By: Frank Inyang, Calabar
“A journey of a long distance started with a step forward”, so it is with Bakassi Fish Festival which started last year. The maiden edition was a giant stride and a success story which was aimed at hitting the status of reputable fish festivals like Argungu Festival and many others that have been celebrated for decades.
Bakassi Fish Festival has its unique characteristics which place it in good stead as remarkable brand of tourism and commerce.
Geographically, Bakassi is a coastal town and strategically located as an international border town as well as the nearest litoral gateway in Nigeria to Central Africa and beyond.
Ikang Beach, the venue of the two days Festival on September 26 and 27, 2023, is located in Bakassi Local Government Area, and it is doted with many fishing ports and settlements with a variety of unexplored resources and tourist attractions.
Being an international border town, its numerous opportunities are beyond fish and on map , Africa looks like a gun and Bakassi firmly placed as its trigger which literally translated turns it into a hub for commerce. This therefore means it is potentially endowed to kickstart economic activities even beyond its catchment area and beyond as a stimulus.
Bakassi is arguably blessed with an expanse of arable land , many beautiful natural attractions and locations apart from its hitherto 96 oil wells which were ceded to a neighboring state, but regrettably, some of its possessions are yet to be documented or explored / exploited for the economic prosperity of the people nay the state.
The objectives of the festival therefore, according to its organisers, include the desire to prepare the water resources where fish and fish products are harvested from, promote fishing business in style, recognize those who have been in the business and empower existing and upcoming vendors and amplify the image of fishermen.
Others are to empower and encourage fishing/discover the uniqueness of fishing culture, foster unity amongst the different tribes engaging in the fishing business in Bakassi and beyond as well as packaging the fishing business to make it attractive and also create relaxed environment for stakeholders in the fishing industry.
The maiden edition has been improved upon as its teething problems have been fully and adequately addressed to ensure the second edition records remarkable and commendable achievements because its scope has been widened to attract participation from neighboring Republic of Cameron and Equatorial Guinea.
Apart from promoting tourism and commerce, it is also modeled as a unifying factor which will give the displaced people of Bakassi and their kith and kin in the Republic of Cameron an opportunity to associate under one umbrella thereby giving modern day conflict resolution another practical meaning following the failure of the much touted Green Tree Agreement,
The features of the festival include lecture/ sensitization, cultural exhibition/fair, fish and fish products trade fair, sports and special awards.
Being a rallying point for those engaged in fishing and related business in the southern coastal states of Nigeria, tribes expected to participate in the Festival apart from the neighboring countries, include the Ijaw, Itsekri, Ogoni, Oron, Andoni, Ibibio, Efik, Annang,, Igbo, Ilayee, etc.
Organisers of the festival have embarked on sensitization visits and courtesy calls on traditional institutions, communities, organizations, corporate bodies, individuals , departments, commissions and agencies to brief them as well as solicit their support, cooperation and sponsorship to ensure success.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union Of Journalists NUJ, Cross River State Council, Comrade Nsa Gill, during a media interactive session with the organizers of the festival, noted that if the Festival is properly packaged , it has the potential of rewriting the story of the state especially in its tourism and commerce programs.
According to its organisers, their collective aim is to work assiduously in collaboration with the State Tourism Bureau to ensure the Festival becomes a reputed brand to reckon with as well as be included in the Cross River State tourism calendar amongst other celebrated festivals.
According to the Director General of the Bakassi Fish Festival organizing team, Frank Edima, they will not rest on theirs oars despite the remarkable scorecard which the maiden recorded until it is acknowledged and accredited by the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation NTDC , which is responsible for the overall development of the nation’s tourism, as one of the tourism brands in Nigeria.
Edima further disclosed that activities included in the colorful Festival include a wrestling competition,boat racing, fisherman fish cooking, fishing painting, beauty pageant and a beach soccer.
According to the Director General, the local community has been incorporated into the fold not only to participate, but also accept the Festival as their project to ensure its continuity and protection.
Edima explained that the festival is aimed at changing the narrative about Bakassi as held in certain areas but present it as a conducive area for investment, tourism and commerce.
Preparation are in top gear to ensure attention and traffic is focused on Bakassi for the two days Festival which will expose the aquatic( marine) and human endowment of the area to visitors and would be investors in a conducive and friendly environment.
