- Winners of Mr & Miss Leboku to still get car gifts
For the first time in 15 years, the Leboku International Festival, put together by the Cross River State Government and telecoms giant, MTN, has been called off, with government sources in Calabar volunteering lean information on why the cultural event was put off at the last minute.
While a government delegation comprising Culture and Tourism Commissioner, Eric Anderson, Ken Aklah and several other aides had several days ago visited local monarch, Obol Ofem Ubana Eteng, Obol Lopon of Ugep and Paramount Ruler of Yakurr, to assure him of the state government’s preparedness to bankroll the event, that promise cannot hold water again.
Shortly before press time when we spoke with Ken Aklah, Gov. Ayade’s aide who oversees events of this nature, Aklah informed us that “…for certain health concerns, government is not ready at this point to put together an event that will bring that very large number of people together.” He went on to inform that however, all category of prizes won at related events, will be given out, including the annual star prize of vehicles for winners of the Mr & Miss Leboku paegent.
Obol Ofem Ubana Eteng, confirmed that he has been contacted about the cancellation of the government – sponsored festival. He said too that no further information was offered for the cancellation.
This festival, the brainchild of former CRS governor, Donald Duke, was adopted into the state’s tourism package because of its numerous traditional and cultural embellishments as well as its significance to the agrarian ways and means of the Yakurr people of the state.