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37-626: By 1200, the Oron people, consisting of six ethnic tribal groups, had settled on the mouth of the Cross River basin, and had become a society ruled by tribal chiefs . The Oron Nation elevated its first king to power in the late 1200s, when a legendary hunter from the Oron Nation known as Ahta aya-Arah went out on a safari and failed to return. The following day, the people from the Nation set up

74-669: A free sovereign and egalitarian society until from the late 1800s until 1909, when the British invaded the region and forcibly absorbed it into the Southern Nigeria Protectorate . In early 1925, the Oron Nation had a political revival, with the reestablishment of the Oron Union and Ahtaship in the region. The most important secret societies of the Oron people are the Ekung, Ekpe, Nka, and Inam , as well as

111-480: A search party to find him, but were unsuccessful. Ahta was declared dead but, two months after his disappearance, he reappeared with a species of sweet yams known in Oro as Nyin-Eni . When asked where he was, he said that "because of hunger in the land, I went to God to collect this yam for mankind." This is how Oro ended up with the axiom that "Ahta aya-Arah brought sweet yams from God to Oro." This feat earned Ahta

148-530: A symbol of wealth. Powerful animals are included, specifically the leopard and crocodile. Nsibidi plays a central role in the Nsibidi Script Series of fantasy novels ( Akata Witch , Akata Warrior , and Akata Woman ) written by Nnedi Okorafor . Nsibidi was the inspiration for the Wakandan writing system shown in the 2018 film Black Panther . Nsibidi symbols were also featured in

185-542: A wrapper (a piece of clothing) on formal occasions, and larger version are hung in society meeting houses and on formal occasions. Ukara motifs are designed in white and are placed on grids set against an indigo background. Some of the designs include abstract symbols representing the Ekpe society such as repeating triangles representing the leopard's claws and therefore Ekpe's power. Ukara includes naturalistic designs representing objects such as gongs, feathers and manilla currency,

222-551: Is a system of symbols or proto-writing developed by the Ekpe secret society that traversed the southeastern part of Nigeria . They are classified as pictograms , though there have been suggestions that some are logograms or syllabograms . Use of the symbol system was first discovered in 1904. Excavation of terracotta vessels, headrests, and anthropomorphic figurines from the Calabar region of southeast Nigeria, dated to roughly

259-770: Is considerable controversy as of how different Oron groups acquired the Ekpe. The Ukpabang groups claimed to have acquired their Ekpe from Usakadit in Cameroon and brought it with them as they dispersed, while the Iduas claimed to be the first to be in contact with the Ekpe. The Ekpe was originally owned by the Efut and Usakadit, when one day a man named Nta Nya who was on a fishing expedition met some Efut men at Ube Osukpong in Akpa Edok playing Ekpe. They went into negotiation to acquire Ekpe. The Okobo acknowledge they acquired their Ekpe from

296-535: Is mostly associated with men's Ekpe society. The Ekpe societies were a legislative, judicial, and executive power before colonisation in parts of Aro Confederacy, including Igbos, Efik, Ibibios who exerted much influence over the old Cross River region, located in today's Nigeria. The origin of Nsibidi is now generally attributed to the Ekoi or Ejagham people of the Northern Cross River, though in

333-544: Is the main river in southeastern Nigeria and gives its name to Cross River State . It originates in Cameroon , where it takes the name of the Manyu River . Although not long by African standards its catchment has high rainfall and it becomes very wide. Over its last 80 kilometres (50 mi) to the sea it flows through swampy rainforest with numerous creeks and forms an inland delta near its confluence with

370-544: The Calabar River , about 20 kilometres (12 mi) wide and 50 kilometres (31 mi) long between the cities of Oron on the west bank and Calabar , on the east bank, more than 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the open sea. The delta empties into a broad estuary which it shares with a few smaller rivers. At its mouth in the Atlantic Ocean , the estuary is 24 kilometres (15 mi) wide. The eastern side of

407-478: The Ekpe leopard society (also known as Ngbe or Egbo), a secret society that is found across old Cross River region among the Igbo , Ekoi , Efik , Bahumono , and other nearby peoples. Before the colonial era of Nigerian history , Nsibidi was divided into a sacred version and a public, more decorative version which could be used by women. Nsibidi was and is still a means of transmitting Ekpe symbolism. Nsibidi

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444-585: The 1900s J. K. Macgregor recorded a native tradition attributing it to the Uguakima or Uyanga section of the Igbo people . However, the Nsibidi of the Ejagham people predates Macgregor's stay in the area and he may have been misled by his informants. A few years later, the anthropologist Percy Amaury Talbot  [ fr ] was unable to verify the tradition recorded by Macgregor and concluded that

