These secret societies were used to uphold the legal decisions of the Council of Elders or of the community as a whole, they also ensured conformity in certain rituals and in social behaviour and undertook certain public works for the community (n.d.). The practice and display of Ekpe masquerade have been modified. [53] Aphrom was a corruption of Ephraim which was an anglicised form of the Efik name Efiom. Within Nigeria, the Efik can be found in the present-day Cross River State and Akwa Ibom state. Determine the meaning of the italicized word in each sentence by examining the context. It is uncertain when Obutong was founded but most Efik scholars hypothesize that it was founded in the 16th century. The ekpe society has spawned a large number of Nsbd . The Ekpe society most likely originated among the Efik people of southern Nigeria and from there spread across other tribes and language groups in Southern Nigeria. Photo by Eli Bentor. [12], The Efik were noted for their involvement in the slave trade were they acted as slave traders and middlemen between the inland slave traders and the Europeans. Long time we no look Man-of-War as Blount promise one Frenchman come make plenty palaver for slave when we can't get them. Ekpe could take life and could give it; it could condemn a whole town to a heavy fine and was promptly paid; it could punish offenders and could forgive; even kings and Obongs could never escape Ekpe laws and edicts.[69]. The Efik people speak the Efik language, which is a BenueCongo language of the Cross River family. Why do you think it is important for us to understand our past? The most popular migration account within the Nigerian space asserts that the Efik people lived at Ibom in the present-day Arochukwu and migrated from Ibom to Uruan. Instead, each settlement had its own lodge of the initiation society called kp, or "leopard," which was the highest indigenous authority. (b) Analyze Cause and Effect: What events prevent their success? quickly adapted to fulfil other economic and civil functions. Welcome, Love, Peace and Unity in Nsibidi. Ekpe masquerade mimic the form of a lion or leopard moves. LEFT Omabe Eze sewing an ukara, Ezillo, southeastern Nigeria. Efik traders could speak, write and read the English language. Today, it is no longer the same Ekpe society of decades ago. Ekpe society was the first tribe to come up with this design and archaeologists have found traces of this fabric even in southwestern Cameroon. I hope some Man-of-War come sometime with proper captain all same you look out and help we keep word when French Man-of-War come. It is also used by the Igbo and Efik. One-word searches work best.Use AND to require multiple terms: LEFT Small ukara with minute patterned design and Omu Aro symbol. [61] One of such letters written by King Eyamba V and the chiefs of Old Calabar states: Now we settle treaty for not sell slave, I must tell you something, I want your Queen to do for we. The society is still active at the beginning of the 21st century, now playing more of a ceremonial role. Ekpe is a mysterious spirit who is supposed to live in the jungle and to preside at the ceremonies of the society. Sunjata's half-brother, Dankaran Touman, enrages Sunjata and nearly causes civil war by: murdering an innocent young man, thinking he is Sunjata. The history of the Efik is one of the most documented in subsaharan Africa. [47], By the seventeenth century, more Efik settlements had been founded. Due to the rise of Calabar as a commercial centre since the 18th century, Efik settlements experienced a high rate of inward migration consisting of Sierra Leoneans, Lebanese, Cameroonians, Jamaicans and several other communities. "[21] Jeffreys assertion regarding Eburutu being a single Ibibio clan is proven false by earlier definitions of Eburutu by Rev. two young foreign men to whom she gives the power to defeat her. Upon leaving the Cameroon territory, the Ibibio arrived at their present location following two major directions. Originally, the Efik obtained slaves by going to war with other communities or creating confusion in other communities. Each grade has a chieftain or an Obong. [19], The Ibibio origin of the Efik is one of the most popular among scholars. This is evident in a testimony by Isaac Parker, a ship-keeper who lived at Duke town in 1765 for 5 months. Imbued with transcendental aura, ukara conveys the sacrality and prestige of the Ekpe secret society. Welcome to brotherhood Illuminati where you can becomerich famous and popular and your life story we be changetotally my name is Dan Jerry I am here to share mytestimony on how I join the great brotherhood Illuminatiand my life story was change immediately . Prior to Akak, the theory were proposed at the Hart's enquiry by Chief Offiong Abasi Ntiero Effiwatt and Etubom Ededem Ekpenyong Oku.