- As Her Band, SEAGULL Holds Lecture & Presentation
On Sunday Sept.10th, 2017,Cross River State government in collaboration with Seagull Band presented an evening of lecture and stage presentation of the Seagull winning theme 2016, Climate Change in Lagos .At the helm of affairs was Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, Chairman of the Environment Committee of the 2014 National Conference and leader of the Seagull Carnival Band who played host to a crop of dignitaries and select guests , as her band showcased a lecture on climate change and an amazing creative dance presentation that held all spell bound.
The classy ceremony which held at the grand ball room of Oriental Hotel, Lagos had in attendance, The Deputy Governor of Cross River State Prof. Ivara Esu who represented the Cross River State governor, Senator Ben Ayade,Abbah Folawiyo, Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdul Rasheed Akanbi and his wife,Guy Murray Bruce who represented Senator Ben Murray Bruce, Chairman of Cross River State Carnival Gabe Onah,Tuface Idibia, Rita Dominic, and several other high profile guests..
Anchored by a movie icon, Patrick Doyle, the ceremony kicked off after the ever graceful and ageless beauty Sen. Florence Ita Giwa sashayed into the venue looking stunning in a beautifully designed Ankara fitted gown that stuck to her luscious physigue.Mama Bakassi as she is fondly called exudes a charming aura that magnets people to her .She is a free spirit and very young at heart.
Irrespective of her age, she loves to dance and she instantly started wriggling her body to the rhythm of the soft tunes by the band as she gracefully went from seat to seat to welcome her guests. Her beautifully made up face beaming with smiles The event finally started with the national anthem and Cross Rivers State anthem, after the arrival of the deputy governor of Cross Rivers State who represented the governor, His Excellency, Prof. Ben Ayade. .
Mama Bakassi was ushered on stage as she spoke at length on her passion for causes that promote climate change .In her speech, she revealed that her commitment to environmental matters, was borne out of her desire to learn more about her environment following her appointment to chair the committee on environment during the 2014 National Conference. She narrated her ordeal when she seemed she was the less qualified for the enormous task she was saddled with but with the help of the seasoned environmental activists in the committee, she not only made the best out of it but imbibed the awareness in her recreational activities hence when the theme for the Calabar carnival 2016 was announced as Climate Change,her Seagull band emerged tops.
Ita-Giwa said she was happy when her state Governor Prof. Ben Ayade chose Climate Change as the theme for the 2016/2017 Cross River State Carnival.. According to her, “it is easy to conclude that the street parade and the dance is all there is to the carnival, but that is far from the truth. There is fierce competition among the competing bands.
What we have decided to do is to bring home salient messages on climate change as projected by my band, the Seagull Band. According to her, the band had apparently adopted the advocacy for action on climate change, thereby disseminating the message to a wider audience through lecture and stage presentation, to a discerning audience.
Senator Ben Murray Bruce representing Bayelsa East senatorial district in the National Assembly was the special guest of honour but aptly represented by his brother Guy Murray Bruce who delivered a keynote address on his behalf. The lecture on climate change was delivered by Mr Desmond Majekodumi, who enlightened guests on climate change. His lecture was followed by a presentation by NIMASA delivered by Mrs Masagwara on behalf of the Director General Dakuku Peterside.
The great moment everyone was anxiously waiting for finally came when the beautifully dressed Seagull Band dancers took to stage to display a very creative and illustrative dance on climate Change.. The prestigious and 3 times winner carnival band performed their winning display tagged ‘Green Revolution’ at the event, a scintillating performance that sent rents of applause into the air.
Mama Bakassi joined her band to serenade guests ,garbed in the colourful and shiny Seagull band regalia. Her dance steps elicited a standing ovation from guests. The Seagull band delivered a very powerful message on climate change, bringing the vision alive through creative dance costumes that revolved on the cycle of climate change, the causes and effects. The green revolution is a major component of climate change which has been the thrust of the United Nations campaign for a safe global environment..
Sen. Ita Giwa has over the years been in the forefront of sensitizing the people and organisations within the continent on the need to provide a lasting solution to Climate Change. In addition to the amazing performance by the energetic seagull bands, there were special guest musical performance by leading Nigerian entertainers Kelly Handsome,Inyanya, Tuface and several others. The event was proudly supported by Heritage Bank and the Nigeria Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
–VIVIAN ONUORAH
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