TRADITIONAL MUSIC AS HISTORY AONG THE

EFIK -
A CASE STUDY OP CHIBF
INYANG NTA HENSHAW.

A SPBCIAL RESBARCH PROJECT

SUBMITTED BY
LAWRENCIA UKPONG OFFIONG
76/0102030

TO THB DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY

UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR,

CALABAR.

BEING PA.TIAL FULFILIENT OR THE

RE UIREME TS FOR

A BACHELOR Or ARTS DEGREF IN HISTORY.

JUNE, 1980.
 CERTIFICATION
I certify that this Research
Paper was conducted in the
Department of History, University of Calabar by .*..

LAWRENC IA UKPONG OFTIONG.

Supervisor's Name . . . 9 : : . i i .UYA

Signature *
Date . . . i ..sla1s.
 DEDICATION

This pa per is dedicated to the everlasting

memory of ny late grand parents Chief and Mrs.

Frank U. A. Offion3.
 C0NTENTS

PAGE
PREFACE iii
MAP AND PLATES vi

ABBREVIATIONS vii

INTRODUCTION 1

CHAPTER ONE:
SOME ASPECTS OF EPIK HISTORY
AS THBY INFLUENCED EFIK
TRADITIONAL MUSIC 5
CHAPTER THO
A BIOGRAPHI CAL SKETCH OF
CHIEF INYANG NTA HENSHAW 21

CHAPTER THRDE
HISTORY IN MUSIC 31
CONCLUSION 49
BIBLIOGRAPHY 52
ERT IL
TAL O? CRI 2VIDENCE
55
 Efik land is rich in cultural
heritage and traditional
assets yet very 1ittle attenpt has been made to prescrve these
precious 'gems in any form of historical written document. As
I cons ider the inportant role played by murtc in Efilk Tradi-
tional 1ife, I decid ed to Write project
a on RADIPIONAL JUSTC
SI3TORY AMONG TUR BEIK-A CAJE STUDY OP CT EF INY. IG ND
HESHA
Chicf Inyang Nta Hens haw is as yet the only one in ETiE

8ociety ho has tried to use msic to reflect some aspects

of 1ife of the fik. He is a prolific musician and he could

also be seen as one whose music is highly poctical. This, of

cours e, is the nain characteris tic of Efik traditional music.

T i s worlk wil1 be developed in three nain parts unequal y

distributed in chapt ers fron 1 - 3. The first chapter ains

at giving sone a8pe0t sof Efik history. ihe origin of the

E 1k and their journey to the pres ent site will be examined

briefly.
The second chapter doal.s with the biographical sketoh

01 Chi.ef Inyang Nta HenshaW, the oase study of whose music

will forn the nain part of this worlt.

In aapt er threo a ori tical evaluation of five of t h

Works of Chiei Jlenshaw will be attempted. The conclusion is

 iv

recapitulation and appreciation of thie work, and evalUa

tion of the impact of the work of Chief
Henshaw on society.
For this project which is an original topic, I had a

limited l i s t of
bibliography. However, I relied heavily on

oral information whi ch I

gathered during my work of pers onal
interviews with Chief Inyang Nta Henshaw, the central figure
of this project, and many other of his
contemporaries. The
translations used in this work are by no means 1iteral, They
are only employed to shOW the
meaning behind each songS.
This work could not have been
possible without the
encouragement and contributions of several pers ons. IL
therefore express my infinite gratitude to them. In this reB-

gard, my thanks go to the members and staff of the

de partment
of History whose guidan ce I found most useful. In a parti-
Cular way, however, I must thank ny Dean and Head of

Department, Profess or 0. E. Uya. Professor Uya, Supervisor

of this project, has with his chara cteristic devotednesss
to duty and inexhaustible patience guided my steps during
Dhis wOrk, and has given me invaluable
help.
I am also erate ful to thc staff of the Enugu Branch of
the lational Archives for
the ir help.
I must thank, in a very spe cial way Chief Inyang Nta
Henshaw who always made his timo and 1ibrary available for
the main sources of material without which this work would

have been impossible.

My profound Eratitude goes to my brother Lieutenant

Joseph U. Offiong, my sister Miss Florence U. offiong and a
all ny aunties and uncles whose words of encouragement

3purred me strongly to the end. Very special thanks go also

to Sr. Gladys Ngozi Uba P.H.H.C.J. , who helped in typing my

hand written pages.

LAWRENCIA OFFIONG

UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR

CALABAR, NIGERIA .

JUNE, 1 980.
 vi

MAP AND PLATES

MAP FACING PAGE 5: A map showing the routes of migration

of the Efik.

PLATE 1 FACING PAGE 21: Chief Inyang Nta Henshau in his Traditional

Attire
PLATE 2 FACING PAGE 22: The picture of Late Chief Thonas Henshau

(Chief Inyang Nta Henshau's father)

PLATE 3 FACING PAGE 23: The picture of Late Madam Esemin Ita

Asibong (Chief Inyang Nta Henshaw's Mother)

PLATE 4 FACING PAGE 28: Chief Inyang Nta Henshaw and his

Bandsmen "The Top Ten Aces".

PLATE 5 FACING PAGE 29: Chief Inyang Nta Henshau and his group

Ti.e Cannan Brothers" on the Sea Share.

PLATE 6 FACING PAGE 30: Chief Inyang Nta Henshcu (Extreme right)

and his Children.

PLATE 7 FACING PAGE 34 Scenery of Uld Calabar as seen from

the beach.

PLATE B FACING PAGE 45: Chief Inyang Nta Henshaw in his Ndem's

regalia showing ISANDA and IkA.

 vii

ABBR EVIA TI0 NS

C. H. d. Calabar Historical Journal

NA/B National Archives Enugu

T.H. S. G. Transactions of the Historical

Society of Gkana.
 INTRODUCTION
The writing of African History, until recantly, has

been based largely on written records. This dependence on

written documents there fore presents the picture that the

history of mo-1iterate societies cannot be reconstructed in

the absence of these documents. Even in dealin with these

societies with written re cords, one also realizes that these

records were kept by European writers. Consequently, their

perspective has until recently remained Euro-centric.

Unfortunately, this much re liance upon documents and indeed

the ins istence upon them, have led the historian to dis-

regard the history of re-iiterate societies .

Due to the dearth of indigenous docunentary source

increasingly coming to nake use

naterials, scholars are now

of oral tradition for the reconstruction of the history of

Added to this is the use of

pre-1iterate societies.

ethnographic data. Vansina defines othnographic data as

"artifacts, cust oms, or be liefs held by a group which

testify to their earlier usage in the past".'

According to Profossor 0. E. Uya, Ethnoraphic data

1. T. O. RANGER, EMERGING THEMES OF AFRICAN

HISTORY. (L.ONDON.1968) P. 97.
 2

include iusic and songs, proverbs, drun beats, horn blowing,

dirges, incantations, oaths and the like, Each of then

yields valuable historical information. As stated by tho
famous Yoruba historian, Biobaku, "In sons we find more
passages of historical value than in proverbs"."
rofessor Uya also supports this by saying that perhaps the
most inportant Ethnographic data for historical recon-
struetion is mueic and song".
The world of mmsic is a world where we can 1earn more
about nankind. I t is a world pulsating with spiritual forces
that unashamedly lays bare its inner truths and reveals
the thre shold of hunan happiness. Broadly speaking, masic
is defined as the "art of c ombining sounds in a manner
pleasing to the ear",4 Applied in the context of Efik
traditional misic, this art of sound c onbinat ion is followed
by sonorous choruses with a rhythmic appeal which reflects
the cultural and geographical influences of the Efik

sOciety. They are regulated according to the traditional

us ic played.
The three predominant methods of musical expressions
are: instruments, dances and songs. But in African socie
ties, the right to play certain instrunents or to participate

2. S. 0. BIOB:.LU SOURCES OF YORUBA HISTORY (LONDOT 1973

7
O. 3. UY AFRICAN HI3TORY:SOIL PROBI 3 I
OHODOXLOG I 1.ND PuRSPLCIVS P.

4.
. PRANCIS BEBBEY ATRICAI MUSIC,APEOPLESART.
(GREAT BRITAIM) P. 2

5. JOHN LOVELL (JR) BLACK SONG: THE FORGE AND THE

PLAME. (LONDON, 1972) P. 39
 3
in traditional ceremonies is not open to all.Bfik msicians do
not only seek to combine sounds in a manner pleasing to the car

their aim is also to express life in al1 its aspects thr ough

the med iun of sound.

