In this article News24ngr chronicles you need to know about ibibio people 2024
The ibibio people are a vibrant and ancient tribe found in Nigeria, West Africa. They are one of the many ethnic groups that make up the country’s diverse population.
Here’s what you need to know about the ibibio people
LOCATION
Ibibio tribe is the 4th largest ethnic group in Nigeria with approximately 5 million people in Nigeria speaking ibibio as their mother tongue.
The ibibio people are mainly located in the south-south geopolitical zone of Nigeria, also known as Coastal Southeastern Nigeria. They are found predominantly in Akwa Ibom State and are related to the Annang community, ibibio communities, Eket and Oron communities.
ORIGIN
The ibibio people might have come from the central Benue Valley, particularly, the jakun influence in the old Calabar at some historical time period.
Oral testimonies by field workers say that the core ibibio people were of the Afaha lineage whose original home was Usak Edet in the Cameroon.
After the first bulk of the people arrived in what later became Nigeria, they settled first at Ibom then in Arochukwu.
As a result of the clashes with the Igbo people, culminating in the famous ‘Ibibio War’, which took about 1300 and 1400 A.D., they left Ibom and moved to the present day of Ibibio land which is Akwa Ibom State.
LANGUAGE
The Ibibio language belongs to the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo language family.
There are several dialects of the Ibibio language, including the Efik, Northern (Enyong), Southern (Eket), Delta (Andoni-Ibeno), Western (Anang), and Eastern (the Ibibio proper).
The Ibibio language is old, dating back centuries, but it was only written for the first time in 1983.
It is a tonal language, meaning that the same word can have different meanings depending on the tone used to pronounce it.
The language is written in the Latin script, with additional letters such as Ɛ, Ɔ, and Ŋ.
OCCUPATION
The principal occupation of the Ibibio people is farming, with yams being considered the chief crop of men and cocoyams the chief crop of women.
Men do most of the clearing, planting, and harvesting of the yams. Women weed, plant, and tend other crops.
The river-side Ibibio traditionally work as fishermen at fishing ports commonly known as INE. They are also traders who retails and produces goods.
The Ibibio are well known for their skill in wood carving and are considered masters of an adroit professional technique.
Weaving is generally done by youths of both sexes, whereas women are responsible for mat making.
MARRIAGE RITES
The groom is required to go and see the woman’s parents, this is called “Ndidiong Ufok,” (introduction) which means “to know the house” of the lady. Only 3-4 people should accompany the groom.
The date for the “Nkong Udok/ Nkong Usong” ( the knocking of the door) is set after the “Ndidiong Ufok.” The family of the groom comes and asks for the lady’s hand.
The day that the items or the list are to be delivered is called “Uno Mpo,” which means “to give something.”
The list includes things for each member of the lady’s family, from the youngest to the oldest.
Traditional wedding is where the bride and groom dress in full traditional regalia.
The ceremony takes place like the Igbo Traditional wedding, from the hiding of the groom to the wife looking for him with the drink given to her by her parents to offer him.
FATTENING ROOM
The fattening room is known as ‘Nkuho’ or fattening House”, is an ancient tradition practiced by the Ibibio and Efik people of Akwa Ibom and Cross River States in Nigeria.
Fattening room is a special room or house where girls around the age of 12 or 13 are isolated from the outside world and it can last for several months or even years.
They are fed rich and nutritious foods to gain weight and become plump. The girls receive massages, skin treatments and hair care.
They learn how to cook, clean and do household chores. Also, they are taught social skills, etiquitte and how to interact with their future husbands and in-laws.
Fattening room is believed to prepare girls for the challenges of marriage and motherhood and also enhance beauty and attractiveness. In ibibio, a fat bride is seen as a symbol of good luck and a quarantee of a successful marriage.
FESTIVAL
The Ibibios has different festivals which include Ekpri Akata( a public outing where masked performers sing songs at night to expose antisocial behaviours), Mbre Mmong ( a biannual aquatic festival connected with a fertility cut and ancestral worship ) , Usoro Ubine Ikot ( this is a hunting expedition and lifting of sanctions on seven-year fallow farmlands for cultivation), Ekong Festival ( display of colorful masquerades to re-establish peace, love and order), New yam festival ( a thanksgiving feast to the gods and ancestors for the yam harvest), Usoro Abasi ( appeasement of the communal gods before the celebration of new yam ), Usoro Ekpo ( celebration of the ancestors and gods of the land), Ikon (melon) festival and Ebre ( water yam Festival) , Eset (ise) Feast ( feast to pay tribute to the warriors) and Iso Awa-Itam Feast ( celebration to the deity of Awa Itam).
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
They believe in a Supreme Being called Abasi, who created all things, including the gods (ndem) to whom he gives charge of the different aspects of human affairs.
Thus, there is ndem isong (fertility goddess) to look after land fertility, ndem ndua (market god) to protect the interest of those who buy and sell at the market, etc.
They are unincarnated spirits like eka abasi, the spirit mother that looks after children. Then there are spirits of the ancestors whom they worship too.
Ibibio people believe in ancestral spirits and that they have to be appeased.For the Ibibio, life has two aspects: the visible (the domain of ordinary human experience) and the invisible (the domain of God, the gods, and spirits).
Human life passes through these two domains in a cycle; the adult becomes aged and passes into the world of the invisible to be reincarnated and born again as a baby into the world of visible.
Birth and death are therefore moments in the life cycle. As a result, the Ibibio have sacrifices for periodic phases of the life cycle.
POLITICAL SYSTEM
The Ibibio people are ruled by their constitutional and religious head, the Ikpaisong, who ruled with the Mbong Ekpuk (Head of the Families), along with the heads of the cults and societies.
This constitutes the ‘Afe or Asan or Esop Ikpaisong’ (Traditional Council or Traditional Shrine or Traditional Court). The Obong Ikpaisong is the Traditional Ruler of the Ibibio people.
The Obong Ikpaisong is the King of the Principalities of the Earth or the King of the Earth and the Principalities.
The Mbong Ekpuk is the Head of the Families. The Mbong Ekpuk, along with the Obong Ikpaisong, constitutes the Traditional Council.
The Ekpo society is a significant part of the Ibibio political system. They use a variety of masks to execute social control.
Membership is open to all Ibibio males, but one must have access to wealth to move into the politically influential grades.
SECRET SOCIETIES
The Ibibio people have several secret societies that play a significant role in their political, social, and religious lives.
Some of these secret societies include: The Ekpo society is a powerful and influential secret society among the Ibibio people.
They are known for their colorful masks and elaborate costumes, which are used to execute social control and maintain law and order). The Obon society is another powerful secret society among the Ibibio people.
They are responsible for maintaining the traditional laws and customs of the Ibibio people. The Ekpe society is a secret society that is responsible for maintaining the social and political order of the Ibibio people.
They are known for their mysterious and powerful rituals.The Oku society is a secret society that is responsible for maintaining the religious and spiritual beliefs of the Ibibio people. They are known for their powerful rituals and sacrifices.
The Abaku society is a secret society that is responsible for maintaining the social and political order of the Ibibio people. They are known for their mysterious and powerful rituals.
CONCLUSION
In summary, the Ibibio people are a significant ethnic group in Nigeria, with their own distinct language, culture, and beliefs. They are known for their skills in farming, fishing, trading, wood carving, and weaving, and have a rich cultural heritage.