Ugep – The 2025 edition of the annual Leboku Festival in Ugep, Yakurr Local Government Area, has produced its new cultural ambassadors with the emergence of Master Ephraim Okoi Arikpo and Miss Kebe Eni as Mr. and Miss Leboku 2025 NEGROIDHAVEN has confirmed.
The winners, both graduates of the University of Calabar, were crowned at the grand finale of the cultural carnival, which drew thousands of spectators, dignitaries, and cultural enthusiasts from within and outside Cross River State.
Ephraim Okoi, a graduate of Public Administration, and Kebe Eni, who studied Radiography, were celebrated not only for their poise, charisma, and cultural knowledge but also for their persistence, having participated in the pageant for about three to four years before finally clinching the coveted crowns.
Speaking after the event, some cultural stakeholders described their success as a product of “consistency and resilience,” noting that their journey into cultural stardom reflects the perseverance required to preserve and promote indigenous identity in a modern world.
The Mr. and Miss Leboku pageant remains one of the highlights of the annual Leboku Festival—a centuries-old New Yam celebration of the Yakurr people, now recognized as one of Nigeria’s foremost cultural festivals.
This year’s winners will serve as cultural ambassadors, promoting Yakurr and Cross River State’s heritage both locally and internationally.