[25][26]. [49] The Enwang are believed to have ruled Atakpa for a number of years. Ivor Miller: The voice of the leopard is the main symbol of the Ekpe society of the Cross River region ofNigeria and Cameroon, which was re-created in colonial Cuba as the Abaku society. Define monsoon, Sanskrit, raja, caste system, caste, Hinduism, reincarnation, karma, dharma, yoga, Buddhism, ascetic, nirvana. The society is somewhat akin to a free mason group and does some unofficial law enforcement. The Ekpo society uses black masks, often of naturalistic appearance and with movable jaws, to maintain social order and propitiate the ancestors; some of these masks represent disease and deformity. Prior to the introduction of industrialised cubic-shaped seasonings such as maggi and know, Crayfish was used to make meals more spicy. Lawino says that her husband's house is a "dark forest of _______________________". The article was a not-so-deep exploration of indigenous African writing systems and languages. kp lodges ruled local communities while also managing regional and long-distance trade. The Efik are an ethnic group located primarily in southern Nigeria, and western Cameroon. Within Nigeria, the Efik can be found in the present-day Cross River State and Akwa Ibom state. Aye in 2000 does not mention the Efut as being the primary occupants. Other narratives at the Hart's enquiry do not make mention of the Efut. During the colonial era, The Efik language was the only language taught in schools in many parts of the present-day Cross River and Akwa Ibom state. [69] The Ekpe spirit cannot be seen by the uninitiated and is represented by Idem Iquo, a masquerade dressed in Esk, a multicoloured costume decorated with other traditional accoutrements. In the culture we have discussed, the term dalilu refers to: an individual's personal power, knowledge, or ability, inborn but enhanced and developed through training and experience. James Beale Horton made a similar assertion in 1868 where he asserted that all the communities of the Niger-delta are traced to the Igbo. These missionaries together with King Eyo Honesty II brought several changes to Old Calabar society. The group is gaining grounds as it seems to incessantly predict the total destruction of the planet earth. What role does religion play in society today? Select search scope, currently: catalog all catalog, articles, website, & more in one search; catalog books, media & more in the Stanford Libraries' collections; articles+ journal articles & other e-resources (a) What are the Clowns trying to accomplish in this scene? Origin Nsibidi symbols which are indigenous to Igbo, Ibibio, Efik, Annang and Ekoi/Ejagham members of the Ekpe society. Prior to 1905, Old Calabar was a term used to describe the Efik settlements of Duke Town, Creek Town, Old town, Cobham town, Henshaw town, Adiabo and Mbiabo (consisting of Mbiabo edere, Mbiabo Ikot Offiong and Mbiabo Ikoneto). Thanks for signing up for our daily insight on the African economy. [77] The fibre of the leaf-stalk of a palm was made into a thread and woven to make clothes and bags. Ekpe Society Emblem, Ejaham, Cameroon Dog Fetish, Vili, Congo Mlbuya (sickness) mask, Pende, Zaire Nimba Mask, Baga, Guinea Picasso Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, 1907 Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, 1907 (detail) Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, 1907 (detail) Bust of a Woman, 1931 Tte de taureau (Bull's Head), 1942 La chvre (The goat) 1950 Other references Now we can't sell slaves again we must have too much man for country; and want something for make work and trade, and if we could get seed for cotton and coffee we could make trade. The Ekpe society had become, by the time Antera Duke began his diary in 1785, the Efik's primary socio-political institution. Their king on the eastern Calabar coast was known as Ating Anua Efiom. But, Ekpe in the course of the colonial period underwent a wide range of fundamental changes in their structure, roles, status . One of such accounts was given at a court case by Prince Bassey Duke in 1917 where he stated, "The Efiks were originally Ibo descendants. Another account claimed that Efik people introduced the Ekpe between 1720 and 1729 during the initial migration of Calabar. After the decline of the slave trade, the Efik transitioned into the business of exporting palm oil from the Cross river. The earliest list of Efik traders is provided in Jean Barbot's manuscript which was later printed in 1732. This is UKARA cloth used by the Ekpe society in a handful of places in Nigeria, Cameroon The symbols are nisbidi You even scanned the raffia marks left from resist dyeing I hope you won't sue the owners in future! While some explorers