By Denis Inakefe, anipr
The Black Diamond Band of Obanliku has been officially declared the overall winner of the 2025 Ogoja Carnival, delivering a performance that combined depth of culture, disciplined execution, and clear artistic direction. The result places Obanliku at the centre of this year’s carnival conversation and confirms the band’s growing stature within Cross River State’s cultural scene.
According to the summary adjudicator’s results sheet released after the event, the Black Diamond Band recorded the highest cumulative score among the five competing bands. Performing under the carnival theme Traces of Time, the Obanliku contingent demonstrated a strong grasp of historical narrative and cultural continuity, translating abstract ideas into movement, costume, and coordinated performance.
The band posted outstanding scores across critical assessment areas. It led convincingly in costume presentation with 625 points, reflecting detailed craftsmanship and cultural symbolism. In appearance, uniformity, and uniqueness, the band scored 585, underscoring visual harmony and originality.
Its interpretation of the theme attracted 610 points, the highest in that category, indicating a clear and coherent storytelling approach that resonated with the adjudicators. With a total aggregate score of 2,895 and a final average of 578, the Black Diamond Band secured first position overall.
Golden Band of Ogoja followed in second place, while Excellent Band from Yala placed third. Hillside Band of Obudu finished fourth, and Legacy Band of Bekwarra came fifth. The rankings were endorsed by the Chief Adjudicator, Sir Dr David Mbotor, KSTJ JP, whose signed results sheet confirmed the final standings.
Observers at the carnival described the Black Diamond Band’s performance as confident and deliberate, marked by strong rhythmic control, disciplined formations, and a narrative that traced communal memory through dance and costume. The presentation drew repeated applause from spectators and cultural stakeholders, many of whom cited the band’s ability to balance tradition with modern stage coordination.
In Obanliku, news of the victory has been met with widespread celebration. Community leaders and cultural advocates have hailed the win as a collective achievement, crediting months of preparation, intergenerational collaboration, and sustained investment in cultural expression. For many residents, the triumph is seen not only as a carnival win but as affirmation of Obanliku’s cultural relevance within the northern Cross River axis.
The 2025 Ogoja Carnival brought together bands from across the region in a celebration of heritage, identity, and shared history. Amid strong competition, the Black Diamond Band’s emergence as overall winner stands out as one of the defining moments of the festival, reinforcing Obanliku’s reputation as a centre of cultural excellence.