Bfik music is fundamentally a collective art. It is a

commanal property whose spiritual qualities are shared and

experienced by all, In sh or t, it is an art form that can and

mst commani unte with everybody. Two facts are to be noted in

this regard; msic is an integreal part of Efik 1ife fron the

cradle to the grave; msic covers the indepth possible range
of express ion . The Efik sing in tines of joy and sadness.

The aim of this paper is to attempt to use music in

reconstructing sone aspects of Bfik history,

According to E. U, Aye:
Prior to the introduction of the alphabet, Efik l i t e r a

ture was for the most part oral. This took the form of story-

telling, singing of bardi poetry ab out rivers, seas, aninals,

love or hate, and variou Efik deities, and as these were not

written down we could only have them in traditions and

folklore",As a result of this, Bfik 1iterature was wedded

6. E. U. AYE, D CALABAR TH OUGH THE CENTURIES

OATABAR, 1967) P. 189
to sound. History was then written through misic.
As i8 shown below, the music of Inyang Nta Henshaw cannot

be divorced from the cultural nilieu of the Bfik of which he

i8, by far one of the greatest protagonists.
 CALABAR & THE CROSS RIVER

RIVER

Itu Mbauz
ssovD
lbom

Ukwa

U t u t u
iet An
Arochuku

1TO
mon

ENYONG
EKI
UWET

AKPAP

OkoYONG

ITU
Adiabo
OKU 1BOKUO

IKOROFIONG

gIKONETO
URUAN

Creek Tewn
IKPA Ikang
,

ORON CP

Efhk migration & expansion

Qua BUIU
Efut

10
IBENO
EFIATL e Ta Shatt
Miles
 CHAPTER 1
SOME ASPECTS OF DPIK HISTORY AS THEY
INFLUENCBD BFIK TRADIIONAL MUSIC
In order to have a olear understanding of the traditional

ueic of the Efik, it is necessary to have an insight into

the ir history. The origin and migration of the Efik oan well
be said to be s t i l l shrouded in chscuri-- requiring further

reaearch for any authentic conclusions to be made. This

observation derives from the mltitude of variant s on the

above topic whi ch are largely conflicting and inconsistent.

The numerous variants can for the purpose of this Work

be classified under throe separate the iea or lesends, These

include the Efik as Ibibio eztraction, their Igbo Origin and

the "Oriental' Origin. The apostles of the Efik as an Ibibio

off-shoot of which E. A. Udo is one of the most vocal, features

such trestern scholars 1ik Jeffreys, Talbot, Ford, Mylius,

11
and Consul Thomas Hut-Chins on. It appears to me that the

central core of Uao's Ib: bio Origin of i k revolves around

U. M.E.W.JEFFRE YS, OLD CALABAR AND NOTES ON THE

LBIBIO0ANGUAGE (CALABAR 1935 P.23
8. P.A. TALBOT , THTR PEOPI3S OF SOUTHBRN NIGERIA
VO ILO DON 1 184
9. DARYLL PORDE, BFIK TRADERS OF OLD CALABAR (LONDON
1968 P. vii
10. B.N.MYLIUS, INTELLIGENT REPO RT N0.CALPROF 55/
1/553 (1952-1953) NA/
11. THOMASJ HUTCHINSON, IMPRESSIONS OF WESTERN APRICA.
(LONDON1970) F.T28
 6
two basic social and cultural
institutions, namely, the Ekpe
and the Obonship. Briefly speaking Udo's argument maintains
that the Efik initially used the Ekpe as their symbol of

authority; stressing a rather, parochial opinion that "he

reatest difference between the mainland Ibibio and the Efik

is the absence of 12
Fkpo Nyoho among the Efik".'"He presents
the case credited with Chief P.0. Akpan, the Southern Uruan

Sroup head who narrated to him how the Efik got their Ekpe.

The st ory is that when the Northern Uruan were expelled by the

6Xpanding Aros, they were unable to settle with their Ki th and

Kin and wandered to their present site where, in contact with

the Efut and Qua, adopted the Ekpe secret society, which was

the Efut and the Qua ' s i n s t r u n e n t of governnent. ?

One point

is that at the tine of the account referred to, the Qua had no

kpe in their vocabulary, kpe from its inception being a

typical Efik word. If Udo was referring to Mzbe he ought to

r t it in tho context of ho Qua 's social and political systems .

12
12. E. A. UDO, A IEVIEW OF AFIGBO'S WORK: THE ORIGIN
OF EFTKS" (UNPUBLI SHED)
TH CALABAR HISTORICAL JOURNAL VOL.I
P.I NOI JU!NE 1976. P. 169
13. L, P.T. 169-1 70
 7
Arain, Udo d oes not seem to come to grips With the issues
involved in his arguenent. By ma intaining that "The Efik
ad optod the Ekpe 8e cret society in preference to Dkpo Nyoho
which was in their opinion less powerful than Ekpe in the
control of the large slave
popula tion anong the Efik".* Udo 's
theory immediately shows two weamessa6.
Firstly, Udo falls a victim to the out-dated Eurocentric

interpretation of the evolution of African institutions. By

this 1evel of judgement, there would have been no Bkpe anong
the Efik,minus the dehumamizing incidence of European-imposed
slave trade. The implication is that only slaves fell within
the wrath of the
Ekpe powers. Nair has shown how the
Bkpe
iunctions be yond being a nere weapon of control of slaves to
the control of the Efik gentry as a debt collecting force, a

fact which endeared European traders to its membership,

Another point is that if Udo had taken tinc to know that the

kpo is conceived out of the link with spirits while the

Ekpe
was evolved after one of the aninals in the
bush, he would
Kmow with hi.s knowledge of African tradition of
spirits and
anccstral worship that i t would have rather been the
Bkpo
14. I9ID, P 170
15. K.K. AIR,
POLITICS AND SOCITY IN SOUTLEASTR
UIGERLA, (1841-1906) LONION 1972) F.276
 3
16
and not the Ekpe that could haro been nore powerful.'
On the question of Obong (King) which Udo is claiming to

be an Ibibio word he aga in seens to treed on a slippery

premisc. Firstly, Udo ought to know that without a thorough

research by historiang it becomes only a tentative assuaption

to nae flinsy claims that where two groups had been proved to

maintain the identities in an environment it was a particular

one that borrowed fron the other. It could as well have becn

vice versa. Again, Udo ought to reckon with Goldie a neutral

scholar, that from the inception, there was the Ndem Efik, a

tutelar deity. The man who took charge of this deity was sso

revered that he possessed the title of both Obong (king) and

priest, and was hinself known as king Calabar.'Since deities

are often dated with the origin of societies, where such

deities provide such societies with a singular synbol of

common ancestry, it stands to reason that the 0bons as

cxplained in king Calabar inplicitly existed in the Efik

political system from the inception of the Efik society, since

the Efilk naintained the Ndem Etik all along, it could as well

be that it wag the Ibibio Uruan who borrowed the title from

16. P. h. TiLEOT, PEOPLES OF SOUTIICRN NIGERIA VOL 3.

(LONDOIT1926) P, 155
17. . i . GOLDIL, CALADAR AND ITS MISSION
DINBUICH TO9O) P. 43
 9
In the second group of views of the Efik
origin, tha Efik
are portrayed as a hybrid product of a marriage between an

Ibibio woman, Atong Ama and an Igbo man, Okoroafor. This is an

out moded-legend. To buii.. their clain the proponents hf

this the ory often make capital of this fiction, espe cially as

it was written by E. N. Amaku, an Efilk from Eniong. This argu-

ment is of course weak and baseless. If tho Efik paternal
ancestor was Okoroafor ome expects that Okoroaf or should be

one of the two Efik

patriarchs namely Atai and Efion Ekpo. In
no way too is Ama on the side of the Ibibio, a feature in
Dfik patriarchal society. The Efik idiom of to which
kinship
blood ties and group affinity are traced has no place for either

Atong Ana or Okor oafor . As a historical material, the Efik had

strongly opposed not only the Atong Ama and Okoroafor stories

but veherently refuted sor e other such tales to the point of

instituting a litigation gainst the author in 1935.