481-414: The 5th to 15th centuries, revealed "an iconography readily comparable" to nsibidi . There are several hundred Nsibidi symbols. They were once taught in a school to children. Many of the signs deal with love affairs; those that deal with warfare and the sacred are kept secret. Nsibidi is used on wall designs, calabashes , metals (such as bronze), leaves, swords, and tattoos . It is primarily used by

518-627: The Efiks of Old Calabar. Ekpe became the legislative, executive, and police system of Oron as every high chief and title owner had to be a member of the Ekpe society, which is made up of seven grades in Oron: Nyamkpe, Nkanda, Usongo, Ekpeyong, Esa, Ibang , and Eyamba . Apart from the Nyamkpe , there are two other types of Ekpe in Oron: Obon and Ekpe Uko . The supreme head of

555-495: The Ekpe was known as Offong Ekpie (Chief of Ekpe), whose authority could not be challenged by any other member. The Ekung is a male society whose members were distinguished from the Ekpe members by wearing the Iyara , a red woolen cap, which was a mark of great honor and distinction in Oron. The society originally celebrated the martial prowess of its members in their old age. All village chiefs and elders were formally members of

592-613: The Ekung society to enforce law and order in the society through the imposition of fines ( iki ) on those who broke community law. Awan-idit, or Ekpri-Akata was a male society intimately concerned with morals. They were regarded as "spirits," ubiquitous and capable of knowing every scandal committed in the community. The main function of Akata was to detect antisocial behavior, publicize crimes, and ridicule of culprits into correction. Akata members were famed for their ability to concoct songs to spotlight offenses like immoral association between

629-507: The Igbo-speaking towns of Abiriba , Arochukwu and Ohafia to be worn by members of the Ekpe society. Symbols including lovers, metal rods, trees, feathers, hands in friendship war and work, masks, moons, and stars are dyed onto ukara cloths. The cloth is dyed by post-menopausal women in secret, and young males in public. Ukara was a symbol of wealth and power only handled by titled men and post-menopausal women. Ukara can be worn as

666-563: The Igbos, who are neighbors to the old Calabar people (the Efik , Ibibio and Annang ). Nsibidi was used in judgement cases known as 'Ikpe' in Enion, an Igbo subgroup, according to Macgregor, who was able to retrieve and translate an Nsibidi record of an ikpe judgement. The record is of an Ikpe or judgement case. (a) The court was held under a tree as is the custom, (b) the parties in the case, (c)

703-549: The Oro kingship in the late 1200s, such that the Royal Stool was crafted for Ahta. This stool remains the oldest surviving artifact of Oro and in the Lower Cross River Basin. Ahta aya-Arah brought the six tribes that made up the Oron Nation together by introducing this yam to the different clans, which visited him daily, with his influence reaching Cameroon . Some of the tribes included the: To this day,

740-550: The affairs of women in each village. The society had the primary goal of protecting womanhood both in the home and in public. In the Abang dances, an entertainment occasionally performed in the villages, women of different age groups displayed their dance styles, fostering togetherness. In other, male, societies, the men made dry gin ( Ufofo ) to appease the women. The Oron People had an ancient educational system where individuals were grouped into age groups known as Nka , in which

777-575: The case was a difficult one which the people of the town could not judge for themselves. So they sent to the surrounding towns to call the wise men from them and the case was tried by them (j) and decided; (k) denotes that the case was one of adultery or No. 20. Nsibidi is used to design the 'ukara ekpe' woven material which is usually dyed blue (but also green and red) and is covered in Nsibidi symbols and motifs. Ukara ekpe cloths are woven in Abakaliki , and then they are designed by male Nsibidi artists in

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814-416: The chief who judged it, (d) his staff (these are enclosed in a circle), (e) is a man whispering into the ear of another just outside the circle of those concerned, (f) denotes all the members of the party who won the case. Two of them (g) are embracing, (h) is a man who holds a cloth between his finger and thumbs as a sign of contempt. He does not care for the words spoken. The lines round and twisting mean that

851-537: The claims of the Ekoi to have created the system were more plausible. Nsibidi has a wide vocabulary of signs usually imprinted on calabashes, brass ware, textiles, wood sculptures, masquerade costumes, buildings and on human skin. Nsibidi has been described as a "fluid system" of communication consisting of hundreds of abstract and pictographic signs. In the colonial era, Nsibidi was characterized by Talbot as "a kind of primitive secret writing", with Talbot explaining that it

888-481: The estuary is in the neighboring country of Cameroon. The major tributary of Cross River is the river Aloma, coming from Benue State to merge with Cross River in Cross River State. Cross River State is connected with a major highway to its sister state Akwa Ibom . The distance between Oron and Calabar is 21 kilometres (13 mi) by boat and about 200 kilometres (120 mi) by road. The population of

