Being crowned Mr. and Miss Leboku was more than just a personal victory for Master Ephraim Okoi Arikpo and Miss Kebe Eni when they took the stage at the 2025 Leboku International New Yam Festival in Ugep. It represented the Yakurr people’s tenacity, sense of cultural pride, and vibrant spirit.
Ephraim, who had graduated from the University of Calabar with a degree in Public Administration, and Kebe, who had a degree in Radiography, had been vying for the crowns for almost four years, but they had never quite succeeded. Thus, their eventual triumph this year was hailed as the result of their grace and charisma as well as the victory of consistency.
“Consistency is the mother of invention. Even if na police work, them for don get am,” one admirer quipped in a mix of the Lingua Franca –the pidgin and English, underlining the determination that saw the duo return each year until destiny called their names.
The Pageant’s Role in Leboku
One of the most glitzy additions to the centuries-old Leboku Festival, which honors the yam harvest, fertility, and communal cohesion, is the Mr. and Miss Leboku Beauty Pageant. The festival has been internationalized since 2005, when former Governor Donald Duke positioned it as a cultural tourism brand for Cross River State. Traditionally, it is a time of gratitude to the earth goddess and ancestral spirits.
Events like yam harvest competitions, maiden dances, masquerade parades, and wrestling preserve the festival’s traditional essence, but the beauty pageant adds a contemporary touch by showcasing the character, intelligence, and grace of Yakurr youths. Together, Miss Leboku and Mr. Leboku project the ideals of Yakurr heritage by emphasizing grace and cultural knowledge and strength and leadership, respectively.
A Tradition of Triumph
Over the years, the pageant has produced cultural ambassadors who have represented Yakurr both domestically and abroad. Their 2025 triumph is a spectacular comeback story, as Mbui John Ikpi and Kokolo Williams were declared the winners in 2024, while Ephraim and Kebe finished as runners-up.
Highlights of previous editions include the following: in 2020, the “Lockdown Edition” introduced online registration and sashes named after Ugep farm roads; in 2021, winners received car gifts from then-Governor Ben Ayade; and in 2015, Patience Okoi won the Miss Leboku title, sparking a new generation of young people interested in the festival.
Beyond a Crown
This victory comes with responsibility for Ephraim and Kebe. In their new roles as Mr. and Miss Leboku 2025, they are responsible for maintaining cultural representation and are expected to encourage youth involvement, promote Yakurr identity, and serve as representatives of Cross River’s tourism agenda.
The pageant has never been just a beauty pageant. Young people are reminded that their roots are still important in this era of globalization at this stage, where heritage and aspirations collide. The Leboku Festival, including the pageant, provides a venue for “boosting agro-tourism, preserving heritage, and promoting unity,” as Governor Bassey Otu reaffirmed during this year’s festivities.
A Celebration of Persistence
Like the stories of Ephraim and Kebe, Leboku’s is a tale of perseverance. The festival serves as a reminder to Yakurr sons and daughters that their identity is timeless, much like yams return year after year to signify the renewal of life.
The crowns on Ephraim and Kebe’s heads represent not only beauty or strength but also the tenacity of a culture and a people who recognize that heritage should not be worn carelessly but rather with dignity as the drums fade and the festival grounds become deserted.
According to a local saying, “Yams always sprout when planted in the right season.” The time is right for Yakurr and their new cultural ambassadors.
