On Friday, December 22, 2017, the annual Akwa Ibom Christmas Carol Festival will take place at the Uyo Township Stadium along Udo Umana Street in Uyo, the state capital.
The theme of this year’s Carol festival, which is the second to be organized by the administration of Gov. Udom Emmanuel, is “Emmanuel God is with us.”
According to organizers, the theme is derived from the book of Mathew 1:22, which is an account of how the birth of Jesus was foretold by the prophets and how it came to pass.
Giving details of the festival, which has turned out to be one of the biggest and well attended festivals in the World, Mr. Aniekpeno Mkpanang, Permanent Secretary, Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said DANA Air has been named the official airline of the Akwa Ibom Christmas Carols Festival.
He also disclosed that about 20,000 artistes and visitors are expected in the state from different parts of the country, Africa and the world. “The Akwa Ibom Christmas Carols Festival is one of the biggest and well-attended Festivals in the world and we are expecting over 20,000 artistes and visitors to fly in from other parts of the country, Africa and the world, hence the need to join ranks and partner with one of the most consistent Airlines in Nigeria right now to ensure a hitch-free, hassle free, seamless, and on-time travel for all our guests and visitors,’’ Mr. Mkpanang said in a release made available to The Next Edition.
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Among the artistes that have featured in the state organized Carol festival since its debut in 2008 are Gospel music legends like multiple Grammy Award winner Shirley Caeser, Ron Kenoly, Donnie McClurkin, Israel Houghton, Chevelle Franklyn, Alvin Slaughter, Lionel Petersen, Don Moen, among the others.
The event has also featured top Nigerian Gospel Artistes like Nathaniel Bassey, Sammy Okposo, Sinach, Frank Edwards, Steve Crown, Panam Percy Paul, Aity Dennis Inyang, Asu Ekiye, Freke, Buchi, Lara George, among the others.
Top international artistes including Bob Fitts, Elsie Otoo, Ron Kenoly, are expected to perform at the grand event, while Pastor Agu Iroko of the Jesus House branch of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, London, will be the guest minister.
The Akwa Ibom Christmas Carols Festival started in 2008 as ‘9999 Carols Night’ before it was renamed. It is a gathering of worshipers to celebrate Christmas in a unique and spectacular way.
In 2014, the event set a New Guinness World Record to officially become the “Largest Assembly of Carol Singers in the World.