925-433: The late 1800s, Portuguese raiders pushed several Oron clans into the hinterland. This brought about the first shed known as Obio Ufre ('an unforgettable spot'). At that unforgettable spot, it was therefore agreed that "Oro clans will rise in alliance to defend their own when attacked by non-Oro clans." Migration from the region subsequently led to the establishment of several villages within Oro. The kingdom functioned as

962-596: The location of Calabar, one of the largest centers during the Atlantic slave trade . During some months of monitoring, iron, manganese, lead, arsenic, and chromium were identified in the water at levels hazardous for drinking; thus, the water was polluted with these heavy metals and could not be relied on to serve as a potable water supply for Nigerians. 4°35′N 8°25′E  /  4.583°N 8.417°E  / 4.583; 8.417 Nsibidi Nsibidi (also known as Nsibiri , Nchibiddi or Nchibiddy )

999-574: The lower Cross River traditionally use water transport and Calabar has long had a major seaport , in the Calabar River about 10 kilometres (6 mi) from its confluence with the Cross River and about 55 kilometres (34 mi) from the sea. The Itu bridge on the Cross River is along Itu-Calabar highway and is reported to be one of the landmark achievements of the Gowon administration when it

1036-445: The norms, laws, and order and contributed to community development. In Oron, members often referred to themselves as Nda (Oron) and Adami (Okobo) . The Nka punished any members that disobeyed the society's norms and traditiona. The Nka were charged in a corresponding role to maintain public the public water supply and street markets, as well as guard the village. Cross River (Nigeria) Cross River (native name: Oyono )

1073-456: The older children taught the younger ones using folklore, oral teaching, ancient cravings, and through the Nsibidi . In Oron, every person in the community both male and female, except very young children, was expected to belong to an Nka . This society was set to enforce the village norms on members, carried out by community members who were the same age. This institution socialized members in

1110-641: The people there still consider themselves part of the Oron Nation. The Oron Nation prospered as an independent community with a rotatory system of kingship among the different tribal leaders. In the late 1800s, Portuguese traders named the Oron region the Tom Shotts Town , the Mbo region as the Tom Shotts Port , and the island in Ibaka as Tom Shotts Island , as seen in several Portuguese maps. In

1147-542: The sequel, Wakanda Forever . Below are some examples of Nsibidi recorded by J. K. Macgregor (1909) and Elphinstone Dayrell (1910 and 1911) for The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland and Man . Both of them recorded symbols from a variety of locations around the Cross River, and especially the Ikom district in what is now Cross River State . Both of

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1184-423: The sexes, pregnancy without a husband, stealing, witchcraft, and other crimes supposedly committed in the dark. The Akata was a mouthpiece to inform the public of secret happenings in the village. Iban-Isong is a female society that played an important role in maintaining law and order. The women's organization, also known as Abang and led by their chief Offong Abang , exercised unquestionable authority over

1221-470: The state to 3,100 mm in the southern part (WSSSRP II 2016). Cross River also gives its name to a national park and a family of languages . The Cross River Region is of great historical importance, being a) within the likely homeland from which Bantu speaking people migrated across most of Sub-Saharan Africa 3000–5000 years ago, b) the location of where the Nsibidi Script was created, and c)

1258-471: The women's societies, Abang, Ukpok , and lban Isong . The ancient Oron original way of ruling the villages, before the advent of Ekpe, was through Isong. In Oron, every society was involved in governing, but by far the most important was the Ekpe. It is important to note that, despite the proximity of Oron to the Ibibio people , Ekpo was not known in Oron until the establishment of colonial rule. There

1295-652: Was completed in 1975. The Cross River forms a boundary between two tropical moist forest ecoregions : the Cross-Niger transition forests , which lie west of the river between the Cross and Niger Rivers, and the Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests , which lie to the east between the Cross River and the Sanaga River of Cameroon. The average annual rainfall varies from 1,760 mm in the northern part of

1332-557: Was transported to Cuba and Haiti via the Atlantic slave trade , where it developed into the anaforuana and veve symbols. Robert Farris Thompson glosses the Ekoid word nsibidi as translating to "cruel letters", from sibi "bloodthirsty". The context is the use of the symbols by the Ekpe society in the Old Calabar slave traders who had established a "lavish system of human sacrifice". In old Cross River region, Nsibidi

1369-453: Was used for messages "cut or painted on split palm stems". Macgregor's view was that "The use of nsibidi is that of ordinary writing. I have in my possession a copy of the record of a court case from a town of Enion [Enyong] taken down in it, and every detail ... is most graphically described". Nsibidi crossed ethnic lines and was a uniting factor among ethnic groups in the Cross River region. Nsibidi spread to other parts of Nigeria, especially

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