THE PROS AND CONS OF "EKONG" INITIATION RITES OF ADULTHOOD IN IBIONO IBIBIO TRADITIONAL SOCIETY OF AKWA IBOM STATE.

BY

DEEZIA BURABARI SUNDAY

Abstracts
This Study Explores the Pros and Cons of
“Ekong’’ Initiation Rites of
Adulthood among the Ibiono-Ibibio Traditional
Society of Akwa-Ibom State.
In every culture, important traditional practices
exist which celebrate
life-cycle transitions, perpetuates community
cohesion, or transmits
traditional values to subsequent generations.
These traditions reflect
norms of care and behaviour based on age, life
stage, gender and social
class. The research methodology employed was
ethnographic and the use of
oral tradition. Existing literatures on the subject
matter were also made
use of in analyzing the subject matter in
question. The institution of
‘Ekong’ initiation rites of adulthood, the benefits
and effects as well as
the continuity and changes were examined.
Through this research, it was
established that despite the benefits of ‘Ekong’
initiation rites of
adulthood to the Ibiono traditional society, the
disadvantages tends to
outwit the benefits, with its enormous influence,
thereby creating
economic, educational, social, political and
religious effects on the
people, which has resulted to developmental
retrogression in Ibiono
traditional society. Therefore, one will
recommend that, while not adopting
the negative/harmful practices of ‘Ekong’
initiation rites, the good part
must be preserved and mingle with the modern
concept thereby maintaining
the peoples distinctiveness.

for more detail contact burabarisunday@gmail.com

This work is published by
Deezia B. S. (2016) Ekong Initiation Rites into Adulthood among the Ibibio/Ibion People of Akwaibom State. Icheke journal of the faculty of humanities, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Port Harcourt. Vol 14 No 1. pp 59-72