Message from the Chairman — Brigadier General Eugene Eji (Rtd), PhD

Every people have their season. For Ukelle, this is the time of rising from obscurity to prominence, from silence to recognition and from division to unity, peace and sustainable progress. At the heart of this transformation is the Ukelle Cultural Festival (UCF) 2025, a bold reimagining of our Central New Yam Festival. What began as a local tradition has grown into a vibrant celebration of who we are; our history, our heritage and our pride.

This year’s festival is more than a cultural showcase. It is a platform to bring our people together, inspire our youth and project Ukelle into the wider world. Sports and entertainment competitions such as football, wrestling and music were injected to provide opportunities for talent discovery and sponsorship. The Miss Ukelle Pageant, the parade of traditional rulers and thrilling cultural performances display the richness of our identity with potentials to take centre stage at the state, national and global levels. We have also added lasting impact projects such as a three-day free medical outreach, festival market and the commissioning of a solar-powered borehole. Our launch of a dedicated website and documentary will ensure that Ukelle is not only heard but also seen and remembered.

None of this would have been possible without your generosity and commitment. Your support has made UCF 2025 a reality. On behalf of the Central Planning Committee, I thank God Almighty, our traditional rulers, our leaders and every son and daughter of Ukelle who entrusted us with this responsibility. It is also a delight to have our kits and kins from within and outside the state join us to celebrate our common identity. We cherish your untiring demonstration of the spirit of brotherliness. On this note, we welcome all our invited guests to UCF 2025. Celebrate with us. Experience our culture. Feel our hospitality. Be part of Ukelle’s story. God bless Ukelle.

Brigadier General Eugene Eji (Rtd), PhD
Chairman, Central Planning Committee UCF 2025

Hon Dr Hippolatus Lukpata Speech at the 2025 Likpe Ukelle Festival

My dear Ukelle people, today I extend my heartfelt congratulations to each and every one of you as we come together to celebrate this year’s Likpe Ukelle Festival which is a powerful symbol of our unity, our cultural pride and our shared progress and development as a people.

This festival is a reminder of who we are and how far we have come. I am proud to be a son of this soil and even excited to be part of the team working to ensure that this year’s celebration reflects the resilience, strength and potential that define Ukelle as a people.

I am deeply grateful to God for the favourable rains this season. Our farmers are harvesting more and this directly translates to better food security and livelihoods for our people. A reflection of His Excellency Apostle Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu's intention to grow Cross River State Agriculture to feed the nation Nigeria. Indeed, we are blessed.

I wish to use the occasion of our 2025 Ukelle Cultural Festival to commend the excellent synergy between the Executive and Legislative arms of government in Cross River State. This partnership knitted in love and a shared commitment to service as encapsulated in the people's first mantra of His Excellency, Apostle Prince Bassey Otu continues to propel our dear state forward.

In the light of the above, let me use this year's Ukelle Cultural Festival celebration to very sincerely appeal that deliberate steps be taken by the Cross River State House of Assembly to further propose a Bill to be passed into law for the establishment of Local Council Development Areas in Cross River State. It is my sincere conviction, believe and hope that the cohesion between the Executive and the Legislative arms, can birth a consideration towards enacting a Bill to establish a Local Council Development Authorities LCDAs which is effectively working in Lagos, Ebonyi and Ekiti states.

Thus , Ukelle will be happy to be one of the Local Council Development Authorities and this step will ensure faster, seamless and more focused development for our communities.

As Chairman of the Finance Committee for this celebration, I have ensured that every kobo spent reflects transparency and purpose. I am also pleased that working with fellow brothers and sisters of the Ukelle Nation, we are able to flagged off a free medical outreach that brought essential healthcare services to our people at home. This is what community service should be - practical, impactful, and inclusive.

Let us continue to uphold unity, let us continue to work together, and let us never lose sight of the brighter future ahead. Ukelle will rise, Ukelle will Develop, Ukelle will advance and with your support, we will keep pushing boundaries and breaking new ground.

May God continue to bless Ukelle Nation.

Long live Likpee Ukelle! Long live Ukelle! Long live Yala LGA! Long live Cross River State! Long live Nigeria!

SPONSORS OF 2025 UKELLE CULTURAL FESTIVAL

Thank you for your immeasurable support — Together, we are building history.