The third group repre. ents the proponents of the "Oricntal"

Origin Aye, the most quoted authority in this regard *ntains

thet "The origin of the Efik poople points to the orient,'

but he docs not laov fron what oriental stock they enanatel.

18. I!TTLIIGENCE REPORT CALPROF 3/1/1326 CT. 1377 22nd JULY,

1935. CALABAR NATIVE COURT CASE NOS. 158 AND 250/35.
9K.PO NTA AMAKU WAS SUED BY PRINCE TPFIOM DUKE EPIRAIM
JID OTHRS.
19. . U. AT OLD ALABAR TIHROUGH TIE CENTURITS ( CALABAR
T96D P. 22
 10
He draws some similarities between the Efik and tho oriental
countrics using their social
practices and vocabularies for
instance, he noted the Efik
association of the Okukim Erong
(ram) with power and thunder as common with the
Egyptians who
even regarded the ran as a
god . There were also other common
traits like the pouring of libation,
repetition of incantations
during cerenonies and the observance of the rite of Wdok which
in the deem past was a "biennicl purgation of the whole
Community. 20

Buttressing the Oriental origin, Aye uses comparative

vocabularies on his pages 29-30 as showm below:

Bnglish Efik Orient

Love Ima Mai (ancient Egyptian)
or Mr

Water Mmong Mo-y (ancient Egyptian)

men (ancient Phoenicians)
Go Ka Ga (Sanshrit)

Encircle Kara Karar Hobrew)

Or

Rule

TwO Iba Ubar (Sanskrit)

Eye Enyin Ayin (hoonicians)

20. IBID P. 29
 11

Lending weight to Aye 's oricntal origin Ajato c e recorded

that:
nThe long accepted work by C. D. Fordo is now grossly
inadequate as i t held the errone ous view that the Efik were n

merely offshoots of the Ibibio - t h e Efik as we now know,

had nigrated into Nigeria from the Orient (possibly Ethiopia

or ancient Mubia) and met the Ibibio in the 1atters present

homes <21
A Popular variant of the Efik origin and migration is

typified by the account of Etubom Ekpenyong Efi ok Asama Ekpe

nyongbi iok Byo Honesty 8th of the dak Uko group. According to

this view, the Efik who were a nonadic tribe in the Sudan

eventually wandered their way down to West African coast where

they scjourned in the Ghanain town of Sekondi. Evidence has

been deduced from common ranes like Tete Ansa, and Ata betwe en

the "Ef ik and the people of Ghana.

On leaving Ghana the "Efik" arrived Burutu in the Niger

Delta where they acquired the sobriguet "Eburutu" often

denoting the Efik prowess at wor, from hore, a dispersal took

some units to Abonnema, Itu Mbauz or and Ikom in Arochulkw.

After other waves of migration a majority group noved down

21. AJATO AMOS, FOCUS ON THD SOUTH BASTERN STATE OF

NIGERIA. VOL I, NO,I 1970. P. 30
 12

the Enyong and Cros3 Rivers where they reached Mbiabo Edere;

while some people settled at Mbiabo Edere others pushed to Oku

Iboku near Ikot Offiong. This group 1ater broke up and moved

d own to Esuk Odu in Ibibio land. There , following an alleged

great misunders tand ing between the Ibibio and the Fburutu the

Ibibio nickmamed them "Efik or "oppreasorg. From Esuk Odu,

the Bfik migrated to Ikpa Ene on the Cross River which is still
22
known as Akaniobio Efik (Crou: Town).

The period of the Efik arrival at Gre ek Town is not expli-

citly kmown but David Northrup writes that the Efik ucleus in

Greek Town was probably found ed by the middle of the 1 6th

century or e a r l i e r ,<
25 The Bfik are very critical about the

claims of certain scholars ; they disgree with Jeffre ys on his

clain of the ir Ibibio origin, and with Goldie that they arrivedd

the ir present locale in the 17th century. They believed that

they had already settled in the i r pre sent place of abode since
24
the 15th century.

22. A. K. HART, REPORT OF THE ENQUIRY INTO THE DISPUTE

OVER THE OBONG-SHIP 0F CALABAR (ENUGU
1964) P, 25
23. DAVID NORTHRUP, TRADE WTTHOUT RULDRS. (0XFORD 1978) P.38
24 K. 0. DIKE, TRADE AND POLITICS IN THE NIGER DELTA.
1830-1885 (TONDON 1966) P. 24
 13
It is recorded that the occupation of 0ld Town about 1650

was conscquent upon internal dissension among the settled Efik

migrants at creek Tom. Somc Chiofs then decided to go further

down thc river to found Obutong ( popular1ly known as 0ld Town)

It is claimed that Duke Town evolved as a result of trade

rivalry between creek Town and 0ld Town about 1670. The story

goes that with the foundation of 0ld Towm the d ominating posi-
tion of Greek Town in the European trade was threateed by the

ideal and strategic location of 0ld Town. To renove this in-

balance, some Efik Chiefs in Creck Town rapped out on found inS
Atakpa 26 (Duke Town) about two miles south of Obutong close to

the trading ships. The causal factor for the foundation of

Duke Town as given is very misleading, I t represents an attempt

by the white scholars to interprete African dymamics in general

terms. The Efik tradition have their own version which appears

TsOre convincing. In this vicw, the evolution of Duke Town was

by accident a natural phenomenon. £fi on £kp0, the ancestor of

onG lincage of Efik society while in Greek Town had four

childrcn. Ansa Effi om (Tna l e ) , Edem Fffi om (male) Okoho Effiom

(fomale) and 0do Effiom (Femalc)* Unfortunately for Okoho, she

ir.cidcntally gave birth to twins. That beinS an abonination

2 P. . . TALBOT, LEQRLE_QF_9QUTIERNNIGERIAVOLL
(LONDON 1926 P. 185
26. 122 P. 185
27. A K. HART, REPOR OF ENQUIRY P. 29
2 BD, . 28
 14
against the norms of the sooiety, she etood the risk of seclu-

29
sion while the children had to be dostroyed sumarily ."7

In eympa thy, Båen Bffiom, the brother of Okoho, stealthily

sneaked away with them and placed them at the right bank of the

Calabar river. On attaining adulthood, they then established

a new home in their present abodo; they then be came the fournders

of Atakpa (Duke Town). After set tlement, the children of Okoho

wanted to establish their auton omy by build ing their Ekpe shed.

The people of Ansa cla imed the right to erect the principal

pillar, on the grounds of being the descendants of the eldest

male of the family. Though conceding to this point, the

children of Okoho who were now having advantage of nunber

raised a stiff opposition and maintained that 0ffiong Okoho

and Effiom Ok oho were the actual founders of Atakpa. In dismay,

the people of Anea Effi om left and settled anong the Bnwangs

(in present location of Neidung-Henshaw Town) who subsequently

30
Oved to Bfiat-Oron.

In 1670, the Bfik had settlod in all their pres ent places
of abode, Each of the settlenents founded were made up of

houses snd fani1ics which traced thoir ancestry directly to the

founder of the house, patorna l1 y and the 1inoage aither

peternal ly or natornal ly . Phe toma were indepondent of each

29. BD, P28

30. DARYLL PORD, oPoL P.122 AND M.8.NOAH, OLD CALABARI
2 19th g P 93
 15
other, though bound to cach other by kinship ties. Within each
town itself, the hous es were also independent of the exactions
of each other and of the Dtubom Obio (town head). Therefore
such, he could not
although the Dtubom Obio was recognized as

that made
interfer in matters internal to each of the houses
to do so o r i f he was himself,
up the town-unless requested
a member of that house.
character of the
In the late 18th and 19th conturies, the
of true
houses changed. They now were not mainly composed
to include
descendants of the founding ancestors, they came
elements who
also the ir their families and strenger
slaves and
31
themselves to them for protection and trade purposes
attached

This has nade some Writers say that

the houses were r e s u l t

of Efik response to the Buropean slave trade;32 and the

This change was
"introduction of slaves into Efik society".
laves with the accompanying struggle
the result of the trade in s

and power which was derived from the

for wealth, position
house concerned. For example, Duke
numerical strength of the
and Gre ek town came to donirate
and Eyo houses in Duke towm
merchants 34 because
the trade on the coast with the European

of their numerical strength.

on trade which was under the overall
The houses depended
house-both
control of their Etubom.
He had wide powers in his
nake o r
internally and ly, and i t was he who could
externa
35 and what i t could
break a house for th.e struggle for trade
of nany families and the star-
bring led to the breaking away
wealthy fanilies
houses of .

ting of new

P. 133
31. IBID,
OPOIT P. 12
32. K. K. NAIR
1973)
33. A.J.H.LATHAM, OLD CALABAR (1600-1891) (OXFORD,
P. 33
PP. 43-48
34. LBID
OPCIT P. 13
35. K.K. AIR
 16
In this style, Duke house had become broken into Archibong,

Btim, Bffiom and Duke houses. Thence-forth, each became

autonomous and dealt with each other on equal basis.

