Ekpe and the Aro
In the Southern and Eastern regions of Igbo land, particularly among the Igbo clans around the Cross River, there existed no formal title-taking or chieftaincy institutions like the Northern and Western Igbo’s Ichie, Nze na Ozo, etc. Instead, they maintained a form of title-taking and chieftainship through secret societies. These secret societies held significant control over various aspects of community life, from the shrines to the markets, resolving conflicts, managing social amenities, upholding law and order, and overseeing masquerades.
One prominent society was the Ekpe or Leopard society, which held its stronghold in Arochukwu within Igbo culture. The Ekpe originated from the Ejagham region, where it was known as “mgbe,” signifying the leopard. The Ekpe symbolized the guardian spirit of the forests (Ngele) and the messenger of the ancestors (ikaan). The leopard held such reverence that someone who ritually hunted and killed a leopard was honored with the title Ogbuagu and wore the skin as a trophy.
The Ekpe society comprised seven to nine levels, each with intricate rituals and salutations. They used the Ekpe drum with specific beats for communication and had an emblem featuring skulls and two brooms on a board. The leaders of the chiefs were referred to as Amama. Upon the death of an Ekpe chieftain, specific private rites were performed, and high-ranking chiefs were buried and venerated in tall pyramidal structures called Ngwomoh houses.
The society had meeting houses known as Afe, characterized by an oblong shape, thatched roofs, elaborate paintings, motifs, and sacred statues within. Three significant aspects of the Ekpe society included the masquerades or masks (Ekpo and Okonko) with distinct patterns, costumes, and bells, the ukara cloth, a dark blue fabric with Nsibidi patterns inscribed in white, and the Nsibidi system of writing used for conveying secret messages within the society.
Over time, the influence of the Ekpe society expanded further inland to various regions, spreading to Ohafia, Abam, Ikwuano, Ibeku, Bende, Olokoro, Ikun Ubaghara, and southward to Umon, Efik, Ngwa, and Ohuhu where their masquerades were also celebrated.
