2025 Leboku Festival Timetable & Order of Events

ByEngr. Emmalex

LEBOKU INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL TIMETABLE OF EVENTS FOR 2025 LEBOKU ANNUAL FESTIVAL

UGEP 2025 INTERNAL LEBOKU NEW YAM FESTIVAL KICK STARTS TODAY – 3RD JULY, 2025.

“According to the Umorotutu Leboku New Yam 2025 timetable released by bi Inahs in Council, the preliminary activities of the Ugep international Leboku New Yam Festival commences today 3rd July, 2025.

The Obol Leboku of Ugep Obol Patrick Ubi Abam will commence the Leboku activities by visiting farm roads in Ugep to collect palm wine from palm wine tappers freely. This activity will end on the 1st of August, 2025.

2nd August, 2025 the Leboku Chief Priest will perform a significant function of the Leboku Kepeli – the heralding of the Leboku New Yam Festival. On this day, the girls and boys will wrestle as part of the day’s activity
According to the released timetable, the men wrestling is to select “prize winner” (sic) and there will be a football competition.

Friday, 8th August, 2025, is the Kepeli – outdoor meeting to intimate the residents on do and don’t during the festival period and other important information to the people.

The following day, 9th of August, 2025, there will be environmental sanitation in the kingdom. This is to keep all the nooks and crannies of the town clean throughout the period the festival will last. All residents are expected to participate.

On the 10th of August, 2025 is the Ikobase Leboku – Thanksgiving Church Service. This year’s Leboku Church service will be inter – denominational of all churches in Ugep to mark the festival in Thanksgiving to God, the Almighty for a bountiful yam harvest.

On the 17th of August, 2025 is the Ebokupom – the traditional way of opening supplications and appeasements to the Ugep fertility gods. The Obol Lopon will break the Leboku firewood for the roaring of the new yam.

On the 19th of August, 2025, is the Mblemi – the day the new yam will officially enter the kingdom. Also, according to the released timetable, there will be “exhibition of the new yam at the town square to select prize winners” the day will see heightening of the Leboku activities – “exchange of gift items to love ones”, drying of Ekoi drums, etc .

On the 20th of August, 2025, is the Janen Boku – the women’s day. Highlight of the day includes visitation to tourist sites in Ugep, traditional dancing/ carnival troops display, Miss Leboku contest, Ekponkara Society outing while exchange of gift items continues.

On the 21st of August, 2025 is the ladem Boku (men’s day) and the grand finale. This day is significantly important because it is the Ekoi day. Entangala masquerade will be displayed as the most attractive biggest street party in the West Africa sub region. It attracts more than a million participants every year it is staged.

Beating of Ekoi drums with its requiem chants that will attracts the attention of the residents will start by 12:mid night. The parade of the Ekoi beautiful maidens in their leggy bangles is the main cynosure of the day, there will be Ekoi dancers from the four council wards of Ugep and other activities.

Friday, 22nd of August, 2025 will be the International version of the New Yam festival celebration. Awards shall be presented to those who will emerge winners in the various contests during the celebration.

On the 26th of August, 2025 will be Yekpi/ Lobo – the up rooting of life trees by young men and the parade of Master and Miss Leboku.

Monday, the 1st September, 2025, there will be Yebonfawa – final appeasement to be preceded by Odele dance accompanied with trumpeters and dancers to mark the end of 2025 Ugep International Leboku Festival.
All are invited to come to Ugep to witness the most scintillating cultural festival rooted in the ancient traditions of the Ugep people”

Obol Dr Daniel Ubana
Development Analyst and Media Director, Umorotutu Palace, Ugep.

LEBOKU FESTIVAL TIMETABLE OF EVENTS FOR 2023 LEBOKU ANNUAL FESTIVAL

Leboku Festival is the annual New Yam Festival celebrated in Ugep and other villages in the Yakurr Local Government Area in Cross River State, Nigeria in honor of the earth goddess and the ancestral spirits of the land in Ugep, one of the five settlements of Yakurr.

The Leboku Festival which is also known as the “Ugep International New Yam Festival” is celebrated by the Ugep people annually. The festival last for about four weeks starting from the first week of August to the first Week of September. The four weeks 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, a period of holiday in the Yakurr traditional calendar, etc. Click Here For Full Details about the Leboku Festival.