An Efik, espec ially one who is aspiring for posit

in his house, had to trace his genealogy to the found ing

ancestor of the house and i f necessary to that of the

1ineage from which his house evolved. The resu1t was that

the house and their members became depositories of histori-

cal records about their p.at,

36 for when a pers on could

not trace his right through to the founder of the house and

he or she not considered an Efik, at most he was

beyond was

slave descendant or a retainer of the house.

thought of as a

Kinship was not the only means of binding the Efik

town and others on the banks of the Calabar

together. Duke
from Greek Town, each town was
river were separated
such. Though each
independent of the other and operat ed as

there a mediun
of the houses had much internal powers,
was

that transcended a l l these, the Bkpe Socie ty. It alone

sort of 'national' government of the Bfik. It

served as a

Cameroon
3 Whatever
1s held that the Efik got i t from the
henceforth became a unifying
1ts purpose had been them,

actor in the g0ciety, t be came the supreme law-making and

P. 7
36. LBID,
37. AJ.H.LATHAN OPCLT, P. 36
 17
decision taking organ, for it's functions were enorm ous 3d

all embra cing.

Ekpe made laws that were binding on the whole community

and it had the power to enforce them. It provided a forum

(the palaver house ) for the discussion of affairs of the

people and for the settlement of inter-town and inter-house

dispute8. The eld ere of the society who , more often than

not, were also important personalities in the house got

enormous powers and wealth from being members and could

divert trade to the bene fit of the ir houses. Each town had

its own Ekpe whi ch dealt with matters concerning her inter-

nal affairs. But there was a general council made up of

important Ekpe Chieftains from each c ommunityy.

One thing has to be aoted however, as in the case

where the t own cannot i .r in the activities of the

house or in that of anc her town, Ekpe laws were not also

operative inside the a onomeus entitics called houses.

Bkpe therefore only op rated effectively on a house to

house and tOwn to town basis.

In Efik society tharefore the house served various

important functions . I nadc the individual participate in

i t s trade, made its la/s and governed to the bene fit of

1ts nembers. I t protected them from the undue exactions of

38. B. U. AYE, OPCTT, PP 1&2

 outside forces and lastly served as a store house off

historical infornation on the society.

Four important streams influence the maritime nature of

Calabar which gave the city a one time revered and enviOus

position on the coast of West Africa. It has the Cross River

on the West and South and stands to the left bank of the
Calabar River. There are also the Great Kwa River and the

Akpaya fe in the East. But although the Cross River is the

d ominant river in the vicinity, the most inportant where

the ge Ograph of 0ld Calabar is concerned is the Calabar

River, hese rivers provide feature s which greatly

affected the lives of the people. Following this ideal

location, trade is reported to have be en going on between

the Efik, and the Rio del Rey region as far back as early
8ixteenth century where slaves, in human cargo, as well as

other items ranging fron asseigas and kmives featured

41
prominently as valuable trade goods.*

Initially, the Efil traded with their neighbours the

Quas and the Bfuts. These commercial contacts of such wide

nagnitude made possiblo contacts in other spheres of social

11fe especially in the cultural sphere . The geographi cal

39. BID, P. 2

40,. IBID, P. 2

41
41. DAVID NORTHRUP OPCIT, P. 40.
 19
location of the Efik noar rivers explains to a large extent,

the dominant water inage found in their culture. The water

whi ch was an important means of trade to the Bfik became so

prominent and ind ispensible to their 1ives that it inspired

then to a "religious" worship which is reserved only to a

deity. Eventually, these inspiration and strong convictions

gave birth to the NDEM CULT which is now the nost powerful

cultic worship in the land. This great devotion to the wor

ship of Nden cult paved the way to the Bfik response to the

Christian religion when it was later introdu ced by the

Miss ionaries into the society.

As can be seen from the above discussi on the 2fik are

proud by nature and place premiun on their culture. They

have a high regerd for their name and reputation. This

explains why they uphold the cust oms and nores of the

society.
The Ekpe cultt which served as the inotrument of govern-

ment in traditional Bfik society also greatly influenced the

cultural 1ife of the people, as will be seen in the later

part of this work.

Although at the early stage of the history-making
spoch of the Bfik the people were grea tly concerned with

the bui1d ing up of the ind ividual fanilies they later

became nore conscious, of being a people, with a more conmon

 20

understanding and mutual toleran ce than was the case in the

e9rlicr days.
A few pe oplo have tried to portray these aspects in the ir

works 1ike SIDIBE by Chief B. A. Bdyang; BDIKOT NWBD MBUK by

B. N. Amaku and NSA ENO by Chief Henry lyo all of happy nemory.

Neverthe le ss , the fact cannot be denied that Chie f Inyang Nta

Henshaw has exhaust ively re-constructed the Efik history

t h r ough his music. It is for this reason that I have decided

t o make a case study of some of his works. In the next

chapter, a biogra phical sketch of him will be given.

 ttire
attur
Chief Inyyang Nta Henshaw in his r a d i t i o n a l
 21

CHAPTER THO
A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF CHIER
INYANG NTA HENSHAW

Chief Inyang Nta Henshaw who is a celebrated exponent

of the Bfik culture has been what he is through his solid

personal attachments . The level of perfection in his chosen

career that he has reached and maintained, can only be

measured in terms of the mumerous works he has produced

about Efik nytholgy and culture expressed in his music. He

has been able to combine both task and wit:in his works

with the result that his music is widely acclaimed through-

out the country and abroad. His greatne ss cannot be dis-

cussed in isolation some thing must have be en respons i blle

for this. It is either the erironnent in which he grew

up or his family background. In this respe ct i t is help ful

to have an insight in to his family background.

Chief Thomas Henshaw, the third son of 1ate Obong Bkeng

Ita of Honshaw Town. Calabar was the father of Chief Inyang

Nta Henshaw. Ho was born in June 1876 and was educated in

the Duke Town school, Cala bar42 He was &reatly known in his

commanity as a patriotic, kind and a sympa thetic father.

He was very mmch loved by his people and he ranked amongst

42. INTERVIBW WITH CHIEF EWA T. HENSHAW (75 YRS) 10th

FEBRUARY, 1980.
Late Chief Thomas Henshaw (Chief Henshaws
Father)

Inyang Nta
 22
elites of the BTik
the comminity of his time. He had very

lose relationship with important Chie fs and so he was

mitiated into very neny traditional societies such as Bkpe

in which he
he ld the title of Obong Mkpe. He also joined the
Bkpri-Aka ta society In his youth ful days: Chie f Thomas
Henshaw was fond. of
wrestling and he was outstamdingly good
in singing and dancing. 4
Chief Inyang Henshaw 's mo ther, Madam Esemin Ita
Eso
Archib ong, Was kmoWn and called in school as Juana Robert

Hogan Archibongt Her father was late Chief Esemin Esemin

Archibong, brother of late Etubom
Ekpenyong Okon Archibong
of Itak Nkpa family of 0ld Town, Calabar.
She attended Hope Waddell Training Institute and read
up to the then standard six. She taught at Duke town
primary
school, and later became one of the foundation students at
Girl's Institute Crece Town, Calabar. In all these Institu-
tions, Chief Henshaw 's mother was 8 chorister having spent
longest time in 0ld Town church. Her eldest
brother, late

4. THIS IS AN INVISIBLE(UNIDENTIPIED) ORIMIAL

INVESTIGATION DETECTOR".
OPCIT, CHIEF EWA T. HBNSHAW.
45 INTDRVIEW WITH MR. BASSEY ESO H. HENSHAW (58YRS) 13th
PEBRUARY, 1980.
 M o t h e r )

Henshaw's

Late Madam Esemin Ita Asibong (Chief Inyang Nta

 2
hief Ephraim Arch bong, was an
evangelist in 0ld Town
46
church.
church Also her late immediate
brother, Chief Umo Edem
Amehibong waS a choir master and a conduct or in Duke Town
Church. Her junior ister, late iadam Grace R. H. Archib ong
uas also a member O1 the church. She was so good that she

was calledIndex of the' church choir" because she could

readily tell the number of any song in the church Hynnary

AS a young wOman, she spent several ye ars in the fatten-

ing room while there, was tutored in Efik music and house-

wifery. She was later given in marriage to Chief Nta Ekeng

Ita, alias Chief Thomas Henshaw of Henshaw Town, Calabar.

