CELEBRATING OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE THROUGH THE BOKI NEW YAM FESTIVAL.



By Bisong Anthony (Ntamante)
Boki is a landlocked region in Nigeria bounded by the Republic of Cameroon to the east as well as five other Cross River State Local Government Areas as Obudu and Obanliku in the north, Ikom and Ogoja in the West, and Etung to the south.
The LGA is considered to have some of the roughest terrain in Nigeria, it is at most covered by the Cross River Rainforest (one of the left over in the country) and the Afi mountain range 60% of which is inaccessible to vehicles throughout the year.
As Boki People celebrate the uniqueness in their new yam festival, today, the 18th August,  2017, there have been calls to use the event to strengthen their relationship among them.
There is no gainsaying that, Boki  is endowed with a rich and diverse cultural heritage, which finds expression in the colourful festival.
We have noted, severally, that, culture is the vehicle that drives tourism. It is the product, which we have in abundant in the state, and communities in Cross River Sate are now making conscious efforts to boost their internally generated revenue (IGR) through the promotion of cultural tourism. As a point of fact, cultural tourism, as an aspect of tourism, embodies historical sites and places, people's cultures, art forms as well as sharing their social, political, and economic experiences at least during the visit. This explains why various states are embarking on the development of unique tourism products. The Calabar Carnival, the Badagry Slave Route, the Obudu Ranch, the Yankari Game Reserve, and the Osun Oshogbo Grove/Festival, among others in Nigeria, have become unique tourism products, recognized mostly in African, South America and the Caribbean.
The Boki New Yam Festival provides memorable entertainment in its dramatization of colourful dances.
The following are  communities in Boki L.G.A
  • Iso-Bendeghe
  • Bashua
  • Bansan-Osokom
  • Bunyia
  • Bankpo
  • Bekpo
  • Bitiah
  • Njawa
  • Katchuan
  • Kakwagom-Irruan
  • Kakubok
  • Nkanyia
  • Esekwe
  • Okubuchi
  • Ndimechang
  • Kabiesu
  • Nsadop Abo
  • Okundi
  • Iman
  • Bateriko
  • Beebo
  • Bumaji
  • Ominda
  • Orimekpang
  • Wula
  • Dadi
  • Biajuaw
  • Buanchor
  • Boje
  • Ntamante
  • Kakwagom
  • Oku-Bushuyu
  • Njua-Bano
  • Borum
  • Irruan
  • Neymar

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