 |
| The various groups on parade |
It was almost an incredible display of splendor, glamour, colour and style when Eket Local Government witnessed a unique cultural festival on December 29, 2011. The atmosphere was electric and the people ecstatic as they cheered endlessly to encourage the competing groups to victory. It was Ekpe cultural festival, the first of its kind in the entire Akwa Ibom State.
Expectedly, Idung Iniang, Eket, the venue of the festival, witnessed an unprecedented influx of human and vehicular traffic. Commercial activities stopped. The festival turned into a carnival of sort as about 12 groups competed for the trophy.
While the overall winner, Usoro Cultural Group, went home with the First Prize; Eket Cultural Group won the Second trophy and Nka Ekpin, Calabar Municipality won the Third Prize. Still, everyone become a winner as the remaining participants went home with mouth-watery consolation prizes.
Some prominent citizens of Eket were also honored on the occasion, including Chief Usoro, who was officially presented as Iyamba Idung Iniang.
According to Chief Usoro I. Usoro, the organizer of the festival, the idea was his “modest effort to help revive cultural values and provide maximum entertainment during the festive period for the people”.
The event, apart from its entertainment content, Usoro added, was also designed to appreciate and encourage some worthy and distinguished personalities from the area, for their contributions towards community development and promotion of culture.
The paramount Ruler of Eket, HRM, Edidem N. J. Aduenyie, while encouraging Eket people to imbibe their culture as their mark of identity, used the occasion to appreciate Governor Godswill Akpabio for reappointing Usoro, an Eket son, into his government, as the Senior Special Assistant on Print Media and Research. They also assured the governor of the continued support and loyalty of Eket people towards the success of his administration.
