MISS BAKOR Pageant.

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History of Bakor

BAKOR NEW YAM : A DAY SET ASIDE IN THANKS GIVING TO GOD.
By Lifu, JPM.

"Bakor " is formed from two Ejagam words :" Ba "and "kor.".
"Ba", means come.
"Kor",means take.
Bakor , means come and take.

During the advent of colonial administration, Ayokaba descendants within the central and The present cross river state North were shared between Ikom and Ogoja administrative areas for administrative convenience.

In Ikom , were the following Nde,, Nnam, Nta, Nsele,Abanyum and Ofutop.
In Ogoja administrative area was, Ekajuk, Nkum and Nkem traditional clans of Ejagam speaking people.

In order to maintain their cultural bond of Brotherhood, that has kept the Ayokaba descendants right from time, great sons of Nkum, Nkem, Ekajuk , Abayum,NDE,Nsele,and Nnam met at Alok, to see how, they can come up with a cultural union of all the Ayokaba descendants of Ikom and Ogoja administrative areas.

All this took place during the reign of great kings such as HRH Ntol Robert Mgbe of Alok, HRH Ntol Gregory Ibre Adima of Nkum, HRH Ntol Itashu Mgbeje of Nkem, and other clans heads .

Among the illustrious sons and daughters who initiated this action were Late chief EE Monjok, Ntol Philip Nakuku, Justice Fidelis Ikogor Nnang, Chief JI C Igbe, Chief Ishong Ayim, MR Nkor, Hon. Akumjom, Akayi Ifop and many others.

When it was resolved that a Union of Ayokaba descendants of Ikom and Ogoja administrative areas come together to form a cultural union to promote and preserved their cultural values, and refresh their brotherhood, the issue of under which umbrella body arose

This first meeting ended successfully, and all members present were given as assignment to come to the next meeting with a suggested name for general endorsement by the house in the next meeting.

When they all met in the second meeting ,the name suggested by late justice Nnang was taken, which is Bakor, the two common words that means the same in all the nine (9) clans of Ayokaba descendants .

The hospitality of the Bakor man and woman that believe in sharing, quickly make this name to be generally accepted and endorsed by all.
That was how the Bakor cultural union came to be, with Ntol Gregory Ibre Adima, the Ntol Atol one of Nkum, emerging as the pioneer Grand commander.

Yes Bakor is a name that really speaks of the Bakors generosity.
In Bakor, it is wickedness and selfishness of the highest degree to eat your meals indoor.
In Bakor you must invite any passerby to join you in your meals.
In Bakor , you must share your crops with very large expand of friends and extended family members yearly.

In Bakor, any one who passes around your farm during harvest, you must give him a yam to take home.
In Bakor, when you are about to prepare a meal, you must make provision for the unknown visitors.
Yes, in Bakor you must be the father to any orphan in your mist.
In Bakor the visitors are given preferred attention in all act of sharing.
Bakor is an invitation to share.
Hospitality is Bakor common identity.
Do you doubt me?
Come on 15 September, 2021 at Science college , Ishi_Iborr , Ogoja, and see it for yourself.
What is not sharable among them, are wives, husbands and children.

Less I forget,
To promote their cultural values, it was resolved that New yam be celebrated by all the member clans of the Bakor union on the same date, and the venue rotated among the Eight( 8 ) initial clans to foster the unity and refresh the clans affinity as true descendants of Ayokaba the great, not minding the colonial administrative lines.

Later,the Ofutop clan join the Bakor union making the Ninth clan.

The month for the celebration was taken as September of every year. 15 September was agreed as the date.
Nine clans , coming together,
To offer thanks giving to God,
On the Ninth month of every year.
That is the Bakors refreshing themselves for purpose of keeping their bonded love alive and aglow.

New yam celebration among the Bakors is older than the Bakor union.
It has been the sacrifice of thanks giving to God by the descendants of Agba , Otuboki performed by the chief priest , Ayokaba while on their journey from the Central Africa.
It is the sacrifice of the first fruits
to the God of fertility, and giver of plenty.

Yam, among the Bakors is regarded as the king of all crops.
The movement of these three (3)Zulu great wariors and their descendants took then many years before they arrived at their final destinations.
The major crop that survived them at the time was yam.

To the Bakor man , yam is a mysterious crop that speak volumes about life.