Before her marriage she had spent part of her life at Creck

Down, Ib onda and also 0ld Town Calabar socialising herself

in Efik traditional culture. She was deeply interested in

the ways of life of her pe ople and was reputedly lnown to

be a strict adherent of the customs and traditions of the

3fik.She was a membcr of such traditional societios as

40 49
Bsop Nka Idorenyin and Esop Nka Okut Ama.

4 IBID MR. BASSEY ESO H. HENSHAW.

47 IBID MR. BASSEY ESO H. HENSHLAW.

EHIS WAS AN ASSOCIATI ON OF THE TIME, AKIN TO CURRENT
ASSOCIATIONS LIKE CALABAR CHORAL PARTY OR THE YOUNG MEN
CHRI STI AN ASSOCIATTON.
49. LBID.
 24
ahe 1ater joned the Esop Mkparawa where she was made the Vice

President. Such was the family into which was born the i l l u

trious B11k musician.

Chief Inyang Nta Henshaw was born on June 10, 1927.0

Patermally he hails from Henshaw Town (Nsidung) and materna-

11y he comes from 0ld Town (Obut ong), a fact to which he

refers later in his msic, )1 He is the seventh son of late

Chief Thonas Henshaw, As a 1 i t t l e boy and a beginner, he

attended both Henshaw Towm and Hope Waddell Training Insti-

3
tutions in Calabar between 1937-1946. uring his sohool dayo
he was a keen singer at home and in Sunday School choirs .

Here also he showed interest in sports and games but his

interest was reater in music than any other activities. At

h e age of ten he joined the Henshaw Town church choir .

Later at fifteen, he was admitted into the Duke Town church

the nost outstand ing choir of that time He

choir which was .

did not stop at choral singing and church songs but was

also a lead voice in most churohes .

50. INTERVIEW WITH CHIEF INYANG NTA HENSHAW (53YRS) 27th

PDBRUARY 1980.

1 . OWO AMA OWO OBUP IMA(ONT LOVES THE ONE ONE ADMIRES)

0PCI2, CHTEP EWA T. HENSHAW.

2
ENSHAW (58YRS)
95 INTERVIEW WITH R . BASSEY ES0 HOGAN
13th FEBRUARY, 1980,
 AG ealy as 1958, his talent in music began to appear
more
i a i b l y when he s red the upper and lower primary

1ases. Hore he samg a piece entitled AKPONG ANWAN ADAIKUT,

t h e applause he received seems to have spurred him

a
trenendously on the road to his musical pursuit . 54

Being a young man vho was interested in singing he, most

of the time took part whenever there were traditional displays

i n songs and dances in the township and villages. I t was from

these activities that he acquired the mowledge of folklores,

ballards, and traditional mus ic of the Efik . 2

As a young nan , Chief Inyang Nta Henshaw was greatly

influenced by the strong conbination of the cultural traits

found in his par en ts . His 1ather late Chief Thomas Henshaw

was an mpcetant iradition :1l man in the society. During his

discussions vith hie fc 1' ow Chiefs, young ienshaw gained lanow-

ledge of certain prorerna and almost all his compositions are

Laddened wiih proverbs. hief Henshaw was also influenced by

other memlo ro of his fan 1ly. His Uncle late Chicf Eyo E.
rchi bong vas e title holdcr in Ekpe society. 6 It was the
a t e Chi.of vho initiate l youngE Henshaw into the Ekpe society

ate er age, He alro ue cd to accompany his Uncle late

54. OFC t 3ASSHY BSO HOGAN

I9AVTLY WI TH CHIEF INYANG NTA HEBNSHAV (53YRS) 20th
JUNE 1979.
s6. INTERVI2V VIRH CHIRP OBO BFFIO1 OBO BFFANGA (55YRS)
12th PBRUAKT 1980.
 hom Bkpenyong Hogan Arohi bong who was also a title holder
theEkpe sOC10 vy Ha8 Constant contact with
his uncles in
snd 1teide Ekpe sOCiety had a reat influence on him. Today
aof Honshaw 1s not only Skilled in the
Cha Ekpe cult but he is
also a title holder in the society,

Another influencing factor on Chief Inyang Nta Henshaw

snEthe churoh. His mother's strong attachmen t to the church
nnd its activitiee could not help but nake a deep impression
on youmg Honshaw 's nind an influence which contimmed into his
1ater 1ife, Lil-o his mother, Chief Henshaw was not a nore
Spec-
tator in the Church but an enthusiastic participant in all its

activities especially the choir. Here as has already been

stated he was always playing a lcad ing role.

His mother also encouraged hin culturally by bringing him

up t strict compliance with the ethics and norms of her

3ociety at the timc. She encouraged hin whenever he went up

with que stioms demand ing explanations. She also helped in

Cpla ining the poetical meanings of most of the follkl ores and
allarde in the traditional usic of the Bfik people. After
Gr explanat ions, it was then left to hin to oxpatiate on
tbon.
Ln addition to the 8ourcea already diacuased, Chief

7. 9P012 CHIBP 1NYANG NTA HENSHAW

 27
Henshaw'sg own
owm personality was an influencing factor in his

s i c a l career. He writes his musie through moment ous heppen-

n g s and he uses his musical talents to c r e a t e some t h i n g e x t r a

to blend his original idea of music presentation with trends

58
o f events,

Chief Inyang Nta Henshaw has had several phases in his

artistic expression; choral music and theatre period of the

1940s-60s and the 70s as well, both at Calabar and in Lagos.

After he had left school in 1947, he travelled to Lagos

to join his mother, Madam Esemin Ita Bso Asibong and step-

father, Chief Bassey Nya, There, though he was working with

the Nigerian Railways and later with the costains linited,

he did not aband on his musical interest. When Bobby Benson

arrive d from the United States he discovered young Henshaw

at a concert which was staged by the Calabar Choral Party in

Lagos at the Glover Hall. Incid entally , Chief Henshaw was a

member of that party and a lead voice too.

Bobby Bens on nade enquiries after the concert show to

trace the residence of Chief Henshaw and when he got at the

daresa, he sought permission from his parents after a long

28cussi on. When both parents and young Henshaw agresd, he

58. LNTERVIEW VITH IT. JOSEPH UKPONG OFFIONG (36YRS) 23rd

OCTOBER 1979.
59
9. OPCIT. CHIEF INYANG NTA HENSHAW.
 28

ahim
invited h to join his group thon knOWn
as the "Modern
Theatrical Partyn,
Party', 60 in The re that gr oup, Chief Honshaw proved
Yrit and quality and was
appointed the assie tant 1cad er
e that theatre party wl th Bobby as the leader.

nhey staged many shows 1n Iagos and its environg and 1ater
they
went on a country wido tour of Nigoria and Ghana. On thcir

eturm to Nigerla, they found that there was the necessity for
the roup to have a dance band unit. This was known as "The
Jam Session Orchestrao

Young Henshaw at this time realised that one cannot do

two things at a time and do them

well, s0 he resigned his job
at the railways in 1949 and took to full tine professicnal
masic. his between 1949 and 62
was
1951.
In January 1952, to popularise the Band, the
proprietor
2.sked that he shou1d arrange a country wide tour with the

Bend. This carried d to all the regi ons of Nigeria includ ing
tne lorth, It was when he got to Kano that one Mr. Walker who
EG the proprictor of Rendervous Hotel decidod to give the

Bnd a long term contract if only Chiof Honshaw would

agreo
to stayy.
Wnale in Rendervous, he wont on a country wide tour and
60. 1BID. CHIEF INYANG NTA HENSHAW
6. IBID CHIBP ITY ANG NTA ENSHAW.
62. LBID. CHIBP INY ANG NTA HONSHAW.
 the