describe the Efik as travellers who past through the Ibibio country, others assert that the Efik are of Ibibio stock. The Ekpo/Ekpe society is a significant part of the Ibibio political system. ekpe society cameroonworld market toblerone. This material is believed to have been imported by the Portuguese (Oboriki). [77] Women wore a number of brass rings on their legs and arms. "Egbo" redirects here. ugly and deformed, but predicted to be the mother of a great king. a warrior-hunter who, despite having been a cripple, becomes the founder of an empire. Alcoholic content may be increased via adding the red bark of Edat (Sacoglottis gabonensis) to the wine. They came from Mbiak Creek in Ibibio country. They are well respected agents of wealth distribution in the community.. [6][7], The name Efik first appears in historical literature in the nineteenth century. (Multiple Deaths at Ndodoghi creek, Ema Atai Ema Atai, Priest-king, lost his sight in death). Several theories have been propounded on the origin of the word. In this light, the Cameroon National Council of Traditional Rulers would be a welcomed . [45] Eyo Ema's people occupied Otung in the south of Creek Town, Adim Atai and Ukpong Atai occupied the east and Efiom Ekpo's family occupied the Adakuko in the west. [50] Okoho Efiom bore twins whose paternal parentage have often been debated. A reconsideration of kp and Abaku suggests an agenda for the study of kp in diaspora from a different perspective. Ekpe translates to Leopard in the Efik language and is believed to be a spirit that resides in the forest. [67] As of 1877, Alexander Ross reported that thirteen towns in the Cameroon region speak Efik and had an aggregate population of about 22,000. The Efik acted as the middlemen between the European vessels and the inland slave traders. the Ekpe society. It was found in operation among a tribe down the coast towards Camaroons, but was improved and extended in its new field of operations.[60]. LEFT Mgballa Ekpe lodge with Ekpe members, Arochukwu, southeastern Nigeria. It is not just because of its spiritual or cultic functions but for the fact that the institution was a pre-colonial police judiciary system (Bassey, 1998). Members of the Ekpe society are said to act as messengers of the ancestors ( ikan ). Due to the role they played during the era of the triangular trade, their prominence in literature and art, there has been a lot of academic scholarship on the people. As the slave trade was declining due to the strong global campaign against it, the effects on slave trading ports along the African coast was greatly experienced. Simple theme. One theory propounded by Okon and Nkpanam Ekereke asserts that the term "Efuk" was a word of defiance and an expression used by the Ibibio man when in a fit of rage. Ed Keazor Follow Barrister-at-Law Advertisement Advertisement Recommended Sunjata's victory against Sumaworo comes in part because: Sumaworo loses the support of his nephew, Fakoli. Plenty sugar cane live here and if some man must come for teach book proper, and make all men saby God like white man, and then we go on for same fashion. [61] These papers were signed by the reigning monarchs of Creek town and Duke town who were Eyo Honesty II and Eyamba V.[61] King Eyamba and King Eyo had written letters to the British requesting that they bring in teachers to teach them trade and commerce and missionaries to aid them to know more about God. The design is left to the discretion of the Ezillo creators, who are not Ekpe members and do not know the meanings of nsibidi. [33][35] The Efik came to her defence and the dispute escalataed[34] Legend has it that this was the last straw that led to the Uruan-Efik war (known in Efik as Ek Abasi-Anwan) which led to the exit of the Efik from the Uruan country. kp had four major roles in pre-colonial life. [44][52] Aye uses Adiaha Etim Anwa's ballad as one of the basis for his hypothesis. "[29] Essien's criticism is supported by the fact that in some Efik trado-religious songs, Atakpor Uruan is greatly extolled. Right now, Ekpe . When the threads are cut, the nsibidi designs stand out, white against a deep blue background. There are several theories regarding the origin of the Efik people. This is: After his "second birth", Waiyaki is brought to a sacred grove where: After the episode in the sacred grove, Waiyaki disappears from his home to: The two daughters of Joshua, Nyambura and Muthoni, have both been forbidden by their father to: Waiyaki tries to heal the conflict between the two ridges by: Waiyaki fails to achieve his goals because: The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses, Edge Reading, Writing and Language: Level C, David W. Moore, Deborah Short, Michael W. Smith. [53] Some of the kings have been identified in the past by