Ugep is a town in Cross River State, southern Nigeria.
The village is populated by the Yakurr people. Ugep as it is popularly known is one of the unit that constitute Yakurr, its indigenes speak the Lokaa Language which is the general language spoken in Yakurr.
There are many festivals and other activities cared out in the town of Ugep.
Read below:
Leboku
Being a dialectic name for ""Festival" is known to be the annual New Yam Festival of the Yakaa people because the word is the language of the Yakurr people. The Leboku New Yam festival is peculiar to the core Yakạạ speaking communities: Ugep, Idomi, Ekori, Mkpani and Nko, and the international version is celebrated in Ugep once in a year. Each of the communities mentioned being peculiar to the Festival have a distinct day secluded or set aside for the celebration in their respective communities. These are; Lemomor boku, Lelomi boku, Lekoli boku, Lekpanikpani boku and Lekakaa boku.
Leboku celebration
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.[2]
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.[2]
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.[2]
After a day of rest, which affords the Leboku maidens opportunities to cultivate new friends, known as Nkokeboi, there is 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.[2]
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.[2]
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.[2]
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
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