Africans In Diaspora, Lovers Of Africa, Converge For IPADA Carnival Opening Ceremony In Lagos

It was a grand home coming for Africans in the Diaspora and Lovers of Africa as they returned into the arms of fellow Africans at the sprawling 65 acres beachfront, popularly known as La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort at Ibeju-lekki, Lagos, yesterday, when IPADA Carnival 2024, continued in earnest, with a grand opening ceremony on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.

In attendance were foreign Ambassadors from African countries and the Carribbean, amongst them Rwanda Ambassador H.E Christophe Bazivamo and H.E Ambassad Prof Dr. Hugh Aryee, from the Island country Vanuatu, in the Carribbean, with over 40 royal Fathers and Regent from Cross River State, who stormed the event in their resplendent colourful royal attires, arriving in a long convoy of glittering vehicles.

The day had started with a unique IPADA Carnival breakfast, displayed on the spread on the sand dunes walkway between the large waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the fresh waters of the Lagoon. And the sumptuous breakfast came with expected side attractions such as traditional, cultural music and dances, boating, kayaking in the lagoon to mention a few, and general socialisation.

Just as the arriving stream of people into the resort grounds continued this morning from the day before, the arrival of the carnival train put together, by the Brazilian Descendants Association to the resort, in the early afternoon, fast tracked the tempo of IPADA Carnival celebration of the day, with Founder of IPADA Carnival, Otunba Olawanle Akinboboye and other dignitaries, joining the carnival train in dances.

Colourful, inspiring, richly African, fabulous costumes mixed with African fabrics displaced by the carnival train, elicited endearment from visiting tourists and returnees from the Diaspora, as the carnival train danced all the way into the nature endowed resort grounds, through the long Carnival trail.