Nigeria's First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, willformally flag off the first Nigeria Tourism Carnivalbeing organized by Nigerian Carnivals Group in partnership with the Central Association of Nigerians in the UK (CANUK) in Marsh Lane Fields, Marsh Lane, Leyton, London on 15 October, 2011 and will also seize the opportunity to launch a new initiative designed by Nigerians in the UK to help Nigeria.According to Mrs Salamotu Tafida,the wife of the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, who addressed the media in London, 'TheNigerian Carnival/ Family fun day being planned this year is the first time that the Central Association of Nigerians in the UK (CANUK) will be collaborating with one of its associate members Nigerian Carnival UK (NCUK) and the Nigerian High Commission to bring all Nigerians together to celebrate the cultural diversity of the country and to showcase the positive qualities of Nigerians to the international community.'Mrs Tafida said that 'Itis an attempt to educate and enlighten people about Nigerians. As a mother and a proud Nigerian, I am supporting and giving my full backing to this event. I will also be mobilising widely for it, as I love what CANUK and its leader, Bimbo Folayan, is doing for the Nigerian community in the UK. Theyhope to showcase the culture and commercial vibrancy of the country, in a bid to further launch her into the international mainstream and defeat negative stereotypes.'The media briefing, which was chaired by Salamotu Tafida in London, was also graced by the presence of the Head of Chancery, Mr Ahmed Umar, all the ministers of the Nigerian High Commission in the UK, the leaders of the Central Association of Nigerians in the UK, led by its chairman, Bimbo Roberts Folaya, and other executives of the association and the NCUK organisers.The chairman of CANUK in his welcome address, said 'The Central Association of Nigerians in the UK promised the Nigerian community in the UK after the inauguration of this new executive that we will do everything in our power to rally, mobilize and energize our community in the UK. This is why we have started to partner with Nigerian organisations towards promoting the community The Nigerian carnival is just one out of the several other plans to engage the community positively. Our ambition is to unite Nigerians in the UK so that we can start to speak with one voice and to start to contribute more to the development of our country.We have plans to build unity and to lessen bickering within the community'. This is why our mother in the UK, Mrs Tafida, is inviting the best person who symbolises unity, the mother of all Nigerians at home and the Diaspora, Dame Patience Jonathan, to flag off this event.'We assure Nigerians that this is the first in a series of partnerships with organisations towards the development of our people, community and country. May God be with you all.The entire body of Nigerians in the UK and friends of Nigeria will all gather to start an annual carnival and family fun day which hopefully (wait for this), will rival the Nottinghill carnival in years to come. The purpose of this is to build relationships, create networks, rally, mobilise and unite Nigerians in the UK, on the one hand and to start to rebrand the image of Nigeria to the world. To those of us who criticize leaders, this is the time to prove to the world that we are different. Lets talk less, criticise less, but start to do more from now on. This eventis planned to be bigger than the Alexandra's Palace eventduring the Nigeria at 50 which was attended by the Vice President and some other governors10 times 'over'.Chief Folayan specially commended Arik Air for its generous and wonderful support for the festival 'I have to mention here the significant role being played by ARIK Air. This airline has shown that is one airline which has the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians at heart.'He called on all Nigerians to ensure that they embrace the products of Arik Airline, 'as this is our only airline that plies London and most of the international routes.'At the vent, the founder of Nigerian Carnivals Uk, Mr Kashif Laguda Jones, stated that 'We are happy to commence another phrase in the history of NCUK by collaborating with the biggest umbrella organisation representing local bodies.
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