Call it Liyel/Ugep Festival: It’s Not Yakurr Festival

Over the years, calls have being made over the issue of disunity among Yakurr people that has continued to be a major threat to Yakurr development. The Ugep brothers predominated the campaign for a united Yakurr nation.
To meet the yearnings of the people and boost tourism potentials of Cross River State, in 2005, Governor Donald Duke adopted a united Yakurr International Leboku Festival as a way to promote tourism in the state and the rich cultural heritage of Yakurr people as well as strengthen unity among the people. Few years after, Duke handed over power to Governor Liyel Imoke, who promised to continue from the developmental initiatives of his predecessor, the expectations and aspirations of repositioning the Yakurr International Festival became high.
Traditionally, the people of Yakurr believed that the adoption of Yakurr Festival will strengthen the socio-cultural, economic and political development of Yakurr.
In recent years, there have being complaint of the inability of the government and organizers of the event to give recognition to the traditional rulers of other Yakurr communities, except ugep. There was also high level of segregation and partiality particularly by the judges of the contests, and the organizer of the beauty pageant, Debra Ikpi & co.
On a sensitization visit by the S.A to Gov. Liyel Imoke on Event Management, Totsman Etoty and Debra Ikpi to the ten autonomous Yakurr communities, they explained to the people that government have heard of their complaint and grievances over the arrangement of the past Yakurr Festival and promised that, 2012 Yakurr Festival shall carry every Yakurr community along in the scheme of events. Etoty stresses that the issue of Kepu (wrestling) shall be divided into the two constituencies of Yakurr. That is, Yakurr 1 and Yakurr 2, pointing out that each constituency shall provide one wrestler each standing to decide between the two, who can emerge the best wrestler on the final day. The organizers also promised to make other contest transparent. Etoty further promised that, 2012 Yakurr Festival shall be the first of its kind in the history of Yakurr Festival. The people received the information with joy. Little did the receivers of this message know that the event will remain Liyel/Ugep Festival and not Yakurr International Festival.
Two days to the so called Yakurr Festival, Totsman Etoty summoned all the respective coordinators/representatives of the people to the Leboku Festival and told them that the contests of Kepu and the best harvester should be limited to Ugep contestants alone for security reason. Stressing that, Ugep people threaten to cause chaos if other Yakurr communities are integrated into the competition. He expressed that Gov. Liyel Imoke has given him directives to stop other Yakurr communities from contesting. The coordinators insisted but to no avail. Does it mean the tension of threat on Leboku is bigger than the one of Elections? If the government cannot protect the lives and property of the Yakurr people to do something right, then, they have failed woefully.
The question now is what makes the Festival Yakurr Festival? I suggest the festival should be called Liyel Imoke/Ugep Festival successively and not Yakurr Festival. Until when adjustment is made. I believed this will ease the minds of other Yakurr communities.
There was gross bribri in high places by the judges and Debra Ikpi & Co on all the contests with an indication that those prizes cannot be allowed to contestants outside Ugep.
In Sebastine Eko’s interview with the commissioner for Information, Chief Akin Ricketts called on all Yakurr sons and daughters to unite to form a strong Yakurr nation. He advised Yakurr people to always look at the future and not to rely heavily on the past. He encouraged the people to always have a forgiven heart and spirit.
This portrays that the issue of Yakurr unity by Ugep brothers has turned to be a “hot stone on a plate of dull oil.” The recent exclusion of nine communities of Yakurr except Ugep from the Best Harvester and Kepu competition on the 2012 Yakurr International Leboku Festival is an indication that Hon. Akin Ricketts has not done his home work on Yakurr unity.
The idea of Yakurr International Leboku Festival is a welcome development to Yakurr nation because it is a catalyst to unite the people and promote Yakurr culture and tourism in Cross River State.
But for the segregation and exclusion of the nine communities of Yakurr such as Nko, Ekori, Idomi, Assiga Old Town, Assiga New Town, Mkpani, Inyima, Agoi Ibami and Agoi Ekpo, I advised the respective affected Yakurr communities to demand apology from the Cross River State government and Ugep people.