Etubom Ukorebi Ukorebi Asuquo in Aye's Efik people. African literature has been disregarded as serious literature in the past because: Original African systems of recording information in symbols include the ______ script, of the Ekpe society of the Ejagham of Cameroon and Nigeria. Abaku is an Afro-Cuban men's initiatory fraternity, or secret society, which originated from the Ekpe society in the Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon. Hope Waddell, Foreign commerce soon brought Calabar affairs into such a state, that the want of a bond of union among the different families, and of a supreme authority to enforce peace and order between equals and rivals, became apparent; and the Egbo institution was adopted. [59] Ekpe is first mentioned in the historical literature of Old Calabar in the 1770s. [32] The Efik having pity on these men gave them food and showed them hospitality. Cameroon's multilingual Cross River basin. The group has managed to stay mostly hidden for over more than 100 years. The Ekpe Society is a religious and cultural institution among the Efik people, it can also be found among the Annang and the Ibibios. The Efik language also borrows words from other ethnic groups such as Balondo, Oron, Efut, Okoyong, Efiat and Ekoi (Qua). Nair dates the arrival of the Efik towards the end of the seventeenth century or the beginning of the eighteenth century. Omissions? The three most popular theories include an Igbo origin, Ibibio origin and Palestinian origin. Due to the number of unfortunate incidents at Ikpa Ene and Ndodoghi, the Efik sought to leave these islands. Efik names were often anglicised to gain the trust of European traders. The Ekpe Society. (1985). Due to the volume of cultural exchange, many other ethnic groups have often been regarded as being one with the Efik such as Kiong and Efut. [62][63] The first missionaries arrived in 1846. The Efik people occupy the basins of the Lower Cross River, down to southwestern Cameroon including Bakassi, the Calabar River and down to its streams - the Kwa River, Akpayafe (Akpa Ikang) and the Eniong Creek. [16] Baikie said Ibibio are traced to the Igbo. What is a Free Agent "A free agent is one who isn't privileged with even one pure Leopard spiritline from the survivors of the Great Attempt. LEFT Ezillo man drawing a grid pattern to be filled with nsibidi designs, Ezillo, southeastern Nigeria. It is also used by the Igbo and Efik. [44] Members of the Ekpe society are said to act as [46] On their exit from Obutong, they are believed to have sought the permission of Oku Atai to use the Ntinya. [36] According to Aye, "Ikpa Ene could not carry the bulk of Iboku population, Ndodoghi had to accommodate what spilt over, and the two settlements, still under one rule, were separated by the left branch of the river which became their "inland sea". [71] Meals such as Iwewe were fed to children and old people with no teeth or fragile teeth. English language is spoken in the South-Western part of Cameroon. Members are bound by oath of secrecy, and fees on entrance are payable. [32] At night when everyone had gone to sleep, the men from Uruan rose up and began to slaughter their hosts. Photo by Jordan Fenton. Among these laws were the Abolition of twin-killings, abolition of the esere bean ordeal, abolition of human sacrifices and several other practices. The Efik are an ethnic group located primarily in southern Nigeria, and western Cameroon. [79] Ikpaya a royal type of gown also made from raffia. Archaeological evidence found that the group was extremely advanced in education for its time, and headed the construction of the Valley of the Kings. The symbols are arranged in a grid, giving the cloths an orderly, symmetrical quality that is often reinforced by repeated patterns. But most importantly, it should be mentioned that if its members did not support the ostensible reality of ekpe, as a thing to be feared and appeased, then the [68] The society is believed to have been introduced in Calabar from Usahadet. Several accounts have been narrated on the migration of the Efik before their arrival at Old Calabar. [66] Hugh, Goldie. [6] The most popular historical accounts of Efik migration attest a movement from Ibom in Arochukwu to Uruan and from Uruan to numerous settlements along the lower Cross river. Ekpe, also known as Mgbe/Egbo (Ekoi language: leopard; derived from the Ibibio term for the same), is a West African secret society in Nigeria and Cameroon flourishing chiefly among the Efiks. That it was through the Qua [an Ejagham or Ekoi stock], that the secret of Ekpe cult diffused to Calabar. (Ed.). Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. how to get a towing contract with geico university of west london ranking world university of west london ranking world [5] Some other clothings introduced into the market include smit, brutanya, isadh and nkisi. The nsibidi may convey meaning either singularly or in groups, and each sign may be figurative, geometric, or abstract, or may represent a physical object, concept, or narrative. The Ekpe Masquerade Jun. One of Thompson's pupils, Ivor Miller, has now produced a noteworthy study, concentrating specifically on one particular secret society, Ekpe, of the Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon; its transfiguration on Cuban soil into the Abakua society; and the ensuing effect of Abakua in shaping all aspects of the . [81] Living in what is now Southeast Nigeria and Southwest Cameroon, the people were physically divided by British and German colonial holdings in Africa. There are said to be at least three mass migration from Ndodoghi. At Creek town, the Efik ruler was Efiom Ekpo Efiom Ekpo who had a number of children including Nsa Efiom, Edem Efiom, Okoho Efiom and Odo Efiom. The process of creating this richly symbolic cloth is laborious. . The Ekpe Society or Mgbe society as it is also fondly called is very reputable and covers a wider range of ethnic groups such as: the Efut; the Efik; the Qua-Ejegham, and the Okonko ( the Igbo-speaking areas). [49] Prior to the arrival of the Efiom Ekpo group, oral tradition has it that when some Efik migrated to Creek town from Ndodoghi, The Enwang did not join them but migrated to the present site of Duke town. ukara: Ritual Cloth of the Ekpe Society features the ukara cloth, a composite signifier of authority, prestige, sacrality, difference, and social mobility in the Ekpe secret society in the Cross river basin encompassing southeastern Nigeria and parts of Cameroon. Posted on March 01, 2015 [34] When the Uruan woman realised that Abasi had broken her axe, she insisted that the axe should be repaired. . In the case of the latter, in the heat of the confusion, villagers would be kidnapped and sent to Calabar were they were sold. It is uncertain the specific year that the Efik arrived Creek Town. Ekpe masquerade mimic the form of a lion or leopard moves. Laws were passed to halt several practices regarded as unchristian. The island is believed to be named after a fisherman from Mbiabo known as Ene Ankot. Among these missionaries were Rev. [69] On the appending of the Ekpe institution to its list of secret societies, the Ekpe society was reformed and adapted to suit the needs of the Efik people. On behalf of Ekpe-USA Leadership, I hereby remind every member of Ngbe who has taken the aoth that our fathers and great grand fathers took to uphold those sacred traditions and beliefs, to immediately start preparations to do what they must do to send our brother to join our ancestors. Okoho Efiom bore the twins at Nsutana and raised them up for years. The Neegee or Crocodile Society is considered evil by the Poro and Sande groups. Efik populations are found in the following regions: Secret societies aided in the maintaining of law and order at Old Calabar. All willing to engage respectfully are welcome. Ethnographic - (Head crest, Ejagham People): Worn by a member of the Ekpe Society to intimidate and punish anyone who has broken tribal law. Ema Atai Ema Atai, Edidem, Biop sai." authority as head of the Ekpe (Egbo), or Leopard, society. The doomsday cult is a sinister transnational cult that has paved its way from the west and Asian world into some African countries including Uganda and South Africa. Many families sent their children to European captains to teach them English and the processes involved in the international trade. ,sister Watz. In its vastness, the Ekpe is a well structured society with semi-caste characteristics, in that, there are categories and titles which one may qualify to be initiated into, while others are strictly reserved for persons of certain status and backgrounds. Although Behrendt and Graham reveal that Calabar had been a major trading port since the first half of the seventeenth century, Efik historians such as Aye assert that the Efik had been trading with the Europeans since the last quarter of the 15th century. During his research, Miller has identified many cultural links between Africa and the Americas, particularly between Cuba, Nigeria and Cameroon, which share a common heritage. clothing stores in columbia mall expectations of the members to prioritize the group over their own families. [43] Stephen D. Behrendt and Eric J. Graham revealed in a 2003 publication that by the time the first documented European sailing vessel arrived in 1625, the Efik had already settled at Creek Town and Old Town. Ekpe Efik was used as a government instrument in Bakassi in exercising authority for more than 200 years ago (E.O.Efiong-Fuller, 1996). That is why Sisiku Ojong Orock after consultation with the other Ekpe members and Sisiku Mfonten Mbu decided to acquire his own Nkanda Lodge in April 2003. Free masons were originally an ancient Egyptian fraternity of builders, with Imhotep, as their founder and chief sculptor. Cow meat was also consumed but the Efik native cow was rarely eaten or milked by the Efik. [33] When the husband of the Uruan woman learnt of the issue, he wanted to fight the Efik. The Ekpe-men are ranked in seven or nine grades, for promotion to each of which fresh initiation ceremonies, fees and oaths are necessary.