Ds
(The Canaan
et
lny ang Nta Henshaw and His Group
Seashore)
 29
ne o f towns he visited vas Calabar. Here Patrick
nsisted on his
discing something before
Solomon

leaving and
the n u m b e r s released here was
no of Pkiko Kunan, mmaha
12nen anamde AI tOr a 1eW years nkpo
later, when Chief had
his personna1 few pound s and
put pennies together, he decided
hawe his owm orchestra and this was The Top Ten Acegn05
Tn 1963, he returned with his
boys to Eastern Nigeria and
tled down briefly ln Enugu. It was here that he
formed a

rocal group amown aS the "Canaan Brothers " as an attachnent

to the Band. 64 This vOcal group had long term contract with
a

he then Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (N.B.C.) Enuga which

broadcast programme was relayed over the country. It became

very popu.lar as those who were keen , lovers of mmsic could say.

be Bandwas s t i l l in operation when a renowned re cord company,

ailips Nigeria Ltd', picked hin up and gave him a job as the
nchar ge of their music talent division in their recording

d 208. Chief was invited to take up this job in Lagos, wheree

bo from 1963-1976. Before this time, he had made several

ecordings of his own composition with his band he To

Which was arranged personally for recording ses81O113

t now Chief Henshaw can boast of six 78 R.P.M. records,

LBID CHTEF INYANG NTA HENSHAW

.BID CHLI BF INYANG NTA HENSHAW

 childre
Chief Inyang Nta Hensh ht) and
hie
(extreme
 30
fourte on 45 R.P.M. and six lon playing records."-
65
Chicf
Henshaw is married with seven
children. He is a
aident of the Bsop
Mkparawa, Lagos
founder prosid

Branch which ke
founded i n 1972. In 1974 bie was
Conferred with the noble title
et Ada-Idaha ke Iboku0 by the Obong of Calabar Edidem Essien
0ku V., 19T5. He now hoLds the title called Obong
ISEMONKO
kpe Bfik Iboku. He 1s also a member of the
Obong's council
a n advicer to the
Obong. At present he is working in the
rRusic section of the Tiu
tr Arts Department, of the
University
of Calabar.

Today Chief Henshaw is a socialist of the highe st order, a

good dancer , a celebrated singer and above all a title kolder
0T the Ekpe cult. There is no doubt that he is very well
gipped for the task he has set for
himself in the society
ecause of what he has
gained from his mother, father, uncles
anties. He is the meeting point of poetism and 1yricism
traditional music. His use of Efik culture as major
the
2 n his music is the subject of the next chapter.
5. LBID
ELDER" OP IBOKU CLAN
THIS ISAA FORM OF SECRETARYSHIP IN TH EKPS SOCIBTY
OP IBOKU CLAN

OPCIT.. CHIEP INYANG NTA HENSIHAW.

 31
CHHAPTER THREBE
HISTORY IN MUSIC
This chapter attempts to analyse s ome aspects of the work

C h i e f Inyang Nta HenshaW in order to shov the relationship

that his masical works have with the history of the Bfik people.

The special thing about African music in general and Ef ik

s i c in parti.cular is that there is music for every conceiv-

able event. These categories of music range from historical

songs to praise somgs, songs of socia.l control, religi ous

songs and songs of derision among others. There are also songs

of lamentation at the death of a dear one. Brotic songs are

not also infrequent. Before elaborating on some of the thenes

found in Chief Henshaw's musical work, a discussion of other

aapects relevant to his work is necessary.

I t can be said of the Efik that they are hospitable and

accommodat ing in their attitude towards the ir neighbours of

DEher ethnic groups of cultural milieu. On the main the Bfik

r e sociable and untribalistic, so that while they are at

2 s to maintain their prestigious rank in the society, they

lways ready and willing to share their possession and

ts with others, The se salient qualitics can be found in

hief Imyane
n8 Nta Henshaw wh0 draws his Band snen not only

b h e Bfik society but also from other ethnic groupo.

 32

nclude the Ibibio, Annang6, Igbo, Yoruba, Ijaw, Hausa

Chiei Henshaw believes that u g i c is a
h e Bini.
and
languag and What
na tters for hin in those whom he
ndversal
for work 1s Keen 1nterest in music and the ability
hooses
and appreCiate music.
t o read
The musical Band is ten men strong, some playing instru-

ments, others Singing the refrains while the author controls

the solo voico. Under his able leadership, Chief Inyang Nta
Henshaw has succeeded in keeping nen of different ethnic

groups happily toge ther , a thing which is very highly

commended in Nigeria today for the preservation of our

political unity.
Chief Henshaw's musical instruments comprise the WINDS

STRINCS and the PERCUSSION and RHYTHM SETS. The winds are m

made vp of trumpet s , troumbone and saxophone. For the strings

the lead guitar, Rhythm guitar and the Bass guitar are used

while the last group of instruments consists of a set of

3a2z druns, a pair of congo druns, a pair of Bongos,

arracass and a pair of cleave s .

Phe production of Chief Inyang Nta Henshaw 's work is not

ontined only to the studio . His Band works at times in his

o or in any private apartment found suitable . This

G 8 y s an atmosphere of ease and relaxation which

 33
characterises his work.

mhe two main sources of materials for Chief Honshaw's

h08 itions are: lNTUITION AND
PRI-MEDITATION, The former
Gto hin spontane ous ly as for example when he is on a
journey or during his leiaure hours.

The latter Comes when he

pre-meditates on what themes he
wan ts to work on and when he makes a formal study of them.
This is showm for
example when he commemorated the unfortunate
deaths of Lumumba who was assassinated in 1961 and the
ghastly
accidents of Rex Lawson in 1972 and that of Burstic
Kingsl1y
hssey, (0

Chief Henshaw composes music of general

topics, but his
ajor themes centre around CULTURE, COMI CS AND CURRENT
EVENTS.
For the cultural music he has pie ces like MA Ekanem and Ekot
pe tere which are used for EKOMBI.'In the comical1
compoe itions can be found pieces like NSANG NSANG IKPA UKOT
ul tab ly arranged for the High life entertainnent, current
vente are also commemorated by Chief Henshaw with
such pie ces
DUUMBA, REX LAVSON and BURSTIC KINGSLY BASSEY. The
oo1tion is arranged for three voicea name ly; the Treble,
R X LAWSON WAS A LEADING MEMBER OF HIS MUSI CAL BAND.
10 WAS ALSO A LEADING MEMBUR OP HIS MUSI CAL BAND.
T 8 IS A PYPICAL CULTURAL BFIK DANC8 USBD ON OCCAS31
s 2B COMINO OP AGB CERRHONY AND 8BASONAL V2921 VALS
12. PICAI BPIK NAPIVE SHOB VWHI CH IS BRONISH IN COLOUR.
 34
and Tenor, buv OccaselonalLy he nodifies the Tenor an

t o v e 1ower t o make up 1or the absence of the Base voice .

d c te chique i s employed to 6ive variety to t h e work.

As was illustrated in the biography of Chief Inyang Nta

sfonshaw his parents Were typical 13fik pe ople in whom could be

found the embodiment of the Efik culture in al1 i t s aspects .

No wonder then that Inyang Nta Henshaw in hie own 1 i t t l e wey

has tried to portray this culture of his people in many of

his works, for example in his songs t i t l e d : - Ediye Cannan,

Aido Mkanika, Anansa Ikang Obutong, Ayara Iboto and Effiom

Kono Isanda. Bach of these songs wil11 be amalysed to see the

hemes which underlie then, the first of which is:

EDIYE CANNAN
0-0-0-Ediye 0bio mi Cannan-0-,
Udia y'aran Okwok 0fofioro;
Ediye Cannan 0-0-D
0-0-0- ama Oyom eti ido Y'ifiok-O

Ka ke Cannan k'awawak
Ediye Cannan k-0-0-0
Ufan afo amasesim do,
-1gin Uyomko aba unyong

Nti iban K'obio eyoyoho

Pkparawa yo ubok utom ewewak
 35

0-0-0-Ediye Obio mi Cannan 0-0-0-,

Ama Oyom eti uwem di se i ,

Ddiye Cannan 0-0-0-,
Bdiye Cannan 0-0-0-,

TRANSLATION
Oh! ny beautiful city, Cannan -0
There milk and honey flow:
Beautiful Cannan 0-0-0-.

Oh if you seek for good

manners and kmowledge,
Go to Cannan where they abound.

