No fewer than 400 bikers’ from 10 African countries on Tuesday featured in the grand finale of the 2016 Calabar carnival bikers’ show.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bikers were drawn from Ghana, South Africa, Togo, Egypt, Senegal, and Kenya among other African countries including a Palestinian.
Mr Akin Ricketts, President of Metallic Knights Motorcycle Club of Calabar, told NAN that no fewer than 200 members of his club participated in the parade.
Ricketts, a former Information Commissioner in the state, said that the parade was to add fun, excitement and vitality to the carnival as well as entertain tourists.
“What we do yearly is to bring people to the state by exhibiting what we have. Calabar carnival is growing bigger and better yearly.
“When you bring a large number of people into the state, it invariably brings about a better flow in the economy.
”The bikers’ show is a display of riding talents across the carnival routes. We are well-kitted today to give the carnival our best.
“We have bikers’ from no fewer than 10 African countries participating in today’s show, it promises to be fun,” he said.
A Palestinian, Jaka Fara, told NAN that he was in Nigeria specifically to participate in the bikers’ show.
According to Fara, riding a power bike is like doing a sporting activity which is good to the body.
He said that the carnival had continued to gain international recognition due to its efficient management by the state government.
Among notable bikers’ at the show was Mr Donald Duke, a former governor of the state, along with state legislators, commissioners, and captains of industries.
NAN report that the bikers’ went on display round the 12 kilometers carnival routes displaying their riding talents and entertaining tourists.
NAN also reports that the displays were done under heavy security presence mounted by men of the Nigeria police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Immigration Service and others. (NAN)