[1]. According to Historians, this technique of indigo-dyeing was developed in the Dogon kingdom in Mali (West Africa) dating back to the 11th century. According to Simmons, "Most Informants maintain that the first people to Inhabit Creek Town were Efut fishermen from the southern Cameroons. through the Illuminati Iwas able to become rich, and have many industry on myown and become famous and popular in my country , todayme and my family is living happily and I am the mosthappiest man here is the opportunity for you to join theIlluminati and become rich and famous in life and be likeother people and you life we be change totally.If you areinterested in joining the great brotherhood Illuminati.thencontact him +2348106618681 or for more information +1(705)8062021 email:illuminatibrotherpowerful@gmail.com or you need my assistance email:danjerry04@gmail.com Shame to the Manyu people and great men o Manyu, that you as enlightened as I know will willfully distort a tradition that back dates as long as 400 to 800hundred. The term "Calabar people" was particularly popular prior to the nineteenth century and was synonymous to the Efik.[6]. Working with both kp and Abaku leaders, he has documented the foundation of the society in 19th . I'm still struggling to understand her choice. The Ekpe society requires that its initiates sponsor feasts for the town, which foster the appearance of the redistribution of wealth by providing the poor with food and drink. [9] The largest group moved to Creek town from Ndodoghi led by the priest-king Eyo Ema Atai.[38]. At Ughoton, to the southwest of Benin, a different type of mask is used, in the cult. The Ekpe is a men's society found in Abiriba, Aro-chukwu, Ohafia and many other Bende communities in Igbo land, it is a variation of the important Egbo Ejagham ( Ekoi) in the Upper Cross-River as well as the Efik Ekpe Society of Calabar. Corrections? For the first time in history, Ekpe had a presentation at the highest institution of cultural anthropology in the world, the Smithsonian Museum. The Efik speak the Efik language which is a member of the BenueCongo subfamily of the Niger-Congo language group. Due to the peregrinations of Efik traders across the lower Cross River region, The Efik language was regarded as the language of commerce in the Cross river region. To cast light on African perspectives, and on the point of view of enslaved men and women, this group of top Africanist scholars has examined both conventional historical sources (e.g., European. [72] Eli Bentor, Professor of Art History at Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, speaks about the history of ukara cloth and moderates a discussi. Some of the oldest of these societies were Nyana Nyaku and Nsibidi. When you see Ibibio do not give him fire(to warm himself), when he is dry he will kill you, Multiple Deaths at Ndodoghi creek, Ema Atai Ema Atai, Priest-king, lost his sight in death, Joshua Project Efik of Nigeria Ethnic People Profile, Souvenir Programme of the Coronation Service of His Royal Highness Edidem Boco Ene Mkpang Cobham V, Obong of Calabar and Paramount Ruler of the Efiks, Abridgement of the minutes of the evidence, "Souvenir programme of the Coronation of Edidem Boco Ene Mkpang Cobham V", "Cross river as a model for the evolution of Benue-Congo nominal class/concord systems", https://web.archive.org/web/20151222092842/http://sunnewsonline.com/new/pa-effiong-ukpong-aye-1918-2012/, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Efik_people&oldid=1131332439, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles using infobox ethnic group with image parameters, Articles containing explicitly cited English-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 January 2023, at 17:46. The main proponents of what is described as "Palestinean origin" is Eyo Okon Akak who wrote the book, "The Palestine origin of the Efik". Ikpaya is now worn by an Obong-elect during the traditional coronation ceremony. [17] Some oral accounts by early Efik men also support the Igbo origin of the Efik. Here is a list of some of Africa's most prominent cults of all time: The Ekpe is a secret society that lives mostly in Nigeria and whose members are typically law enforcers and politicians.