Category: History

Ukapadisua 2023 for us saw us show up at Iboku Uruan and Ikot Akpan Abia Ubium Day. For those who don’t understand, Ukapadisua is the Ibibio term for the yuletide season. In this article, we present the remarkable Akwa Ibom cultural season that December 2022 to January 2023 became for Ibom Heritage. The two events highlighted, are by no means the only ones that held across the land.

The Festive months of December/January typically register diverse forms of jubilation and celebration of different magnitudes across board. Cultural events are top of the line in most societies and environments during this time. In a similar vein, Ibom Heritage Preservation Organization had earmarked the period to witness and curate some more values and heritage of Ibom people. We set out to capture in images, culture that truly distinguishes Akwa Ibom people. The Organization had designated different outings within this period to attend, witness and capture. Our aim was to preserve remarkable cultural legacies.

Iboku Uruan

The most significant ceremony of the season for us was also our flagship partnership with Uruan people; Iboku Uruan Cultural Festival 2022. It held at Mbiaya Uruan Primary School Ground on the 28th of December. This is an annual gathering of the Akpe/Iboku Etongko Mkpe Uruan Heritage Foundation of the Uruan Clan. It is held to promote the awareness of the cultural heritage of the Uruan people as a whole.

Highly esteemed dignitaries, lovers, sponsors of Culture and Tourism attended Iboku Uruan from far and near. The major focus of the event was on a showcase of different Ekpe ensembles. It was a very rare display of the Ekpe culture in their diverse glories.

The Ekpe cult has its masquerade of the same name.  It is rooted in the Efik culture of the Ibibio people. [See Oto-Obong Uwah’s book; “Ibibio Nation: History and Culture” for more]. The Efiks parade Ekpe with such majesty and splendour. This was the treatment the gave us at Iboku Uruan.  It was truly remarkable to behold;  colourful, exhilarating, and awe-inspiring. The Nyoro Ekpe, Abang, Ekombi, Adiadia among others all made appearances to make the day an unforgettably rich cultural exhibition. See our gallery.

Ekombi Dance

One of the most vividly inspiring memories of the day was of the Ekombi Dancers. Their appearance preceded the outing of the various Ekpe Masquerades. Their display accentuated the beauty and elegance associated with the African woman. They had costumes that were eye-catching and strikingly colourful while their accessories were in total sync with their outfits. They wore combs, necklaces, mirrors, typical amazing Efik cultural garb, among others.

Their flamboyant hairstyles also caught the eye. They had a rich spin to the ceremonial hairdos richly complementing their exotic costumes and tattoos. Ekombi dance is inspired by the waves of the sea. According to historians, Ekombi dance came from the coastal fishing tribes of the Ibibios. The dance usually gestures the hand parting of oceans and seas. It perfectly blends with the unique percussive rhythm supplied by the Ekpe group drummers. As the maidens wind about, you see the energetic twirl as they gyrate with a smile on their faces giving away the gracefulness of the Efik art of Uruan people.

Historically, this dance presented attractive damsels ready for entertained suitors. In present day, it is nothing but entertainment, although on-lookers cannot help but note the attractiveness of the art along with the artists. Yes, you cannot miss their poise.

Ubium Day

Ikot Akpan Abia Ubium is a small community in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area. It borders with Ibesikpo. On the 26th of December, Ibom Heritage Preservation Organization was at Ikot Akpan Abia for the Ikot Akpan Abia-Ubium Development Forum Day. It was a celebration of the reunion of illustrious Sons, Daughters and other indigenes of the Community Their aim for this was to foster a sense of belonging for their community members and to enhance the quality of life and well-being of the society. In the event, they gave awards, local ballad presentations, rendered dance, music and lectures.

Notable plays on the day were The Akaba (Nka Akparawa) with their ‘Atayad’ performances. It set the tempo for the unveiling of ‘Ekpo Taab ’. This is a revered masquerade in those parts. Ibom Heritage Preservation Organization is delighted to have been a part of that grand day.

Ekóng Festival

We were at Eket to witness the Ekóng Festival of January 1, 2023. Although we did not acquire original images at the crowning the festive period, we still have a few in our Gallery. This was a spectacle of cultural glamour as indigenes and tourists came out en-masse to see what they seldom see in the Ekóng Esit Urua Masquerades.