Beautiful Cannan-0-0

Friend as soon as you get there,

You dom't feel like going back;
Good w omen are aburndant in the city,

Young artisans are to be

1 ound every-where.

OH! my beautiful city, Cannan Oh!

If you desire good 1ife call in here.

Beautiful Cannan Oh, beauti ful Cannan Oh!

The lines of this song for instance portray the enticing

and inviting qualities of Efikland as being full of rich,

OC1al and cultural values. The picture i8 one that is very

visitor or a stranger in Tiklan dd.

LOrmative, especia1ly to a

is at once presented to
Calabar, the home of the Efik
with
e 9 9 the mind as Ediye Cannan sunptuously overflowing
 36
and ho
nilk and honey. This sophisticated description of Calabar is
wobably
pr
not WlthouU SOme Knd of attachment with our biblical
wledge of Cannan , a Land of
plenty where everybody would
f ah to live for joy and maximum comfort. Yet there is a sharp
oflection made here which
inmediately focuses on another
enviable endoWment of the Dfik society. Also in
Amayom Eti ido
yifiok Ka Ke Cannan K'awawak, the socie ty is portrayed a s an
nlimited store house of knowledge and good manners .

Inyang Henshaw 's re ference to Calabar as a store house

of mowledge and good manners is not an
exaggeration. The Bfik
people have had many centuries of contact with Europeans and
these early c onta cts had some influence on the people. Even
before the arrival of the Presbyterian nissionaries in
Calabar in 1846, the re were schools and academics for the

Lnstruction of the Efik pe ople in

vari ous subjects.
or example, John Adams wrote about Calabar in 1823 as
foll.ows:-
any of the natives write English, an art first acquired
3ome of the traders sons who had visited Bngland, and which
a v e had the sagacy to retain up to the present period.
have established schools and school masters for tho
pose of ins truct ing in this art the youths belonging to
21co of consequ
2uenee.73
T3
PJO ADAM, SKDTCBS TALEN DURING
TC
vOYAG
1736-1000 IN 1022)
PP. 4043
 37

Tn 1846, the Presbyterian missi on arrived in Calabar und er

the leadership of Reverend Hope Masterton Waddell. Fol1owing

h e i r arrival, these mis8ionaries opened schools in Calabar

Cor the training of the people in many subjects . Due to the

acarcity of huropean missionaries, there was ne ed to train

Africans to help in the missionary work. By 1850, mission

74
"
In 1855, Essien
schools in Calabar had a total of 130 pupile.
Akpabio became the first convert to christianity when
Besicn
he was baptized by Reverend Goldie as the first native pastor
from Cala bar . 75 In a recent article published in the Calabar

Historical Journal. Dr. Noah gave the following statistics to

ehow pro oress made in the ficld of edueetion in Calabar by 1871

aropean female teacher

Mrs Sutherland
Native teacher -- William

Cobhan and James Ballantyne

Members ---- 47

Sabbath attend an ce in Church 400

Sabbath School pupils 150
Day school pupils 120
Candidates 1 76
The Hope Waddel Training Institute, which is the oldest

Secondary School in Calabar, was opened in 1894 and this

74. MONDAY EFFIONG NOAH, "EFIK EXPANSIONI SM AND INPLUBN CE IN

hLULUAL JOURNAL, VOL,2 NO.1

(OURD,1978), P.20
75. IBID
76. LBID.
 36

many Bfik peoplo in Western Subjects. All these

school a
trai ined
Calabar was a store houg of krnowledge.
that
show
son18e of their lOcation at the coast, Efik became one

in Nigeria to have contacte with the

ho earlicst people
of
o ontact, the Bfik pe ople we re able to learn
means .
Through

manners and customs. According to profe ssor Afigbo,

amopean
modes
the Efik people to "copy European
+his contact ena bled
manners' for these reasons, i t is true
in dress and social
store house of knowledge and good nanners
was a
that Calabar
which notivated Inyang Henshaw in saying Amayon Eti Ido
TIifiok, ke ke Cannan K'awawak.
Missionaries 1ike Mary Slessor, Reverend Hope Waddell

and others had, in t h e i r various cepacities, influenced Efik

which in
behaviour educationally, religiously and ethically
he modern trend of a Westerm imfluence, has portrared the

90ciety as a symb ol of emulation .

There are also other historical references nade here.

kind of notioeable
T k had undisputably enjoyed some

VLtages over her immediate noighbouurs in imnitating the

contact vith the
p o n ways of 1i fe through the i r earlier
Baropeans
7. A. E. AFIGB0, TRADE AND POLITI CS
ON THE CROSS RIVDR BASTN,
1895-1 905". TRANSACEIONS OF
THR HISTORI CAL SOC Y O CHANA
VOL. XIII, N0.1 (1972), P.21
 39
mhe magmetic prowes8 O1 the bfik society i s provided in

14mes as warned philosophically that, as 6oon as you get

fher 1 i

annan, you don't fecl 1iko going back because of the abun-

o f good
dance of
women and young artisans in the city.
y.
nce
glories showered on the town could have held truer
The above

the Bfik society of old. In recent tines, complex nilitating

f
of government which detracts
factors 1ike the eveTr growing powers

and, particularly the ever increasing popula-

fron individualisn
limited material
tion whi ch must necessarily
be fed by re latively
characteristics
to no gate the traditional
resources, have tended
"honey" Yet the
land flowing with " n i l " and .

of Efik land as a

there and the

and magnificnce of Calabar i s s t i l l
beauty
and women i s stil1 inpressive l
abandance of the social ind ex, nen

an asset.
the whole are good-
The song als0 showS
that the pe ople on

They are s t i l l friendly and always

nannered and courtoous,

feel at home with them hence th0 age

prepared to make strangers

"riddle " about CALABAR

old
C-come
and

L -live
A-and

B-be
 40
A - at

R-rest
which forms COME AND LIVE AND BE AT REST.

chief Henshaw 's songS also portray the religious ideals

of the
8fik people. This is obvious in the song:

ADIDO NKANIKA
Atido Atido Nkanika
Nkanika amia udihe ederi
Atido Nkanika Nkanika
amia ud ihe ederi
Bka fo ekedi owo Abasi-0
Ete fo ekedi okworo iko nnyin,
Atido Atido Nkanika
Nkanika amia udihe ederi . (DC)
DRANSTATION Atido Atido Nkanika
The bell is rung and
you don't come to service (2ce)
Your mothor wa.s a pious woman
Your fathor was our preacher,
Atido Atido Nkanika
The bell is rung and
you don ' t come to service.

In this song, he calls to mind the religious propensity

of the Bfik, Since the introduction of the christian missions

i n Nigeria, nost Dfik apprecia ted the new religion. King Eyo II

of Creok Town reportedly favoured reforms which led to the

 41
f f certain
decline o traditional religious nediuns
1ike the
RKpenyon6-an dem (deity) symbol, about 1846.
,788
the Efik are predominantly christians and they dislike
he ir members who are Still traditional
religionists and free
thinkers. Atido, who is nentioned in the piece, was a church
sexton. His notther was deeply roligious and his father was a

1ay leader in the church. It was generally expected

that everyy
offspring of such a family would walk in the ir parents' foot-

steps. Contrary to ex pectation, Atido only ranS the church b

bell to invite the pe ople to go to church whereas he, Atido,
ever Went to the church for once. He was faithful to his duty
01
bell-ringing but very lax about church affairs. While the
chur ch was full and the service was on, Atido was seen either

playing at the square or drinking somewhere not too far from

the church. That was why he was put to task to explain his

reasons for being conspi cuoly absent from church services .

Such a behaviour was a disgrace to the family for an Bfik

ohi 1d not to be as devout or church minded as his paren ts . The

people were very nind ful of this aspect of life because they
would wish to be given good church burial when
they die. This
accounts Largely for the numerous funeral and memorial
services
78, K. K. NAIR, POLIRIC3 AND 90C19Y IN SOUTH EASTERY NIGERIA.
LONDON, FRANK CASS AND cOMPAY LINITDD, 1972,
P. 279.
 42

a r e almost everyday and everywhere in Bfikland.

The next song

to be examined is:

ANANSA IKANG OBUTONG

Anansa Ikang Obutong
CiNdem Dfik Iboku
Ikot Ekpokekpok awak ok on
Ata owO iwakke okom nnyin
Awak elko nnyin iwak eke owo Ase -0-0.

