23-550: Ekpene Ukim is a village in Uruan local government area of Akwa Ibom State , Nigeria . The Ibibio people are occupants of the Ekpene Ukim village. This Akwa Ibom State , Nigeria location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Uruan Uruan is a Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State , located in southern Nigeria . The area
46-469: A minority among the ethnic groups in the region. From 1725 until 1750, roughly 17,000 enslaved Africans were sold from Calabar to European slave traders; from 1772 to 1775, the number soared to over 62,000. In 1767, six British slave ships arrived in Calabar during a period when Duke Town and Old Town were in the midst of a feud. The leaders of Duke Town made a secret arrangement with the slave traders whereby
69-641: A power on the coast of the Bight of Biafra by the early 18th century, by which time the Duke and Eyamba families were their leaders. They were settled in large, fortified villages along the waterways, in a loose federation with no paramount ruler, living by fishing and farming. The largest settlements were Ikot Itunko, Obutong and Iboku Atapka. In the 19th century, the British renamed these as Creek Town, Old Town and Duke Town. The traditional Efik religion considers that Abasi created
92-548: A treaty agreeing to stop their involvement in the slave trade. With the suppression of the slave trade, palm oil and palm kernels became the main exports. In 1846 a Christian mission was established by the United Presbyterian Church between Duke Town and Henshaw town, with the support of King Eyo. The mission was headed by Rev. Hope Masterton Waddell with support from Hugh Goldie, who wrote an account of Calabar in his 1890 book Calabar and its Mission . That year
115-597: Is Atakpor, which was brought from the Southern Cameroons and believed to be a Great Mother deity that associates with water. The Atakpor was regarded as female deity and as an intermediary through which Uruan people could communicate with Abasi (God). Today Uruan people believe that this Great Mother deity lives in that body of water now known as Akwa Akpa Uruan (The Mighty Sea of Uruan). Other aspects of Uruan heritage include Ekpe, Ekong (War), Nka (Age-grade), Ebre, Fattening Home (Nkugho), and so on. Uruan people developed
138-497: Is an Efik city-state that flourished in the 19th century in what is now southern Nigeria . The City State extended from now Calabar to Bakassi in the east and Oron to the west. Although it is now absorbed into Nigeria, traditional rulers of the state are still recognized. The state occupied what is now the modern city of Calabar . The Efik speak a language that is a subgroup of the Niger–Congo language group. They had become
161-1023: Is believed that in the 13th century, hundreds of Uruan people, another Iboku group who also migrated through a different route joined their kindred at Akani Obio Uruan and Akpa Mfri Ukim. Due to geographical and ecological problems, such as frequent floods, Uruan people migrated again further to the mainland and occupied an area now known as Uruan Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State. Due to social conflicts between some clans within Uruan, Akpe Iboku people of Uruan, now Eburutu tribe, later nicknamed “Efik” migrated from Uruan Country (Essien Uruan Itiaba) to such places as [[Creek Town (Uruan Esit Edik), Duke Town (Uruan Ibuot Utan), Henshaw Town (Nsidung). Until today, some Efik families still treasure their connections with some Uruan villages, such as Esuk Odu , Issiet Ekim , Mbiaya , Ibiaku Uruan , Adadia , Ndon Ebom , and Ekpene Ibia , most of which still speak Efik language. Of
184-533: The Uruan language. Uruan people have maintained a good relationship with their neighbors. Their seven-clan structure is also maintained. This is the structure depicted during the coronation and burial of the Edidem Atakpor, the Nsomm of Uruan, by the presence of seven traditional bow-men, seven spear-men, seven sword-men, and seven royal staff-men each of which represent Essien Uruan. The principal deity of Uruan people
207-602: The area now called Idomi in the Rio del Rey near the Southwest Region of Cameroon and Cross River State border where they settled for centuries. Due to the first Batanga war which caused economic and social disorder in the region, Uruan people migrated to area in the Cross River Basin called Akani Obio Uruan in about 8th century A.D. The river near the settlement was named Akwa Akpa Uruan meaning (Mighty River of Uruan). It
230-404: The chiefs requested British protection for Calabar, but the reply from Lord Palmerston , received in 1848, was that it was not necessary or advisable to grant the request. The British said they would treat the people of Calabar favorably if they would give up their practice of human sacrifice. At the time, it was common for wives and slaves of an important man to be sacrificed upon his death. On
253-446: The death of King Eyamba in 1847, it was proposed that King Eyo become sole ruler, which the British favored. However, Duke Town's leaders did not agree, and selected Archibong Duke as the new king. In 1850, both kings agreed to suppress human sacrifice. British influence continued to grow, as did acceptance of Christianity. The chiefs of Akwa Akpa placed themselves under British protection in 1884. King Archibong III of Calabar Kingdom