These masquerades were in between scary and cute. They came out covered in pitch black charcoal armed with bows and arrows and their entourage spewing local gin reciting incantations, dancing, skipping, pausing and then resuming all over. Their cutlasses would clash as they chanted and sang in rhythm. In one instance, one of the figureheads of the Masqueraders ran to the Centre of the Market and dipped his head into a basin of concoctions. He then raised it to make contact with the other Ekóng masquerades. This was accompanied by a unison chorus of ‘Ekid, Ekid, Ekid’. The significance of that action was to portray unity among Eket people. Ekóng Society Elders’ initiates were also on ground to uphold and reinforce the esoteric traditional rites that make the group distinct.

Conclusion

No doubts, Ibom Heritage Preservation Organization had a fascinating festive season in covering these events that promote the cultural values and renaissance of the people and the Organization will be taking this enthusiasm into 2023 with many special activities lined up. We urge you to stay promoting and preserving the cultural heritage of all Ibom people.

Ibom Heritage Preservation Organization was present as partners and also to collect visuals from this event.  Visit our Social Media Channels to see some photos and videos; also our gallery.

Ekpo society is a large one characterized by many arms. It is even safe to consider them as different types although they are all ‘Ekpo’. We had published other articles on the Ekpo society. Please click here and here.

Ekpo nyòhó

Costumed in a manner to scare women and children once they were seen, Ekpo nyòhó is mainly found deep in the core Ibibio area of Uyo -Ibesikpo – Nsit Ubium – Etinan axis. When the masquerade appears, it is dressed in black furry raffia that gives it a round amorphous shape. With a terrifying face, a sharp machete in hand and some green symbolic leaves, this masquerade is a handful.
This arm was responsible for orderliness and made sure that laws made were carried out on all administrative levels in Ibibio Land.

Ekpo Ndòk

Ibibio people considered this particular Ekpo as the actual ghost. It came out at night and majorly to penalize crimes committed in secrecy. It was considered to be fair and impartial, and hovered around the community unseen.

Ekpo Eko’on

This arm of the Ekpo society had its operations between June and August yearly and was known for bringing calm on the community. Whenever Ekpo Eko’on was out, the community will be quiet as everyone will be on automatic holidays.

Traders were not required to come late from their businesses, nor farmers to return late from their farms. In riverine areas, the same rule applied to fishermen. And then in colonial days when the civil service was birthed, workers knew better than to be found outdoors when the Ekpo was out.

Eka Ekpo

This was considered the mother of the Ekpo masquerade. It had a lot of respect accorded it. Before it emerged for a march, a display, a timeout for whatever purpose, every member of the community was informed. In some communities, you may be allowed to view it from your homes. In others, no one was to see it but the initiates.

Ekpo ntok-ayen

This was the teen Ekpo, worn by young people. It was strictly for entertainment and could be on display at any time or season, but especially during yuletide when travelers returned home to spend time with family. Its costume is usually of white painted raffia and the mask would be friendly, handsome, playful, anything but scary.

Get the book ‘Ibibio Nation: History & Culture’ by Oto-Obong Uwah via this link.

Written by Brownson Nseime, from Jabborro PR

Keywords: Ekpo society types, arms | classes | Ibibio

The Ekpo society is one of the foremost secret societies in the Ibibio society. ‘Ekpo’ means ‘ghost of an ancestor’ literally. As a cultural society of the same name, the Ibibios framed Ekpo as a law enforcement society in the cultural setting. More specifically, Ekpo society was an instrument for managing ancient Ibibio society and up to early post-colonial times.

Most of the famous men of the Ibibio society were members of the Ekpo society. Some were chiefs, some family heads, some youth leaders.

This group was so effective that the community held them in high regard. Non-initiates, women and children held them in great fear also.

Was the Ekpo a job?

The Ekpo members met in what we call ‘Afé Ekpo’, the Ekpo tent or meeting hall. Here, they made decisions that were binding on all members of the community. Since members were mostly leaders of the land, this was a major decision making forum.

The Ekpo also performed formal functions in historical Ibibio society. It ensured that the community carried out judicial verdicts to the letter. You can call them police of the precolonial era.

Ekpo was and is never an occupation, but simply a socio-cultural concept handed from ancestral Ibibio. Masqueraders were and are your usual everyday member of the community who is an initiate. They did not play ‘ekpo’ for daily bread in time past. Recently though, masqueraders have infused collection of cash appreciation into the displays – as an entertainment.

Did Ekpo Have Supernatural Powers?

