NSIBIDI AND THE IBIBIO CIVILIZATION OF AROCHUKWU


The Ibibio word "Nyibi" which means turn in English, is the root of Nyibidi. Nyibidi means turning. The play was usually accompanied with drummings. The drum is called Ibit in Ibibio. The drum for the ruling Crown is called Ibit Itam. Itam means crown, hat, or headgear. Ekpe(leopard) was indeed the governing deity and Ibit Itam was one of their major plays. Ukara means governance or government in Ibibio. Ukara cloth is worn by those in the government of Ekpe. The Ekpe and even Ekpo masquerade of old used to dance in a circular motion in order to induce a trance-like effect or feeling. Hence Nyibidi. Ibibio is the largest language of the Cross River and Akwa Ibom territories. Efik, Ekoi, Annang, Oron, Eket, Qua, Ibeno, Okobo,etc. are all variations of Ibibio. The Ibibio owned and controlled Arochukwu until they lost it in 1634 to the allied forces of the migrating Igbo and the Akpa. The Igbo slaves of the Ibibio rebelled and joined forces with the Akpa who were themselves of Ibibio origin.
The Ibibios left both Arochukwu and their ancient Long Juju, but those who remained continued to run the oracles and influence the Igbo converts/practitioners of Ekpe.
The Ibibios and Efiks taught Nsibidi to the Igbos through the Ekpe society. The chief language used in Ekpe is Ibibio. The Ibibios and Efiks knew Arochukwu as Ibom and Mbot Abasi. Mbot means creation. Abasi means God. Therefore, Mbot Abasi means the creation of God or, simply, the people of God. While in Arochukwu, the Ibibio leaders had a secret society called Ekpe. Ekpe means leopard or lion. The leadership operated (and still does)in an esoteric manner. Only members are privy to the innerworkings of the group. They developed an elaborate system of logograms through which their ideas, knowledge, and activities were recorded. Nyibidi which means turning (going in circles), evolved into Nsibidi. Nsibidi is Ibibio for what is at play or, what's playing? Nso = what. I(as in letter "e" = is. Bidi = play or playing. NSO-I-BIDI (NSIBIDI) or NSO-I-BIRI(NSIBIRI) means what's playing? What's at play?
Therefore, Nsibidi means what is playing or, what's at play? The language and words used in Nsibidi ceremonies are mostly if not all Ibibio words. Ikpo is Ibibio word for funeral. Ikpe is also Ibibio for judgment. Enyong or eniong is Ibibio word for North or upper strata. Ekpe is Ibibio word for leopard and Esop is Ibibio word for court. Nsibidi was later adopted as the name for the writings associated with Ekpe society. It is true that the Europeans found most of the Nsibidi script among the Ekoi, but it is really of Ibibio origin. When Aro and their allies conquered the Ibibio in 1634, they took over the oracle but retained its priests, with Loesin as the chief priest. It was he who later initiated the new Aro indigenes into the cult as priests. IBINI UKPABI is the IGBO corruption of IBIT UKPABI( Ibibio for DRUM of the CREATOR or DRUM of the CREATOR GOD).
Some say the Igbos used the word IBINI as homage to the slave-raiding Oba of Benin who caused their migration to Arochukwu. After the IBIBIO lost AROCHUKWU, the Igbos renamed the Ibibio deity IBIT ITAM (Drum of the Crown). They called it IBINI UKPABI. IBIT is IBIBIO for DRUM. UKPABI is the creator. The corrupted version, IBINI UKPABI, is what they use these days. Since Arochukwu(Mbot Abasi in Ibibio or God's creation/people in English) is the spititual center of the Igbo race, you can say that their 'holyland' is actually of Ibibio origin. I'll call it the IBIBIO CIVILIZATION OF AROCHUKWU. The Ibibio created it and that explains why the Aro deities have mostly Ibibio names.
Photo's Source:Northcote Whitridge Thomas (1914) Anthropological report on the Ibo-speaking peoples of Nigeria, Part IV. Harrison and Sons
Author: Northcote Whitridge Thomas
Additional source: http://www.mediander.com/connects/501555/anaang-people/#!/

Sweet culture

Is this a product of postcolonial era?

Please ah will like to meet you...

For more knowledge

Am from Aro

I don't know what the writer of that Article smoked.
Arochukwu people were never slaves of any Ibibio people.
Nsibidi is not of Ibibio origin. It's of Ejagham origin and from there spread to the whole Cross River area, including Arochukwu and Ibibio.

Ekpe seem to have been borrowed by Arochukwu people from the Ibibios/Efiks.

And oh, Arochukwu is/ was not the spiritual centre of the Igbo race, if anyone can lay claim to that title, it will be the Nri, as their influence was more widespread.

