sales to promote the hour was another feature.