In recent times, the Ekpo masquerade has been more of a cultural display that hits the streets during important cultural occasions, on demand and during the end of year ‘ukapadisua’ (ukapisua) celebrations.

As with masquerades in other parts of black Africa, the use of magic does get engaged in Ekpo displays. Although this has been merely for fun than for any other motive. Whether the magical powers can be channeled into something harmful is topic for some other research.

Get the book ‘Ibibio Nation: History & Culture’ by Oto-Obong Uwah via this link.

Written by Brownson Nseime, from Jabborro PR

Ibibio people, like other ethnic groups, have their own taboos that began in ancient times. No matter how you see them, these taboos shape Ibibio culture through the strong core values and original social norms that they birth.

As in other cultures round the world, Ibibio taboos serve as a way to maintain order in society. They spelt prohibitions that went with sanctions against offenders.

Let’s look at 5 major taboos the colonial masters met when they arrived Ibibio land.

The Grand Child (Ayeyin) Taboo

The status of ‘grandchild’ was held high in ancient Ibibio society. The society than gave the Ayeyin social and traditional respects. This gave him lots of powers, especially in his maternal grandfather’s estate.

The child of a daughter was exempted from many forms of punishment even for crimes s/he committed in his/her grand parents’ village. If you violated these grandchild taboo, your penalty was grievous.

Although no longer as severe, the grand child taboo is still in effect in today’s Ibibio communities. This is one taboo that is practiced in all related tribes to the Ibibio especially the Annangs, Ekids and Mbuzo.

Food Taboos

There are foods you cannot eat in Ibibio land though these vary from sub-tribe to sub-tribe. For example, where you find a totem, that becomes a taboo. And most totems are plants or animals. The Leopard is a generally accepted totem everywhere among Ibibio people. This is why, in many parts of Akwa Ibom, you cannot eat a Leopard.

In the Itam area of Itu LGA, monkeys roam free. This is because, till today, they forbid the eating or even killing of monkeys.

Twin-Birth (Amana mba)

The story of the killings of twins is popular. Pre-colonial times left many mothers in tears for giving birth to twins. The mothers were banished as outcasts from the village to evil forests, according to history. The society at that time thought that this act cleansed the land.

The question now is, what was the fate of triplets, quadruplets and other multiple births other than twins? Further research is ongoing to confirm.

Sex related taboos

A woman who committed adultery could lead to the death of the husband through the ‘ekpo nka owo’ phenomenon. This referred to an unseen spirit that took the life of any husband who covered up the wife’s adultery. This is still in force especially amongst traditional Ibibios who live in the rural settings.

Also, it was a serious sacrilege to have sex with a dead person whether as a man or a woman. Ibibio people believed that the dead had transited into the spirit world. And anyone who had intercourse with their bodies was said to be talking with the dead in a vile way.

Furthermore, sexual intercourse with a mourning woman was dishonour to the woman’s dead husband and brought serious danger to the community.

Incest was another taboo. It brought spiritual and social consequences to both the family and community at large.

Birth Defects

Ibibio ancestors viewed abnormal births such as birth deformities and defects etc. viewed with much disdain.  In fact they had the babies killed. And then they made sacrifices to cleanse the land. Presently, the killing of deformed babies is no longer as widely practiced as in pre-colonial times. Sentiments against such births remain the same in deep rural Ibibio areas, however.

Taboos were inseparable from supernatural beliefs of the people. In today’s civilization, people throw out many of those beliefs as irrational and foolish traditional practices. But believe it or not, Ibibio people in ancient times had reasons to adhere to their taboos. There were events that science cannot explain, but we will talk about that topic some other time.

Read more on Ibibio Taboos through the book ‘Ibibio Nation: People & Culture’ by Oto-Obong Uwah. Get it here.

Brownson Nseime is writer, data enthusiast, digital marketer and intern at Jabborro PR.

Uduak Umo is a PR manager, physicist and business developer. He writes in from Jabborro PR, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State

 

When Queen Elizabeth II visited Nigeria in 1956, she set foot on Akwa Ibom soil. According to history, the Queen of England has visited our country just twice. This was first in 1956 and then in 2003 for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.

So, what made the Queen visit Akwa Ibom?

Spoiler! Firstly, Akwa Ibom State did not exist until 1987, so when the Queen visited our land, we were not yet ‘Akwa Ibom’.  Technically, the Queen did not visit Akwa Ibom.

But she set foot on our soil on a tour to Nigeria just before we won independence from Britain.

