Rivers troupe emerged the overall winner of the 2024 Abuja International Carnival competitive events while Borno and Yobe emerged as first and second runner-up.

Bauchi and Abia took the fourth and fifth positions, while the best in Durbar event award went to Yobe and Delta as the best in masquerade event award.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the competition’s judges announced the results at the closing ceremony of the event held on Monday night at the Eagles Square.

The carnival, which was held from November23 to 25, with the theme, ‘Carnival of Renewed Hope: A Pledge to My Country,’ had participating bands from across different states in Nigeria.

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It featured a range of activities, including floats and street shows, musical concerts, traditional food competition, boat regatta, Durbar, children’s Fiesta and art exhibitions.

The closing ceremony was a night of glitz and glamour in colourful and festive ambience, which characterises carnivals, as it featured indigenous fashion show and parade across the arena by participating teams.

-Singer Portable thrills participants 

Energetic Nigerian singer, Habeeb Badmus, popularly known as Portable, on Monday night, thrilled participants at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Abuja International Carnival.

Participants, including state delegates, government functionaries and music lovers, drawn from different parts of the country, were held to series of electrifying performances by the “ZaZoo Zehh” crooner at the Eagles Square.

Dance floor for the night was opened with series of performances by upcoming artistes before portable came on stage.

The “Brotherhood” crooner was then ushered on stage amidst ovation by participants, especially his fans, and then the ‘party just started.’

He performed some of his hit tracks, including ‘Pay Me My Money’, ‘Ema Joke Dada’, ‘Clear’, among others, amid cheers from fans. (NAN)