Calabar, Nigeria – The Cross River State Governor, Apostle Prince Bassey Edet Otu, has pledged his administration’s support for the Tinkoriko Calabar Heritage, a sociocultural event that promotes unity and cultural heritage among youths in the state.
The Governor made the pledge on Monday, January 1, during the Tinkoriko rally held along major streets in Calabar, the state capital.
Governor Otu, who spoke to a large turnout of youths at the event, commended the organisers of the festival for providing a platform for youths to engage with government officials, air their grievances, and promote unity among themselves.
The festival, which featured cultural performances, was attended by hundreds of youths from across the state.
Governor Otu also praised the festival’s initiative to incorporate entrepreneurial skills training, providing youths with sustainable means of livelihood. This, he noted, aligns with his administration’s goal of promoting youth development and economic growth in the state
He said, “We recognise the importance of investing in our youths and preserving our cultural heritage. We will continue to provide financial support to the Tinkoriko festival, empowering you to drive positive change in our communities.”
Also speaking, the founder, Chief Orok Otu Duke, Commissioner representing Cross River State on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), emphasised that the festival provided a platform for youths to air their grievances, engage with government officials, and promote unity amongst themselves.
When fielding questions from journalists, Duke disclosed that the state government is in full support of the group’s initiatives. He further appealed to the government, philanthropists, and corporate organisations to donate resources, such as T-shirts, to enhance the festival’s impact and promote a sense of unity and identity among the youths.
He said by supporting the Tinkoriko festival, individuals and organisations can contribute to the empowerment and development of young people in Cross River State, ultimately promoting a brighter future for the region.
“These youths you are seeing here on the streets are here free of charge; we did not pay anyone a dime to come out in their full force to promote culture and Unity.
“Since the inception of the Tinkoriko, the youths now have a platform to engage themselves and foster unity. The youths never had that privilege, but today, the Tinkoriko is a platform for people from various works and religions to come together as one to advocate for unity.
“I went to Abuja to register it with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as a dance theatre to show that we have the backing of the government, to carry out the show, we are not interested in any colour, as long as it doesn’t affect the other person you are free to eat whatever you want.
“There is no form of harassment from anybody here who identifies with Tinkoriko; we just want philanthropists, the government, and anybody who can donate – should come together and donate – we just want only T-shirts, that’s all.
“We printed many T-shirts, but it is not enough, so we are saying please even if it is T-shirts for N5,000 per person into 50,000, that’s N50 million. Come and donate to us, just T-shirts and we are okay.
“We also want to call on the government to please employ our youths who are qualified or you feel can contribute to the government; please employ these youths; they are capable,” Orok said.
In a related development, a Facebook post by Queensley Offiong-Etim Bassey, a popular food vendor in Cross River State, alleged that her delivery rider was assaulted and had food taken away by individuals associated with the Tinkoriko Festival.
Bassey’s post reads: “This is Wisdom, a dispatch rider I use. Today, he went to deliver food to a client at Target Road and encountered the Nkoriko Movement just a pole from where he was to deliver the food. The boys descended on him and beat him to a pulp. His money and every plate of food in the dispatch box were taken.”
However, the Tinkoriko President, Prof. Emmanuel Eyo Esq., has debunked the allegations. In a statement, he said “The leadership of Tinkoriko Calabar Heritage has noted the allegations and discussions surrounding an incident that allegedly occurred on Target Road in Calabar on 1st January 2025.
“While we empathise with any individual who has experienced hardship, it is imperative to address the baseless accusations against our movement and clarify our position as an organisation dedicated to cultural preservation, not violence or criminality.
“Tinkoriko Calabar Heritage exists to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Cross River state. Our values are rooted in discipline, unity, and the celebration of tradition. It is unfortunate that isolated acts of indiscipline, which we have no control over, are being used to tarnish the image of an organisation that has worked tirelessly to foster cultural pride.”
The statement further alleged that Bassey, a Peoples Democratic Party PDP woman leader, has a history of malicious behaviour and has been criticised for substandard services in the past.