Some History

Prior to the time of her visit, Nigeria was under the monarchic rule of the Queen. We gained independence in 1960 and became a republic in 1963.

When the Queen visited Nigeria, the Governor General of Nigeria was Sir James Robertson, a British colonial officer.

Queen Elizabeth’s First Visit to Nigeria

The Queen’s first visit to Nigeria lasted just 20 days; from 28 January to 16 February 1956. It was termed a royal tour that had the queen visit many locations in the country.

It was during this first visit that the Queen inaugurated the federal court in Kaduna, attended the Royal Durbar also in Kaduna, Tin Plant in Jos, Lagos and also Enugu.

The Visit to Itu

Although not widely reported, part of the Queen’s reasons for visiting Nigeria was to lay a wreath at the grave of 20th Century Scottish missionary, Mary Mitchell Slessor. At that time in 1956, Mary Slessor’s recognized grave was in Itu in present day Akwa Ibom State. Today, though, the grave is in Calabar, Cross River State.

To get the Queen into Itu, a special landing for her boat was created on the banks of the monolithic Itu River. The landing had a small jetty built to help the Queen alight from the boat to land. A lobby was also built for her to wait in before proceeding to the grave site. Besides the quay and landing, a rail system was built to lift the Queen’s boat out of water also to land.

Queen’s Beach

The jetty is adjudged to be the first quay system to have been built in the entire South-East and South-South Nigeria. The location is today called ‘Queen’s beach’ in present day Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The Queen’s beach is one of the tourist sites of Akwa Ibom State today in the Itu area. Of course, there is also the intimidating Itu river, the breath-taking rolling hills of Itu and Ibiono, the Mary Slessor Cairn and lots of other such sites worth visiting.

Buy a book on the historical journeys of Ibom people, click here.

Feature Picture shows Queen Elizabeth 11 with Prince Philip leaving the Calabar stadium. The photograph is for sale via Alamy.

Keyword: Queen Elizabeth visited Akwa Ibom

It was President Ibrahim Babangida that actually said that Akwa Ibom State is founder of modern Nigeria. When did he make this statement? When he created Akwa Ibom state, carved out of Cross-River State. This was in September 23, 1987, after a long struggle of 4 decades.

How Modern Nigerian States Began?

Creating Akwa Ibom State was fair and right seeing that Ibibio people were among pioneer groups in the struggle for State Creation. They mounted this struggle using the Ibibio Union. Meanwhile, this Ibibio Union – a socio-cultural organisation founded in 1928 – later transited to a goal driven institution in 1948. The union was known, back then, for ability to unite the Ibibio people thereby giving them one voice to contribute to the development of society.

Record: Ibibio Union was Nigeria’s first ever socio-cultural group.

However, beginning from 1967 when the 12 state structures was established by the then Military ruler Gen. Yakubu Gowon, the mainland part of Calabar province in eastern Nigeria was only known as the South-eastern state.

This did not feel good to the people and so it led to the name change to Cross River State in 1976.

It was just one of the ways to calm their agitation but the Ibibios and their Annang, Ekid, Oro relatives still wanted a state of their own. As such, the struggle continued.

Buhari Rejected, Babangida Accepted

After the fall of the 2nd republic in 1983, paramount rulers of 10 local government areas of mainland Cross River State sent to the then military ruler Mohammudu Buhari demanding the creation of Akwa Ibom State. This it was fruitless pursuit.

Record: Ibibio Union was one of Africa’s first groups to send indigenes on foreign scholarship.

The Ibibio People, known for their undaunted nature, kept the pressure on. In the course of this struggle, another opportunity came in 1986, when Gen. Ibrahim Babangida set up a bureau to define the political direction of the country. The fathers of Akwa Ibom State submitted the memo again. This time, it won the favour of the President Babangida.

What Babangida Thinks of Akwa Ibom State and Modern Nigeria

When he visited his newly created State, this is what Babangida said;

 “I do not exaggerate when I say that all the states in the federation owe a huge historical debt to the people of Akwa Ibom State, because … the cradle of the movement of state creation is here. In this sense, it can be said that you are the founders of modern Nigeria.”

 

Akwa Ibom state is one of the most important states in South-South Nigeria. It has since grown into 31 local government areas with diverse peculiarities. It is also one of Africa’s largest producer-states of Oil.

For more on the story of Akwa Ibom State, click here.

 

Written by

Brownson Nseime,

Jabborro PR, Uyo

 

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