As for the Origin of Ibini Ukpabi, I am not really versed in that, but I'm sure it's not as the OP put it.
There were days when we had an in house Aro historian here, Odumchi by name, he hardly show up these days, he would have thrown more light on that.
cc: ChinenyeN, Rodiollo, bigfrancis21

samobo:
NSIBIDI AND THE IBIBIO CIVILIZATION OF AROCHUKWU


The Ibibio word "Nyibi" which means turn in English, is the root of Nyibidi. Nyibidi means turning. The play was usually accompanied with drummings. The drum is called Ibit in Ibibio. The drum for the ruling Crown is called Ibit Itam. Itam means crown, hat, or headgear. Ekpe(leopard) was indeed the governing deity and Ibit Itam was one of their major plays. Ukara means governance or government in Ibibio. Ukara cloth is worn by those in the government of Ekpe. The Ekpe and even Ekpo masquerade of old used to dance in a circular motion in order to induce a trance-like effect or feeling. Hence Nyibidi. Ibibio is the largest language of the Cross River and Akwa Ibom territories. Efik, Ekoi, Annang, Oron, Eket, Qua, Ibeno, Okobo,etc. are all variations of Ibibio. The Ibibio owned and controlled Arochukwu until they lost it in 1634 to the allied forces of the migrating Igbo and the Akpa. The Igbo slaves of the Ibibio rebelled and joined forces with the Akpa who were themselves of Ibibio origin.
The Ibibios left both Arochukwu and their ancient Long Juju, but those who remained continued to run the oracles and influence the Igbo converts/practitioners of Ekpe.
The Ibibios and Efiks taught Nsibidi to the Igbos through the Ekpe society. The chief language used in Ekpe is Ibibio. The Ibibios and Efiks knew Arochukwu as Ibom and Mbot Abasi. Mbot means creation. Abasi means God. Therefore, Mbot Abasi means the creation of God or, simply, the people of God. While in Arochukwu, the Ibibio leaders had a secret society called Ekpe. Ekpe means leopard or lion. The leadership operated (and still does)in an esoteric manner. Only members are privy to the innerworkings of the group. They developed an elaborate system of logograms through which their ideas, knowledge, and activities were recorded. Nyibidi which means turning (going in circles), evolved into Nsibidi. Nsibidi is Ibibio for what is at play or, what's playing? Nso = what. I(as in letter "e" = is. Bidi = play or playing. NSO-I-BIDI (NSIBIDI) or NSO-I-BIRI(NSIBIRI) means what's playing? What's at play?
Therefore, Nsibidi means what is playing or, what's at play? The language and words used in Nsibidi ceremonies are mostly if not all Ibibio words. Ikpo is Ibibio word for funeral. Ikpe is also Ibibio for judgment. Enyong or eniong is Ibibio word for North or upper strata. Ekpe is Ibibio word for leopard and Esop is Ibibio word for court. Nsibidi was later adopted as the name for the writings associated with Ekpe society. It is true that the Europeans found most of the Nsibidi script among the Ekoi, but it is really of Ibibio origin. When Aro and their allies conquered the Ibibio in 1634, they took over the oracle but retained its priests, with Loesin as the chief priest. It was he who later initiated the new Aro indigenes into the cult as priests. IBINI UKPABI is the IGBO corruption of IBIT UKPABI( Ibibio for DRUM of the CREATOR or DRUM of the CREATOR GOD).
Some say the Igbos used the word IBINI as homage to the slave-raiding Oba of Benin who caused their migration to Arochukwu. After the IBIBIO lost AROCHUKWU, the Igbos renamed the Ibibio deity IBIT ITAM (Drum of the Crown). They called it IBINI UKPABI. IBIT is IBIBIO for DRUM. UKPABI is the creator. The corrupted version, IBINI UKPABI, is what they use these days. Since Arochukwu(Mbot Abasi in Ibibio or God's creation/people in English) is the spititual center of the Igbo race, you can say that their 'holyland' is actually of Ibibio origin. I'll call it the IBIBIO CIVILIZATION OF AROCHUKWU. The Ibibio created it and that explains why the Aro deities have mostly Ibibio names.
Photo's Source:Northcote Whitridge Thomas (1914) Anthropological report on the Ibo-speaking peoples of Nigeria, Part IV. Harrison and Sons
Author: Northcote Whitridge Thomas
Additional source: http://www.mediander.com/connects/501555/anaang-people/#!/

Interesting post but there were no "Igbo slaves of the Ibibio" lol it was a tenant/landlord relationship between the Eze Agwu lineage and the indigenous Ibibio. The relationship went sour and eventually there was war. The Eze Agwu lineage invited Nnachi Ipia (founder of the Oke Nnachi lineage) the medicine man from Edda for assistance during the war. Nnachi Ipia invited the Akpa-Ekoi (Ibom Isii lineage) from East of the Cross River to intervene.

Many of the Ibibios that remained in Arochukwu after the war were actually relatives of Eze Agwu Inobia (founder of the Eze Agwu lineage) that allied with him during the war.

The story is near truth but largely doctored to diminish Igbo contribution as usual. The influence of the long juju was made more widespread by the Aros even though Ibibios founded it.

Now here is a little lecture for those Ekpeyes and Ikwerres still looking for the Bini they come from. That Bini is simply "Ibini Ukpabi" which is what the memories of the early migrants could preserve. Till this day Ekpeye calls God "Ibilikpabi". Any true historian of that axis should go ahead and trace the migration pattern easily.

AtaniWarrior:


Interesting post but there were no "Igbo slaves of the Ibibio" lol it was a tenant/landlord relationship between the Eze Agwu lineage and the indigenous Ibibio. The relationship went sour and eventually there was war. The Eze Agwu lineage invited Nnachi Ipia (founder of the Oke Nnachi lineage) the medicine man from Edda for assistance during the war. Nnachi Ipia invited the Akpa-Ekoi (Ibom Isii lineage) from East of the Cross River to intervene.

Many of the Ibibios that remained in Arochukwu after the war were actually relatives of Eze Agwu Inobia (founder of the Eze Agwu lineage) that allied with him during the war.

There were Igbo slaves owned by the Ibibio/Efik