LEBOKU
editLEBOKU
The notoriety of Africans’ religiosity is one that has been acclaimed by theologians, Africans and non-Africans alike including John S. Mbiti, the famous theologian and leading authority in African traditional religion in his book: African Religions and Philosophy. Without exception is Ugep, located 120 km northwest of Calabar. It is also the headquarters of Yakurr Local Government Area and was once described as the largest native town south of the Sahara. While the town can still boast of its large, burgeoning and heterogeneous population, urbanisation and modernisation has made it lose the garb of a native town. It is today alongside Calabar (the state capital), Ikom, Obudu and Ogoja, the primate urban centres in the state. It is also home to one of Nigeria’s foremost nationalist, legal luminary, consummate diplomat and minority rights activist, late Dr. Okoi Arikpo, who has the tallest building in the state and headquarters of the Cross River State Tourism Bureau (Okoi Arikpo House) named after him. Long before the people came in contact with Christianity and its doctrine of “first fruits” in Proverbs 3:9 and Romans 11:16, they have chosen to give theirs to their Obol Lopon and Obasewoden (Almighty God). They celebrated the event with much pomp and pageantry. It is this thanksgiving celebration that is known as Leboku. The Leboku is the annual Ugep New Yam Festival. It is a culmination of many events – the beginning of the yam harvest, a time to appease the Gods and ancestors, public parade of engaged maidens, commemoration of events that led to the migration from the Yakurr ancestral home to the present site, and a period of holiday in the Yakurr traditional calendar (mid August – mid September). The Yakurr calendar runs from August to July. During the Leboku, people keep away from intense farming activities and exchange visits with their kith and kins. The Leboku is also meant to usher in peace, good health and prosperity. The three-week fiesta starts with the Mblemi. On this day, the harvest of new yams is officially flagged off. Beautifully attired women, from different farm-roads and groups later parade the town with their harvests. The second day is the Janenboku, which literally translated means women’s festival day. On this day, gifts are given to women by their loved ones and friends. Some traditional dances also take place. Tourists on the night of Janenboku are faced with two options – the traditional carnival-like drumming and dancing to the rhythm of the Ekoi drums to usher in the Ledemboku, held in the playground or the modern-day Miss Leboku Beauty Pageant, held in one of the hotels within the town. Day three is the Ledemboku or men’s festival day. It involves exchange of gifts to male folks, performance by the male Ekoi dancers, parade of the Obol Lopon and his Bi-Inah (council of chiefs), parade and dances by leg-bangles wearing Leboku maidens to the rhythm of the Ekoi drums, and display by the Etangala masquerade, whose only outing yearlong is on this day alone. It should also be noted that the all-embracing Etangala group have as its head, a non-Ugep son. Chief Ig Ekpenyong, the Obol Etangala I of Ugep is an Efik man. After a day’s rest to afford the Leboku maidens opportunities to cultivate new friends known as Nkokeboi, comes the Leteboku. The Leteboku is a performance poetry contest among Leboku maidens from each of the traditional Ugep wards. The songs danced to, and the rhythm produced by the leg-bangles worn by the maidens is a delight to watch. Two days after the Leteboku, which are normally observed as rest days, is the Yekpi. It is a day when boys and Leboku maidens parade the town in a ceremony believed to usher in peace and prosperity. The Yeponfawa follows the Yekpi. This is a ceremony reserved only for initiates of the Libini group, to declare the first phase of the Leboku over. Although this takes place during the night, it is also a day non-initiates stay awake to listen to the songs. After the Yeponfawa, young boys and girls participate in a one-week music and festival through their dance ensembles known as Egbendum (for boys) and Oka (for girls). Every neighbourhood has its own group, which is directed by an adult, who also teaches them songs and dance steps. The Leboku comes to an end with the exit of the Egbendum and Oka sessions. Children are normally hosted to a feast of yam porridge and palm wine. The yams and palm wine are collected from parents, relatives and farmers in farm-roads located in the children’s neighbourhood. The festival is an incredible cultural and tourism fiesta. With the present involvement of the state government through the Cross River State Tourism Bureau, it has become even more exciting. Call it Nigeria’s answer to Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro carnival. So when next you desire to take a cultural holiday, pop into Ugep, Cross River State cultural tourism haven, for a refreshing and interesting experience.
Contributed by Mathias Okoi-Uyouyo a freelance writer and author of numerous books including Yakurr Systems of Kinship, Family and Marriage