Okpambe Cultural And Fishing Festival

16/04/2026

C’River Community Hosts Annual Fishing Festival, Appeals to Otu for Road Intervention

The people of Yala-Obubra, host community of the Okpambe Fishing Festival, have expressed deep appreciation to Governor Bassey Otu for his continued support toward the growth and promotion of the annual cultural event, while also appealing for urgent intervention on the Ofumbongha 4/Yala and Ochon/Yala roads.

The commendation was made during the 2026 edition of the festival held on Friday April, 10 at Okum Lake, Yala-Obubra, Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River State.

The event attracted several dignitaries, including the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Chief Boniface Okache; the General Manager of RUWASA, Hon. Sunday Oko; Commissioner I in the Forestry Commission, Hon. Emmanuel Abeng; the Community Relations Officer to the Governor for Yala I, Hon. Sunday Ojiho; Board Director, Internal Revenue Service, Ochuole Dr. Odey Ndoma; and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, among others.

Highlights of the festival included the fish catch competition, Moninkim Maiden Contest, traditional wrestling championship, and other cultural displays.

In his welcome address, the President-General of the Yala-Obubra Town Council, DSP Stephen Odey (Rtd), lauded the governor’s commitment to tourism development in the state, noting that his administration’s support has significantly boosted the profile of the Okpambe Fishing Festival.

He described the festival as a unifying platform for the people and a growing tourism asset with the potential to attract global attention. Odey, however, appealed to the governor to address the poor state of roads leading to the community, stressing that improved access would enhance participation, ease movement, and unlock greater tourism and economic opportunities.

He further urged the governor to personally attend subsequent editions of the festival, noting that his presence would significantly increase its visibility and attract investors and tourists.

Also speaking, the Director of the Festival and Chief Executive Officer of Coneri Nigeria, Amb. Comr. Eriacy Confidence Oba, expressed gratitude to the state government for its sustained partnership and support.

He noted that the progress recorded in recent editions of the festival is largely due to the enabling environment created by the current administration. Oba reiterated the commitment of the organisers to continuously improve the festival’s standards and position it as a globally competitive cultural tourism event.

He joined other stakeholders in appealing to Governor Otu to grace future editions with his presence, emphasizing that such a gesture would inspire confidence among partners and further elevate the festival’s status.

The Okpambe Fishing Festival continues to grow in prominence, featuring traditional fishing competitions, cultural displays, and community celebrations. It remains a key cultural and tourism event in Cross River State, with stakeholders optimistic about its potential to drive sustainable development in the area.

14/04/2026

14/04/2026

Okpambe Cultural and Fishing Festival 2026

10/01/2026

Date for Okpambe Cultural And Fishing Festival 2026 edition to be announced soon!

04/07/2025

Visit Okpambe Beach during Okpambe Fishing Festival and have a feel of nature

07/09/2024

Take advantage

The US South Pacific Scholarship is a competitive scholarship program for Master’s and Bachelor’s degree study at UH in fields relevant to the development needs of Pacific island countries.

06/09/2024

C'River State Government Reaffirms Commitment to Okpambe Fishing Festival

The Cross River State Government has reiterated its commitment to promoting the Okpambe Fishing Festival as a state event. The Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon. Abubakar Ewa, stated this on Friday, 30 August 2024 during the Yala New Yam Festival, held in Yala-Obubra, Obubra Local Government Area.

Ewa expressed gratitude for the warm reception and admired the rich cultural heritage and agricultural potential of the people. He maintained that the Okpambe Fishing Festival has the potential to showcase Cross River as a premier tourism destination that will be at par with other fishing festivals in the continent, contribute to food security, and promote foreign and cultural exchange earnings. He said the festival would also create employment opportunities, empower the local fishermen, attract infrastructural development, and promote the rich cultural heritage of the Yala and Obubra people.

The Commissioner praised the Obubra people for the preservation of some of the notable sites in the LGA, including the Okum/Eminyi Lake, the Onyen Cave, the Ogurude island, the Wonder Stone, the various beaches, and others, expressing the government's readiness to develop and promote them. He called on the leaders and people of Obubra to leverage Governor Otu's commitment to the sector and the popularity of the Okpambe Fishing Festival to diversify and make tourism the mainstay of the economy of the LGA.

The tourism boss, however, frowned at the incessant communal clashes bedeviling the LGA, noting that investors would not invest in areas known for conflicts. He therefore called on the leaders and people of Obubra to tow the path of peaceful coexistence, unity, and love and join hands with the government to promote the festival and sites.

Earlier, while welcoming the commissioner and his entourage to Yala-Obubra, the town council chairman, Mr. Patrick Oba Enem, lauded the state government for recognizing and promoting the local fishing heritage of the Yala-Obubra people, expressing gratitude to the commissioner for gracing this year's new yam celebration. He said that his coming was timely and necessary as it would allow him to experience other colorful celebrations of the people, outside fishing. He maintained that celebration such as the new yam festival with rich culture has been deemphasized, over the years, to give attention to the fishing festival due to its significance and appealed to the government to fulfill their promise of driving it as a state event.

In his remark, the Acting Clan Head of Yala-Obubra, HRH Ochuole Gabriel Inaku Ogar, while reiterating the community's commitment to promoting the fishing festival and other celebrations of the people, appealed for government intervention in constructing the Obubra- Ofumbongha- Yala- Onyen- Ochon ring road to enable tourists access the sites during the festival, as community's effort to work on the road has not yielded results. Ochuole Inaku also urged the state government to provide basic amenities such as Electricity, pipe borne water, quality healthcare, and others for the host Community and called for unity and cooperation, among Obubra communities in promoting the rich cultural heritage of the land as Okpambe fishing Festival will not only benefit the Yala-Obubra people alone but the entire LGA.

Also speaking, the Coordinator of the Okpambe Fishing Festival and Media Aide to Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba, Member Representing Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency, Eriacy Confidence Oba, expressed gratitude to the state government for its sustained interest in promoting the festival and appealed for the siting of the Okpambe Fish-Farms Estate, Factory and Institute in Yala-Obubra, an aquaculture complex to enhance food security, economic growth and sustainable development of the host Community, through fish farming, processing and training.

According to the filmmaker and CEO of Coneri Nigeria, the proposed Fish-Farms estate and institute would house five hundred fish farms, a processing facility, and a fish development institute and would create employment opportunities for over 500 youths, ensure fish availability for tourists during the fishing festival and promote agriculture, tourism, and industrialization.

Community leaders such as Hycent Ndoma, Chairman of Yala-Obubra Community Association,(YOBUCA), Calabar Chapter, Augustine Inaku Osowor, Former Chief Press Secretary of Council, Cyprian Ngboma Ogar, Secretary of the Yala-Obubra Traditional Rulers Council and others expressed their support and commitment to the festival, assuring of a secure and hospitable environment for tourists.