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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