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#1733084718624276-661: The earth. The religion places importance on paying tribute to the village ancestors, particularly those who achieved high rank, since they can affect the fortunes of the living for good or bad. The earth deity Ala is appeased through the Ogbom ceremony, which makes children plentiful and increases the harvest. Some Efik belong to the Ekpe secret society. They made detailed wood carvings, masks, and accouterments that are considered complex works of art. Efik sacred ceremonies include drumming and music as important elements. The coast in this region
299-413: The idea of Ekpe society, used for maintaining law and order, and for entertainment. There are various grades of Ekpe, such as Nyamkpe, Nkanda, Mbökkö and Ibom. The Ekpe members of higher grades are known for their display of Nsibidi , a secret writing or signs used for communication among the members. The Ekong is a traditional warrior society used for encouraging chivalry or bravery among men in Uruan. It
322-575: The leaders of Old Town would be invited onboard their ships to settle the dispute; guarantees of their safety were made. When the leaders of Old Town came aboard the ships, they were seized, with some being kept as slaves while others were handed over to the leaders of Duke Town, who ordered their execution. The British outlawed their involvement in the slave trade in 1807, though slave traders from other European nations, such as Spain , continued to buy slaves at Calabar until 1841. In that year, King Eyamba V of Duke Town and King Eyo of Creek Town signed
345-468: The most powerful people in the region. Dukes Town is believed to have been founded in about 1650 according to historians Ekei Essien Oku and Efiong U. Aye. Akwa Akpa, also known as Duke Town to the British, became a center of the Atlantic slave trade , where slaves were exchanged for European goods. Igbo people formed the majority of enslaved Africans which were sold as slaves from Calabar, despite forming
368-622: The original twelve traditional clans, only seven largely unrecognized clans remain today. Those belonging to other clans are believed to have settled among the Ibibios, such as in the Ekpene Ukim village in Nsit Ubium and the Ikpa village in Eket. To date, these villages still maintain a strong bond with their Uruan kindreds. The remaining seven clans are: Duke Town Duke Town , originally known as Atakpa ,
391-475: The proto-language. It is a variant of Ibibio language . Uruan language is what has for historical reasons been referred to as Efik language , and Uruan and Efik are all Iboku people. According to Uruan historians, like Dominus Essien of University of Uyo and Edet Akpan Udo of “Who Are the Ibibios”, Uruan people are believed to have migrated in different waves from East-Central and Southern Africa to Uruan Akpe in
414-451: The universe. One tradition says that Abasi's wife Atai persuaded him to let two of their children, a daughter and son, settle on the earth. They were not allowed to breed, but disobeyed this injunction and became the ancestors of the Efik people. Another version says that Abasi created two people, and did not allow them to breed. When they disobeyed this order, in punishment, Abasi let loose death on
437-475: The west. Rulers of the city state, and successors in the traditional state, were: In 1903 the British made an agreement with the Efik Kings that they would no longer use title of King (Edidem), but instead as titular rulers would have the title Obong of Calabar. In December 1970 it was agreed that a single ruler should represent the Efik people, rather than two (one for Creek Town and one for Duke Town), with
460-419: Was created in 1988 from Uyo Local Government Area. It covers an approximate land mass of 449 km . Its population, according to the 2016 Census is 164,000. Its capital city is Idu . [1] Located in the rainforest belt, the area has extensive arable land , rich wildlife, raffia palm , and timber. The fertile coastal plains support cultivation of crops, such as cassava and maize . Uruan people speak
483-539: Was crowned in 1878 with a regalia sent directly by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. From 1884 until 1906 Old Calabar was the headquarters of the Niger Coast Protectorate , after which Lagos became the main center. Now called Calabar, the city remained an important port shipping ivory, timber, beeswax, and palm produce until 1916, when the railway terminus was opened at Port Harcourt , 145 km to
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#1733084718624506-439: Was developed as an instrument for checking social ills and fostering security and unity among the people. The Ebre was a traditional society used by women for social and political control, and for promotion of women rights. Nka (Age-grades) in Uruan were used for effective performance of different aspects of community work, mutual help and for discipline of their members. Uruan people developed Uruan language which they derived from
529-466: Was named "Calabar" by the Portuguese explorer Diogo Cao . His reason for choosing this name is unknown, since it was not used by the Efik people. The city of Akwa Akpa was founded by Efik families who had left Creek Town, further up the Calabar river , settling on the east bank in a position where they were able to dominate the slave trade with European vessels that anchored in the river. They soon became
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