Enough of the anti-Ugep Sentiments
Every
year at this time (August), the anti-Ugep sentiment within a cross section of
fellow Yakurr people from other Yakurr communities rises to a crescendo
and then falls as the Government-declared Yakurr New Yam Festival ends. I
had opted not to comment on this issue, but a fellow Ugep man asked me
what we can do about this situation, which he believes and I rightly
agree bores no one any good. Two major reasons for this anti-Ugep
sentiments have been given by those who are able to put their thoughts
together: 1. Why it should be called the Yakurr New Yam Festival, when
it is strictly an Ugep affair. 2. Why people from other Yakurr
communities have so far not won the Mr. and Mrs Leboku titles.
I
appreciate the anger of some in relationship to the above two reasons.
What I do not understand is how the Ugep people are responsible for this
predicament. Why are our brothers and sisters filled with so much hate
for us over things we do not control? Long before this era- I think
around the 90s, I and my friends in the SOF family had organized a Miss
Leboku. Later on I and my friends- Sebastine Eko, and late Sammy Okoi
(Possible) had organized another Miss Leboku. These were followed by
several other Miss and Mr. Leboku competitions organized by other Ugep
sons and Daughters. Mr. and Mrs Leboku competition has therefore always
been part of the Ugep New Yam Festival, and will continue to be, with or
without the Government.
How did the Ugep New Yam Festival
suddently become the Yakurr Festival? We as Ugep people were not
consulted for this to happen. The State Government saw the festival as a
tourist opportunity and decided to partner with the owners. In the
process, they decided to call it the Yakurr New Yam Festival- a title
that really makes no sense because at the core of the Leboku is the Ekoi
dance. Is it possible for anybody who is not from Ugep to beat the Ugep
Ekoi drums? If it were, then we could bring together Ekoi or Leboku
drummers from the whole Yakurr to beat the drums in Ugep on Ekoi day.
Then perhaps, we could have a Yakurr New Yam Festival in the real sense
of the word.
The questions Yakurr youth should ask and try to answer are the following:
1. Are other Yakurr communities participating in these competitions?
2. Why are they not winning? Have they really been cheated or they just didn't make it?
3. Who are the judges? What are the criteria they use?
4. How can we translate Government' s participation in the Ugep Leboku into more substantial gains for the Yakurr LGA?
5. How can we pressure Government to pay the same attention to the
respective Leboku's in Ekori, Idomi, Nko, Assiga, Inyima, Mkpani and
Agoi?
Blaming it on the Ugep man is a total waste of time. In
the past, such reasoning had led to the formation of divisive groups
like EMIN (Ekori, Mpkani, Idomi and Nko) and EMINAA (Agoi and Assiga
added). Nothing came out of such groups. This generation cannot allow
itself to tow that line. ENOUGH OF THE ANTI-UGEP SENTIMENT.
August, 2013.
No comments:
Post a Comment