The Cross River State Government has introduced online voting and digital streaming as part of efforts to increase public participation and expand the reach of the Calabar Carnival.

The Chairman of the Carnival Calabar Commission, Mr Gabe Onah, disclosed this on Wednesday in Lagos during the 22nd Akwaaba African Travel Market.

According to Onah, the new digital approach will enable members of the public to participate directly in selecting the winning carnival band.

Public to Vote for Favourite Bands

Onah said Nigerians and Africans would also be encouraged to register as members of carnival bands, creating a support system similar to football club fan bases.

“We are encouraging Nigerians, Africa, to register to become members of carnival bands organically, like we register for premiership clubs,” he said.

He explained that the online voting system would complement the traditional scoring process conducted by professional adjudicators.

Carnival Adopts Interactive Voting Model

The chairman said allowing spectators to vote would introduce another layer of engagement by giving the public a voice in the competition.

“We now want the public to have a say, like the Big Brother framework,” he said.

He added that other carnival-related activities would also be transformed into interactive and gamified experiences.

Digital Strategy to Boost Revenue

Onah said the digital transformation was also aimed at improving revenue generation and creating a more sustainable carnival model.

He called for increased participation from the private sector, public institutions and individuals through funding initiatives such as crowdfunding.

“We should experience more public and private sector funding as well as people’s funding, like crowdfunding,” he said.

Call for More Tourism Collaboration

The Carnival Calabar Commission chairman urged tourism stakeholders to strengthen cooperation and focus more on collaboration rather than competition.

He said stronger partnerships would help grow Nigeria’s tourism industry and improve the international visibility of the carnival.

International Expansion Plans

Onah revealed that the commission was working towards unveiling an international headline artiste for the carnival.

He said the announcement would be made soon as preparations continued to attract global attention to the event.

Tribute to Prince Ojoi Ekpenyong

Onah also commiserated with the Cross River State Government and members of the tourism sector over the death of Prince Ojoi Ekpenyong.

He described Ekpenyong as a major contributor to the growth of Carnival Calabar, particularly in strengthening its cultural presentation and international appeal.

Ekpenyong, who served as Managing Director of the Cross River State Tourism Bureau, died on June 24.