S/N	NAME	AMOUNT (₦)
1	HON. FRIDAY EJI	100,000
2	DR. CHRIS IDAH	1,000,000
3	DR. HIPPOLATUS LUKPATA	1,000,000
4	HON. ACHADU	1,000,000
5	DR. STEPHEN EGUBA EKWOK	50,000
6	MR. STEPHEN LUKPATA	70,000
7	GEN. EUGENE EJI	14,894,784
8	MR. INAWO OMENKA	15,000
9	MR. SOLOMON UGO	50,000
10	MR. FELIX & MR. TONY UBEGE	500,000
11	MR. JOHNSON ALO	20,000
12	ENGR. ALEGU GIDEON	50,000
13	HON. CYPRIAN UNEJI	50,000
14	DR. CHARLES ACHADU	50,000
15	MR. ADAMU ILIYASU	50,000
16	MR. LAWRENCE OCHADU	50,000
17	ANONYMOUS	10,000
18	MRS. OLU ANTHONIA	10,000
19	DR. EVERISTUS IGELLE	30,000
20	MARK LAFFIN EBU	10,000
21	MR. SIMEON OVAT	12,000
22	MR. ONOH WATSON ELE	10,000
23	DR. BRIAN ELOM USIBE	100,000
24	DR. JULIUS EKPA	500,000
25	CHIEF AUSTIN CHUKPA	10,000
26	MR. ANDERSON EGBE	100,000
27	DR. CHRIS IDAH	1,200,000
28	MR. NEJI MICHAEL	15,000
29	ENGR. BRENDAN UKA	100,000
30	MRS. MODEY FLORENCE NANU OGAR	200,000
31	INSP. ERNEST IGELLE NGBE	10,000
32	ENGR. EKPE RAWLING IGELLE	10,000
33	MR. MICHAEL ULAKOM	20,000
34	PRINCE BASIL UKA	150,000
35	CHIEF MRS. MARTINA ODOM	200,000
36	MR. LINUS AKPAMA	20,000
37	MR. ONAH ISREAL	10,000
38	DR. INNOCENT CHIGGBE	35,000
39	UKELLE KA ENUGU	20,000
40	MR. IGBANG MICHAEL I.	20,000
41	EMMANUEL IKADE FROM UJIRAGA	200,000
42	MR. PASCHAL EBEZE	30,000
43	MRS. GLORY ACHADU	20,000
44	MR. IDAH PATRICK	10,000
45	DR. BONIFACE OGUMBE	20,000
46	DR. HENRY IGELLE ONWE	500,000
47	DR. OKPUTU JULIUS OCHIM	1,000,000
48	EBI JOSUAH ICHEKE	20,000
49	AGELLEME BOBBY ONO	10,000
50	MR. LIU YOUNGLI NIG. LTD	400,000
51	MR. KIERAN EBRI	50,000
52	MR. UGBEM, MATTHEW IKADE	202,000
53	MR. SOLOMON ALEGU	20,000
54	MR. CHRISTIAN AWOWOH	100,000
55	MR. EMMANUEL IKADE (PS)	20,000
56	SET. KENNETH EBAYE	10,000
57	CHIEF ASEGEM EMMANUEL	150,000
58	ODOM'S	300,000
59	ENGR. ONWE PETER	50,000
60	MR. IGBANG MICHAEL OKPUTU	10,000
61	HON. JOSEPH EGWA	60,000
62	HON. MARTHA ACHADU	50,000
63	ENGR. UDE JOHN RAPHAEL	100,000
64	UKELLE WOMEN KA CALABAR	50,000
65	UKELLE WOMEN KA RIVERS	20,000
66	PATRICK EBI NGBORO	20,000
67	MR. LINUS OBASE	200,000
68	HON. EKPABI M.	50,000
69	HON. UDAMA JOY	50,000
70	MRS, ADINYE CHRISTIANA	10,000
71	HON. MICHAEL EDE USIBE	150,000
72	MR. JONATHAN OCHICHE	50,000
73	BARR. OCHIM DENIS IKPA	50,000
74	ELD. HON.FRED OKEM	1,000,000
75	PAST. IGNETUS EGERE ELOM	100,000
76	MR. OKEM NICHOLAS	10,000
77	MR. JACOB ONAWO	30,000
78	MR. MONDAY EGERE	10,000
79	PROF. VERONICA ODEY EBI	50,000
80	HON.DAVID UDAGA	50,000
81	CAPT. A.E. NTOL	20,000
82	MR. IGELLE STEPHEN EDEM	100,000
83	HON. ONOH JOHN ULAFOR	50,000
84	CHIEF JOSEPH IJIKO ULAKOM	20,000
85	UKELLE KA ABUJA	20,000
86	BARR.PHILIP OBIEM	50,000
87	HON. VERA OLI	20,000
88	MR. EGBE JULIUS OLEM	20,000
89	MR. LUKPATA DANIEL OKEREKE	20,000
90	MR DENIS EGERE	150,000
	TOTAL	₦27,403,784.00

“Your support strengthens the vision of Ukelle.”

List of 2025 Ukelle Cultural Festival Awardees

His Excellency Sen. Prince Bassey Edet Otu
Dist. Sen. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe
Prof. Florence Banku Obi
Chief Mrs Martina Ikedia Odom
Mrs Nnanu Ogar-Modey
Dr. Christopher Lukpata
HRM Ubet Sylvester Ochim
Hon. Gilbert Ilom
Hon. Chief Gabriel Inaku
Mr. Polycap Laffin Achadu
Maj. Vincent Akpakoro (Rtd)
Dr. Hilary Omeregbe Ogbu

Award Recipient Message

“Yesterday, the beautiful plaque awarded to me by the CPC of LIKPEH UKELLE was delivered to me by one of my daughters, Gloria Soyombo (née Achadu).”

I am excited!
I am elated!
I am very happy!
I am very grateful!

It is not my first award.
I have had many before this.
But this is different.
It is from my family!
I am honoured in my home!
I am inspired!

I hereby express my profound appreciation to one of my very brilliant sons, General Eugene Eji, who has displayed unmatched and enviable patriotism in the discharge of his duty as the Chairman of the Planning Committee!

Oh, how rich in diverse ways Ukelle is!
So proud of you, son.

The entire team of the Central Planning Committee is greatly appreciated. Your hard work and total commitment are rewarded by the huge success of the 2025 edition of LIKPEH UKELLE!
Well done to all of you.
Congratulations to Ukelle!

Bind us together, Lord.
Bind us in love.
Bind us in trust.
OUR STRENGTH LIES IN UNITY.
TOGETHER WE CAN OVERCOME.

VERY PROUDLY UKELLE!

CHIEF (MRS) MARTINA IKEDIE ODOM.

Ukelle Cultural Festival 2025 Highlights

Message from the Chairman — Brigadier General Eugene Eji (Rtd), PhD

Likpe Ukelle: Dr Achadu Felicitates With Constituents

C'River Commissioner Congratulates Ukelle People Over Likpe Celebration

Hon Dr Hippolatus Lukpata Speech at the 2025 Likpe Ukelle Festival

SPONSORS OF 2025 UKELLE CULTURAL FESTIVAL

List of 2025 Ukelle Cultural Festival Awardees

Award Recipient Message