MKPANI OTOTOBILOTO

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Mkpani new yam festival is a traditional celebration of thanksgiving to God, for increased fertility in birth rate, increased production of food (new yam) and peace and unity of the community. Mkpani people like all Yakurr people, and indeed, all humanity, love and strive for the gift of children, enough food to feed them and the peace and unity of their community. Mkpani people believed that these dire needs of every human society are provided by almighty God, who deserves thanks. This is why they have to set aside a period for a traditional thanksgiving to God every year for the continuous provision of these dire needs. In Yakurr, every year is alternated with a period of plenty and a period of scarcity or famine. After farms have been planted between the period of January and May, farmers subsist on meager reserve of food. These reserves may be adequate or inadequate, depending on the status of the farmer. In the months

We recognized the need to update our knowledge of, and correct the misconceptions about Mkpani society and their culture. This is because a lot of things have been written and said about the people by people who do not have adequate information on the community, and who routinely transpose and proceed to judge them by such norms. For example, Mkpani society is one of those societies, which, until recently, had received insufficient attention from scholars, and consequently had been grossly misrepresented.” It soon became clear that, in order to supply the “missing links” and fill the gap in our information about the Mkpani society and her people, the priorities of Mkpaniland and Mkpani people had to be determined from within – by the Mkpani people themselves. This is logical as it is only proper that Mkpani people tell their own story as a contribution to existing information and knowledge on contemporary society. The statement that no people can map their future in this worl

Leboku is the annual new yam festival celebrated in Mkpani and Yakurr in general. It is the event that marks the traditional year of harvest and gratification for the successes in labour. It is also the period of reconciliation and sober reflection in which the past is reminiscence to the present and unto the future. The celebration always takes place from August, September and early October. In Mkpani, the celebration of Leboku festival normally takes place on September through October every year. Oral history attests the fact that Leboku had its origin from the culture and religion of the tribal communities of Ekoi tribe where Yakurr tradition of origin can be traced. First Fruit In Mkpani, it is traditional that before any person can harvest and eat a new yam, the Obol Lopon must first harvest and eat the new yam (Obol Lopon nor’woyee’ lojofi) which signifies the first traditional formalities for the new yam harvest. Processes: The Obol Lopon first harvest a tuber of yam,

ABOUT THE BOOK: Overview of Leboku Festival and the Economic Base of Mkpani gives an outline of Leboku celebration and its relationship with the economy of Mkpani. It also highlights the activities and reward of philanthropy in Mkpaniland.