Ibibio

The Ibibio live in the Akwa-Ibom/Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria. They have inhabited this area of Africa for more than 1,000 years and possibly longer. According to their traditions, the Ibibio have always believed in the Ekpo society as one of the main institutions of state stability. Villages are ruled by a group of elders who are usually referred to as Ekpo Ndem Isong. They share the responsibilities of rulership with the heads of families who are usually the oldest members of those families. Whatever is decided by the Ekpo Ndem Isong is carried out as law by the Ekpo Society, whose members act as messengers of the Ikan, the ancestors.

Order is maintained by the impartiality of the Ekpo society. Because members of the society are always masked when carrying out their duties, no one knows exactly which member of the village is responsible for a certain action. This is only a technical issue because it can usually be deduced who is acting in a certain way, who is not at home, so must be on official duties, and so forth. If a person is physically punished by the Ekpo society, fear of retribution and, worse, fear of the ancestors' punishment keep the people from reporting brutality.

The Ibibio rely on the Ekpo society for its stability. Membership is open to all Ibibio males, but they are normally the ones who have attained some wealth. Without influence, wealth, or prestige from some occupation or profession, a person may not be able to achieve the highest ranks in the society.

Religion among the Ibibio is about paying tribute to the village ancestors. A village is blessed when it remembers the ancestors, whereas it is cursed when it fails in its ritual responsibility. The failure to honor the ancestors just as they were honored while alive on the Earth means that the village will feel the wrath of the ancestors. Fortunes can be won or lost depending on the ancestors. One can say that if you want to be fortunate and you want to be praised, then you should honor your mother and father on the Earth and all your ancestors whom you do not see.

In the Ibibio village, the moral head of the society is the village leader. He has ritual responsibilities as the guardian of the ancestral shrines. He may be a secular leader (i.e., a business person, a professional, or a successful farmer) who may also have moral leadership by virtue of his membership in the Ekpo society. Without membership in this important body, the secular leader cannot effectively hold leadership in the village. Therefore, it is essential that all leaders seek initiation into Ekpo.

Abasi is the creator deity and Ala is the Earth deity who is appeased through the Ogbom ceremony that is believed to make children plentiful and to increase the harvest. It is celebrated in the middle of the year, every 8 days for 8 weeks, by each section of a village. The masks and decorations make up much of the Ibibio response to cultural and moral crisis. Drumming and music [Page 325]are equally important to the spiritual ceremonies. The Amama, the highest rank in the Ekpo society, is the level of the greatest wealth in the village.

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