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A cursory overview of the Christmas Unplugged 2.0 and Christmas Carols’ Carol Season 17, a two-in-one Christmas festival that puts Akwa Ibom as an alluring destination on the world map
By Inemesit Ina
It will be a potpourri of glamour, razzmatazz, music, fun, food, business, culture, history, worship, humanity and more as Akwa Ibom State, one of Nigeria’s top destinations, starts Another December to Remember on Sunday, December 1, 2024 at the Unity Park, Uyo.
Tagged “Ibom Christmas Unplugged 2.0,” it will span 32 days, ending on January 1, 2025.
On display will be Akwa Ibom’s rich and enviable cultural heritage and cuisines. And there will be fun like no other, what with daily doses of back-to-back music events, drama, comedy, games, talent shows, outdoor catering and lounging.
In between, the nearly two-decades-old international success story, Akwa Ibom Christmas Carols Season 17, will hold on December 13, 2024.
A Governor’s Passion and Compassion
Long before his entry into politics, Governor Umo Eno was involved in the hospitality and tourism industry for decades through his hospitality outfit, Royalty Group. At a point, he even chaired the state’s Hotels and Tourism Board.
As Governor, his interest in tourism has clearly not waned. If anything, he has proved to be the tourism czar.
Little wonder Eno has been passionate about the two-in-one Christmas festival.
On Tuesday afternoon, he visited the Unity Park to assess the level of preparation. That was shortly after presenting the 2025 budget to the State House of Assembly at the Assembly Complex located close to the event venue. He was conducted round by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Sir Charles Udoh.
Always a hands-on person with a keen eye for detail, Eno made important contributions to the event planning.
Last year, he reportedly visited the venue three times to ensure that everything was in place before the start.
Kiosk Allocation
Right from his inauguration as the Culture and Tourism commissioner in July, last year, Udoh obviously set out to do things differently, particularly concerning the state’s annual Christmas celebration. Transparency was his watchword. Last year, a system of transparency was put in place in the allocation of kiosks, the main business aspect of the celebration. To eliminate human manipulation and ensure fairness and equal opportunity in the 2023 edition of the celebration, which he renamed Ibom Christmas Unplugged, bidding for the allocation of kiosks by vendors was done online. It was a clear departure from the past. And everything went smoothly.
Ahead of this year’s celebration, Ibom Christmas Unplugged 2.0, the Governor, apparently moved by compassion given the hard times, decided to subsidise the cost of kiosks. The subsidy forced the price down to N100,000 from last year’s N150,000. Would-be vendors rejoiced.
But there was a snag. Akin to the abuse that characterised Nigeria’s age-long oil subsidy regime, “unscrupulous elements,” as Udoh puts it, went to work, threatening to defeat the Governor’s good gesture. They bought several kiosks and resold them for as high as N300,000 to helpless traders.
They could not be allowed to get away with such brazen fraud. The Governor, on getting wind of it, expressed displeasure. And he asked the commissioner to crack down on the profiteers.
Udoh swiftly devised a strategy to put them out of business.
At the end of an online verification and validation, he conducted a physical verification and validation of vendors, amounting to an headcount, for hours on end on Friday evening and Saturday morning.
The strategy worked wonders, eliminating the profiteers.
Historic Stage
This year, history is being made in Akwa ibom at the Unity Park with the installation of a stage that surpasses all in Africa in one aspect and the world in another aspect.
Hear the commissioner: “It is Africa’s biggest round-domed stage with 120 feet diameter.
“The entire stage has a span of 200 feet.
“No round-domed stage compares in the continent. The closest is 60 feet.
“What’s more, it is two-stage-in-one, the first of its kind anywhere in the world.”
Cultural Display
Ibom Christmas Unplugged, last year, came with something unusual – cultural and culinary display by the 31 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Akwa Ibom State. That brought so much excitement as every LGA employed every trick in the book to outperform each other and claim the top prize.
Another fierce contest is expected this year.
But there is a ground rule set by the Governor – no display of fetish traditional masquerades and performance this year.
“When you are packaging, local government leaders, stakeholders, get involved,” he cautioned recently. “We want to see our foods and the decent display of our values.”
Non-stop Entertainment
Many still remember with nostalgia the stellar entertainment provided in the first edition of Ibom Christmas Unplugged in 2023.
But even that record-breaking first edition now threatens to become a child’s play when compared to what is being offered this time by the planning committee, again led the commissioner.
According to Udoh, “Ibom Christmas Unplugged 2.0 promises to be bigger, better and more entertaining.”
There will be non-stop entertainment for 32 days with 32 DJs, 32 singers/singing groups, 32 dancers/dancing groups, 32 comedians, spoken word artists and others.
Among the music greats performing are Bongos Ikwue, Timaya, Nasboi, Homeboy and Fiokee.
Indigenous stars will equally enjoy their pride of place at the celebration. Four of them, Disasta, Mr. Amanam, Qris Jay and Pasto Goody Goody, are even headlining the opening ceremony.
Christmas Carols Season 17
On Friday, December 13, the Christmas Carols Season 17 will take place.
This event is a mix of Christian songs, dance, worship and fun usually attended by top artistes and worshippers from across the world. It was officially certified and cited in the Guineas World Records in 2014.
Udoh calls it, “the biggest God’s party anywhere in the world.”
Performing are five choir groups and seven top gospel music acts – Minister GUC, David G, Jimmy D’Psalmist, Steve Crown, Buchi, Eno Michael and Moses Bliss.
Its theme this year is “Peace and Holiness with All Men. “
Humanitarian Causes
Ibom Christmas Unplugged 2.0 is not all about entertainment.
It is also about humanity.
There are world or international days for 17 causes – AIDS, Abolition of Slave Trade, Computer Literacy, People with Disabilities, Conservation, Soil,
Volunteers for Economic and Social Development, Civil Aviation, Anti-Corruption, Human Rights, Mountain, Energy, Migrants, Human Solidarity and Bio-Diversity.
Special Days, Nites and Hangouts for Different Groups
Another striking feature of Ibom Christmas Unplugged 2,0 is the recognition accorded various groups.
People from different walks of life are recognised with days, nites and hangouts, namely: The Governor, legislators, legislators’ wives, commissioners, commissioners’ wives, ALGON, WALGON, Governor’s aides, workers, lawyers, journalists, bankers, Nollywood, twins, non-indigenes, old skool, youths and
security operatives.
Indeed, as Udoh points out, “there is something for everyone.”
Security
The commissioner assures the public of adequate security to be provided by a combined team of 400 security personnel comprising Police, Department of State Services (DSS) and private security operatives coordinated by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Waterways, Brigadier General Koko Essien (retd.).
With everything set, let the show begin! And let the music play!
