Monarch Warns Against Politicising Cultural Festival

The Paramount Ruler of Yakurr and the Obol Lopon of Ugep,
His Royal Highness, Ujong Ubi Innah, has called on the organisers and sponsors
of this year’s Leboku Festival not to politicise the event so that his
forefathers might not revolt against him.

He gave the admonition in Ugep at a press conference to
flag-off this year’s Leboku New Yam Festival, in his palace.

The Ugep New Yam festival is always celebrated traditionally
in Ugep on August 21, 2012 while what he described as Governor’s Day is marked
on August 23, 2012.

The monarch however warned, “we should not forget Ugep New
Yam festival while celebrating Leboku festival. We should not mix politics with
culture and tradition. You should be very careful in order not to attract the
wrath of our forefathers.”

Obol Lopon Innah who said that he is 82 years old expressed
joy and happiness to witness this year’s Leboku festival, adding that I am very
happy sitting before you to talk to ourselves about the Ugep New Yam festival.

He expressed satisfaction that what started like a joke some
years back is today recognised internationally.

Earlier, the Special Assistant, Events Management, in the
Governor’s office, Mr. Totsman Etoty, “said that the press conference to unfold
the package his team has put together for the 2012 Leboku Festival.”

According to him, “we have painstakingly and professionally
designed activities which will make this year’s Leboku an event to behold
bearing in mind the fact that our ultimate aim is to transform it to a global
phenomenon.”

He said “in order to make the grand finale of Leboku a truly
tourism event, it became necessary for us to introduce significant innovations
such as “complete restricting and designing of the venue to create and provide
the necessary ambience/aesthetics, mobilisation/sensitisation visit to the ten
component communities of Yakurr local government area.”