The manner in which yam grows left the Bakor to treat it with all amount of respect as very major item of annual thanks giving to God.

Firstly, there is a long preparation that start with reconciliation of aggrieved members of the Bakor families.

The Bakor farmer goes to his farm, harvest as many tubers on the eve of new yam.
He shares these to his aged and dependent large extended family members, friends and Neighbors .

He takes some to his in-laws with some other gifts of palm wine and clothes.

First is the celebration in the house by the head of the home ,where for those who believe in the traditional African religion will appease their gods.
Those who have embraced Christianity would gather with their tubers of new yams to be blessed in their various churches.
When this is done, the grand finally new yam celebration is now done in the selected venue for the year.

Here , all the people are gathered with their visitors ,neighbors and well wishers in an open place , well decorated.

The Royal fafhers are seen in their proper regalia coming out in a single row, ushered in by a special Divine dancing group that usher in peace and protection for all.

The Royal fathers move in union ,in their regal steps to the farm within the venue ,which is planted for purpose of the celebration, and religiously dig out the white new yam, and raised it to God in thanks giving, while the people shout for joy, and in appreciation of God's kindness, favor and wonders, for blessing the works of their hands.

The chief celebrant, assisted by other senior Royal fathers now hand over the new yam to the ready maidens , well tutored on their religious assignment.

They, now roast the yams carefully, in a specially prepared camp fire , peel it it as instructed, prepare the special palm oil stew, and gently , but with an inviting smile, place it before the Royal fathers.

At this point, each clan Head is called upon to share in the roasted yam.

It is a way of renewing the bond of unity among the children of Ayokaba, sharing once more the very food that provided their great ancestors with the strength they needed for their journey to the promised land.

To the Bakors, new yam is like the Holy Eucharist, that draws the people closer to God in thanks giving, and reuniting the people with God , the giver of all . while deepening their believe on life after death, as in the mystery of a half or a very small tuber of yam sowed in the ground becoming a whole bigger yam after seven (7) months of intensive care for the yam farm.

Yes, New yam celebration is the response of the Agbas, the Otubokis, the Ayokabas to the last command that Ayokaba the chief priest gave to their descendants at Utal aa Nkem, saying:
"Give thanks to the God of fertility and plenty, with your first fruits every year, in appreciation of his care and concern over his people."
"I am going," he continued, "but just like an old yam buried in the ground becomes new after seven months and even , better, bigger and sweater, I am still going to be alive and even stronger to give you the protection you require of me from the land of our ancestors, if only you remain faithful to our God."
Ayokaba concluded,
" keep doing this, in memory of me."
At last, after sharing his last meal with the people, he took a calabash of water, took a little quantity of it ,and gave them his final blessings ,

"Tufehhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Ngobji Nara wn bem, bem, bem , aati wn nara ka njeh"
Meaning,
Peace be with you all.
May your bodies be cool, cool and cool, but certainly,not cool for the witches.

At this point, the great Ayokaba gave up the ghost, and was buried in one of the caves at side of the great Utal aa Nkem rock, in the present Ogep Osokom of Boki.

It is for this divine reason that New yam is celebrated by the descendants of Agba of Obudu, Obanlikwu, Bekwara ,yala; those of Otuboki in the Boki local government area, and Bakor Nine clans , descentants of Ayokaba the great to this day.

The people eat this special unity food in solemnity ,sharing it with visitors and friends ;and after this, other food items and drinks are served to all amidst traditional dances display from all the nine clans.

Farmers competition ,and other games are the site attractions that makes the celebration more enjoyable. Mrs Bakor eventually energies yearly.

To the Bakors, new yam celebration is the highest festival.
It draws the people to nature, and remind them that, like the old yam, if properly taken care of , give rise to a new tuber of yam, living a good life with neighbors and relating well with God can give you a good place among the ancestors even after death.

It is a time to reflect on life and the invisible hand of God in the affairs of man, as evidence in the mystery of who changes the old yam to the new one being celebrated on the new yam day..

15th September, 2021 is a day that all Ejagam tribes , the Bantus all over the world, their friends and Neighborhood should come and share in the very rich culture of the Bakors generosity.

The name Bakor is an invitation on its own , meaning "come and take:".

Come and share with us,
The joy of Bakor new yam celebration.
For this year is a year of great favor.
God has a special gift for his people which will certainly call for a second thanks giving.

Compile by Engr. Mauricemoore 👷