Leboku

The "Leboku" is the annual New Yam Festival celebrated in Ugep, one of the five settlements of Yakurr (Okoi-Uyouyo, 2002), 120 km (75 miles) northwest of Calabar, Nigeria.

The festival is the culmination of many events: the beginning of the yam harvest, a time to appease the gods and ancestors, a public parade of engaged maidens, a 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 through 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 families. The Leboku is also meant to usher in peace, good health and prosperity.

The three-week celebration 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 males, performance by the male "Ekoi" dancers, a parade of the "Obol Lopon" and his "Bi-Inah" (council of chiefs), a parade and dances by leg-bangle-wearing Leboku maidens to the rhythm of the "Ekoi" drums, and a display by the "Etangala" masquerade, whose only outing yearlong is on this day. It should also be noted that the all-embracing "Etangala" group have as its head, a non-Ugep, Chief Ig Ekpenyong, the Obol Etangala I of Ugep is an "Efik" man.

After a day of 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 and also a refreshing and interesting experience.

References

*Mbiti, J. S. (1992) "African Religions and Philosophy" Heinemann, London
*Okoi-Uyouyo, Mathias (2005) “Leboku in Ugep, Cross River State Cultural Tourism Haven” "Splendour" (a Cross River brand magazine), August, 2005
*Okoi-Uyouyo, Mathias (2002) "Yakurr Systems of Kinship, Family and Marriage", Bookman, Calabar