Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove has cancelled its planned visit to Nigeria because of issues with Boko Haram and the growing threat of Ebola. Yesterday the band’s manager, Errol Skerritt, confirmed that development. Skerritt said: “As the reigning National Panorama champion Phase II was nominated to return to Abuja, Nigeria’s second city. Last year, we went there at mid-November, our visit coinciding with that state’s carnival. I imagine that this year it would have been the same time.”
But Skerritt said when the Boko Haram atrocities began the T&T High Commission in Nigeria warned the band that the situation was volatile and it should no longer come and since then the tour had seemed unlikely. Boko Haram is a militant Islamic extremist group which has been labelled a terrorist organisation by the US and which abducted over 200 schoolgirls in April. The recent outbreak of Ebola in west Africa created another problem.
Skerritt said: “When Ebola emerged, though it started off in west Africa, it didn’t get to Nigeria initially. “When you mix the Boko Haram and Ebola factors together, it has been an imperative that this tour will not come off. “Initially, there was talk of an alternative tour somewhere else in Nigeria but the sponsor—Chrome Group Company—physically located in Abuja. I knew they would not be interested in an alternative part of Nigeria.”
He also expressed concern about the possible cancellation of Carnival 2015 because of the threat of Ebola. He said: “At this time of the year we are usually going through the process of ordering instruments. Right now Boogsie (the band’s arranger and composer, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe) has about ten songs to pick one; the last one is usually the best one. Just yesterday, Thursday, he made a new one and was saying it sounds like ‘the one.’
“We also have to contend with the talk making the rounds that Carnival will be cancelled next year. We don’t want to spend too much money up front and then there is no Carnival. We have to be mindful that the lead-up time to Carnival is short, so we are walking a very thin line as far as preparations are concerned.”