AKWB & TIMBREL PERFORM AT YEAR 2007 STATE GOVERNMENT'S CHRISTMAS CAROL FESTIVAL


His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio played host to over 3,000 guests who came to share in the Year 2007 State Government-organized Chrismas Carol Festival. The festival was held at the Old Governor's Office Premises - Government House, Uyo on the evening of Saturday, December 22, 2007.

The AKWB - Akwa Ibom West Divisional Band (B/M Joseph M. Akpan) and the Divisional Timbrel Brigade (T/L Helen J. Akpan) featured prominently at the festival. 10 Church choirs, Ibom Choral Voices, and the State's Civil Service Choir also perfomed at the event. The Church Choirs were St Stephen's African Church Cathedral Choir - Uyo, the Apostolic Church District Choir - Ikot Ntuen Oku, St. Ann's Cathedral Diocesan Choir - Ikot Ekpene, Goodnews Community Youths Choir - Abak, Qua Iboe Church's House of Praise - Etinan, Assemblies of God Youth Choir - Uyo, Methodist Church Cathedral Choir - Oron, Qua Iboe Church Choir - Edebom 1, St. John Bosco's Quasi- Parish Choir - Uyo, and Seventh Day Adventist Church Choir - Eket. Each of the the Choirs performed a song.

The AKWB played 18 carol pieces throughout the festival - featuring a carol piece at the end of each choir's rendition commencing with Carol of the Drum to Jingle Bells, Mary's Boy Child, Deck the Halls, Away in a Manger, Auld Lang Syne, Starry Night, Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer etc.

Some other special highlights of the festival were the sparkling display by the S.A Timbrel Brigade and a brilliant vocal solo performance of White Christmas by His Excellency, Engr. Patrick Ekpotu, the State's Deputy Governor, accompanied by the AKWB. Governor Godswill Akpabio read the Christmas story as recorded in Luke 2:1-2 and then the congregation sang Once in Royal David's City.

Towards the end of the festival, all invited choirs - over 400 voices in all, with the AKWB accompanying, came on stage to perform Ding Dong Merrilly on High, conducted by Bandmaster Joseph Akpan.

Her Excellency, Mrs Uloma Ekaette Akpabio, the Governor's wife presented Certificates of Participation to all participating groups. In his remarks, the Governor said the Festival was so great that he felt like keeping it going through the whole night. He appreciated the participating musical groups and specially commended the AKWB and Timbrel for putting up an extraordinary performance. The Festival was brought to a conclusion with the Band's presentation of Silent Night.

On special invitation by Mr. Aniekpeno Mkpanang, the Director of Protocol to the State Government, B/M Joseph Akpan served on the festival's planning committee and was commissioned to coordinate all the invited music groups and direct all musical performances at the festival.