World heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis (left) greets Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo at the National Stadium yesterday.

THE Jamaica 40 Independence celebrations neared their zenith at the National Stadium in Kingston yesterday with a spectacular Grand Gala which had been absent from the country's annual Independence celebration calendar for many years.

Thousands of persons, including the Government's special guests -- Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Bharrat Jagdeo, the president of the Republic of Guyana; and world heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis -- flocked the National Stadium to view the rich cultural display organised by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission.

This Moko Jumbie drew a lot of attention at the Grand Gala inside the National Stadium yesterday.

Past Festival Song winners, such as Tinga Stewart, Roy Rayon, Stanley Beckford, The Astronauts, Toots Hibbert, Derrick Morgan, Alton Ellis and Heather Grant, all gave high-energy performances of their winning entries that had the audience moving to every beat. There was also an excellent band display by the Jamaica Defence Force Massed Band.

Hours earlier, thousands of Jamaicans and a few visitors lined the streets of the Corporate Area to watch the Independence Float Parade, which was one of the major highlights of the celebrations.

Effigies in yesterday's Float Parade were quite popular.

The float parade, which had been missing from the annual Independence celebrations for almost 20 years, was given a warm welcome by spectators who delighted in the colourful costumes and effigies of Jamaica's former and current political leaders, on display.

Aptly titled "The Moving Spirit of Jamaica", the parade started its journey at the intersection of Trafalgar and Waterloo roads in St Andrew, an hour after its advertised 10:00 am start. This delay was, however, overlooked as spectators who waited patiently in the scorching mid-morning sun were obviously pleased with the displays.

The costumed groups that participated in yesterday's Street Parade and Grand Gala were quite colourful.

Viewing of the parade evoked a deep sense of national pride among individuals as young and old alike could be seen waving hundreds of miniature Jamaican flags with some even donning the national colours in their attire.

In a kaleidoscope of colour, each float and its accompanying costumed groups captured various aspects of Jamaican culture, beauty, industry and sports. The latest dancehall tunes and past festival songs blared from the accompanying discos, while the Magnificent Troopers, Inner City and Tivoli marching bands also provided live music.

The presentation of arms at yesterday morning's Independence Day Parade at King's House.

Heading the parade was the Spirit of Unity float, which depicted the national motto "Out of many, one people". Swirls of black, green and gold garlands signifying the melding of our nation and communities adorned this float. It also featured ladies representing the four major races found in Jamaica -- African, Indian, Chinese, and Mid-Eastern -- dressed in traditional costumes.

One of the colourful costumes displayed in yesterday's float parade in Kingston.

Most of the floats were beautiful and captivating, not least of which were the tourism float titled "Nuh weh nuh betta than yard" and the environment float, "Our environment our future" which both celebrated Jamaica's flora and fauna.

"What I have seen today is good," said Winsome Donegal, a spectator. "The floats have helped to bring back memories of past years when they were a big hit on Independence Day. The music accompanying the floats is clean and I hope that the kids will realise and appreciate that this is indeed music and not the foolishness they are listening to nowadays."

Penny Smith, another spectator, said: "It was fabulous, wonderful. I'm really impressed. Personally, I would like to see this every year. This is how it used to be. We need to have things like this to keep up the spirit of the nation."

The parade made its way to Half-Way-Tree where a huge crowd was awaiting its arrival. From there, it headed on to Cross Roads and then National Heroes Circle, ending inside the National Stadium.

The Independence celebrations ended last night with the staging of the Prime Minister's Independence Gala at Jamaica House.

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