WHO IS CLOSER IN REALITY AND LOGIC TO THE NATURE OF EKPE: THE EFIK OR EJAGHAM CLAIMANT?
© Holyns Hogan, 2024
Undoubtedly, every doubt appears allayed about the origin of Nsibidi, through a recent International Public Lecture in which all six (6) globally acclaimed speakers (of Efik, Ejagham, Aro-Igbo, Cuba and Efut-Isangele descents) agreed to my KEYNOTE Paper assertions that “Efik is the oldest and most known originators and practitioners of Nsibidi. Besides, is the historically authenticated truth that Efik never acquired Ekpe from any indentured servers’ progenitors as often wrongly claimed by cynics and self-seeking revisionists. Accordingly, the spotlight is currently on the origin of NYAMKPE, equally contested by rivals.
In the light of the above, I, HOLYNS HOGAN (Prince EkpenyọñAbasi Abasi Otu III of Ikot Otu Royal House of Obutọñ Akani Obio and Abasi Ọfiọñ Ọkọhọ Efiom Ekpo -Eyamba Royal House of Iboku Utan) have automatically and without any doubt by the custodians of Efik culture, customs and traditions, become the very first in history to openly provide the Efik origin and meaning of Nyamkpe, from its etymology.
Precisely, I authoritatively define “Nyamkpe as a corruption of marriage between two distinctly related Efik words –NYAM[A] and EKPE or NYAMAEKPE, to mean the natural fierceness associated with Ekpe’s look, ferocity, vindictiveness or wrath when angered or have its set rules violated by errancy or irreverent acts by sundry culprits. These basically includes Ibet, Mbiam, Ndom and Ukim Ekpe and Iwuk Ekpe- which in extreme cases, lead to death” (to be cited as Hogan, 2024).
On the opposite end, my Biase Eburutu friend and brother, Francis Etang , while responding elsewhere to my call for the Ejagham meaning and etymology of NYAMGBE… informed that it coincidentally (but not in like lexical/ etymological manner) evolved from “NYAM MGBE”, translated to “Ekpe Meat”.
LOGICAL/DIALECTICAL PROGRESSION
Now, without any sentiments, fear, prejudice or subjectivity, let the above premises guide our theses and antitheses as we debate to logically arrive at a generally accepted synthesis on the subject.
1. If true that Ekpe is sacred, secret, mystical, fearsome and vindictive by its nature, content, character and customs as a triumvir, cult or totem, it follows logically that the Efik’s NYAMKPE is by definition and translation more EKPEISTIC than the Ejagham’s NYAMGBE because Ekpe’s meat (whether figuratively contextualized as synecdoche or metonymy/metaphor) does not truly reflect its often accentuated deistic, fearsome, totemic or triumvir nature desired by initiates (Hogan, 2024).
2. If true that we should consider as making sense, the thought that the Ejagham’s NYAMGBE translates to “Ekpe’s Meat”, it poses such critical moral or Socratic question as -IS EKPE’S MEAT MORE POWERFUL THAN EKPE in context and contest? If YES, HOW? If NO, WHY?
3. If true that NYAM is equally an Ugep and/or Biase Eburutu word for MEAT and both acknowledge Efik as their prominent brother and mentor/critical stake holder in Ekpe and Nsibidi matter, it follows logically that the Efik’s are equally qualified to use Nyam in like manner (if that was equally set as the bases for such argument).
Finally, let the debate continue with deductive, logical/sound reasoning and conclusion that appease even the gods as Plato said.
HAVE YOUR SAY!