Enamde odo-0 Anansa lk 'esese

Enamde odo-0 Ancnsa k'akpa ada
Aniakem usen ikpe Anansa k'afiak edi,
Enamde do ekufre Anansa k'esese (D.C)
Ikot nnyin ete enande do elufre Anansa k'esese,
Enamde do-0- emelut Anansa k'akpa ada
Anansa ikang Obutong 0-0-
Ete ofri Ndem Efik Iboku
Efiori Anansa edi 0 0 -

Anansa 0-0 Anansa k'esese

Ete owo ama akan OwO ama,

Bdoho ete ikpo iko inua edi ns0,

Ekot Anansa edi 0 -
0 -

Anansa 0 O -Anansa k'eses3e

TRANSLATION Anansa Flame of Obutong,

The god of Ibolku land
The 1izard that tear the roof
No human being can tear our roof
If they dare WO revenge As0-0-0
 43
Mind you Anansa is aware of all your de eds.
Anansa will be baclk on the day of reckoning.
Beware Anansa takes note of all your deeds.

Tn this song Chief Henshaw illustrates the power poss--

egsed by NDEM EFIK, from whon the Efik pe ople draw their
the tradi-
strength. The theme of the song is a re flection on
the advent
tional religious belief of the Bfik people. Before
of christianity in 0ld Calabar in the nineteen th century, the
Bfik pe ople were "polythe ists" by religion. They worshipped
important to f i k
several go3 and goddesses who were so

the socio-religious and

cOSmoloL y that they found a place in
political systems of the pe ople .

Different towns in Efik land worshipped different types

of Ndem; for instance, Cre ek Towm worshipped Akpa Uyok: 0ld

Cobham Town, Esiet Ebom, Nsidung
Town, Anansa Ikang Obutong
the Chief priest who had
or Bunk nonko. Above a l l these, was

over a l l Efik settlements . As a

the most powerful authori'y
settlements paid tribute to the
a 1l
sign of his suzerainty,
s0, since the goddess
Chief priest. This was u derstandable
which
the pr ntector of the rivers
were
was thought of as

economic 1ife as fishermen.

vital to their
sacrifices to the Ndem by a l l the coamunities, w e r e
These
f river or at a cross road where,
often done on the banks a

likely to pass more often. At

it was believed, the spi. rit was

these s a c r i f i c e s 2onsisted of the lives of fre emen .

firet ,

exerci ed tremen i ous influence over the affairs

Anansa thus
c ommnitr. The al ove song testifies to the ever vigilant
of
nffairs of Efikland. The song i t s e l f
eye of Anansa o v e r the
of religion in
clearly illustrates the overwhe lming importance
 44
traditional $1ik aociety.

Tho ocononic 1ife of the Btik people kept pace with their

ather activities . Chief Inyang Nta Henshaw uses one of his

songs to narrate the history of his people as traders and

travellers. This comes in the 8ong:

AYARA IBOTO
Ayara Iboto idighe omoboho okwo mmong (D.C)
Kpa ami ikpong k'edin okut etim,
Bdim okpededep, eyo akpadada
Ukereke nda eyo ukereke edim ukwo,
Kpa ami ikpong k'edim okut etim (D.C)
Bte ayara iboto idighe omoboho olkwo mmong 0-0-0-,
Ayara iboto idighe omoboho okwo mmong
Ani k'edin okut etim,
Bdin ekpededep 0-0-, Eyo akpadada,
Ukereke nda eyo ukereke edim ukwo kpa
ani ikpong k'edim okut e t i (D.C)

RANSLATION You who are protected under your canopy,

How fortunate you are!
I am the only victim of the rain.
Whether rain or sunshine,
you care not for sunshine or rain:
I am the only victim of the rain (D.C)

guite often, the Efik went out to fish in the ir canoes

and on one 0cension. a poor fishernan whose canoe was on the

verge of sinking because of a heavy down pour of rain, oried

Chief Inyang Nta Henshaw in his Ndem's Regalia showing 1SANDAA
and IKA
 45
help to another
Ont f o r
Iisherman who had a canoe fitted with
aOver. Unfortunately for hin, this fisherman could
not
nder
ren the needed help because
his canoe was
equally l0aded and
ha had neither a spara roof cOver nor an inch of space in his
boat to acconodate the goods of his
neighbour.
In the song the
poor fisherman laments his unfor tunate
lot of not having canopy over his canoe to shelter him from sun

and rain. However, he commends the rich fisherman for his good
fortune.
The use of the imagery of Ayara, Iboto in this Bong is to

give the impression thata fisherman in the canoe fitted with

canopy enjoys ample protection

from sun and rain. That was why

the fisherman who had no such protection appealed to his

neighbour for help,

of EIik 1 1 f e that comes into play in this
Another aspect
This 1s very well expressed in the
Work is that of royalty.

2o1lowing song:

BPIOM KONO ISANDA

Kono Isanda,
Efiom Kono Isanda, Ayip Udo
Udo Kono Isanda,
Kono Isanda, Ayip
Bfiom Bden edima eyen
Edendk Kono Isanda Efiom Kono
 46
Ete Efiom Kono Isanda
Ayip Udo Kono Isanda
Kono I8anda Ayo -0-0-
Kono Ieanda
Pfiom Bdem edina eyen
Ddem Edak Kono Isanda
Dfiom Kono.
RANSLATION Efiom put on your re galia,
Ayip Udo put on your regalia
put on your regalia Ayip
Udo put your regalia,
on
Efiom Ldem beloved s on of
Bdem Edak, put it on.
I say Efiom put
your regalia,
on

Ayip Udo put on your regalia,

Put on your regalia Ayo -0 -O
put on your regalia
Dfiom Eden beloved s on of
Edem Edak put on your regalia,
Efiom put it on.

In this piece, Chief Inyarng Nta Henshaw depicts the cultural

richnese in Dfik history. He talks about royalty and the

inportance the Dfik attach to tradition.

Efiom was a son of a noble family which had be en mown

throughout the length and bread th of the community for its

greatne s8, Wealth and impor tance, One only expects that a child

from such a family would 1ive up to the tradition of his family

 47
i n g great. Unfortunate.ly, Btiom was wayward/ and unmindful of

eha high dimity that was his in his society, Ho preferred to

1ive a l oose and careless life and he was a favouri te of the

mever-do-wells and the drop outs. Members o f the s o c i e t y

frowned at such unbec oming attitude which they thought i f i t

was not checked imnediately would provoke the anger of the gods

upon thei r family for this reason, Efiom was reminded of the

repercussion of his unpatriotic actions and was therefore called

upon to retrace his steps and accept the family emblem-ISANDA

which had been bestowed on him as a birth right. Literally
speaking, he was reminded to behave like his forbears by livings

a noble life and also to associate hinself with princes and

princesses in the c Ommunity.

This is a typical example of Efik royalty, attachment to

tradition and greatness. Perhaps too, it could be said that it

also amplifies the conservatisn of the Efikman who is not easily

Susceptible to change as far as culture is concerncd.

WMany things have changed in the Dfik community since the

advent of Western civilization but very 1ittle if any, has

affected the people 's dignity, integrity and royal ty. An Bfik
9on who is not initiated into the Ekpo cult cannot be a para-

mount ruler of the commnity. Christiani ty preached against this

but to no aveil, On one ooaani on a paramount Ruler-elect of an

 48
8fik comunity had to be initiated over-night secretly before

ascending his throne the following dav, 9

From the few songs cited in this work, it is possible for

the reader to gain an insight into Inyang Nta's passi onate love

for his people and their culture, The eloquent and vivíd nanner

in which he expre sses the cultural sentinents of his pe ople

have unfolded his eminent and unrivaled qualities as the musician

of his time in Efikland.

79. INTERVIBW WITH CHIEF INYANG NTA HENSHAW 4th FEBRU ARY 1980.
 49
o C LUSIo N
conclude this wOrk, a
mo
iew remarks about the
central role
music in Biik culture and the
recapitulation of the nain
nointe of the project are
necessary. Music plays a
unique role
in 3fik culture in that almost every aspect of Efik
cultura1
11fe finds expression in it.
Fron the histtorical
exposition of the
origin of the Efik,
ch can be
1learnt about the
peculiar characteristics of the
fik in the i r social and
political life. Aspects lilke the
dependent family system and EKPE CULT are
distinctly different
irom those of other
groups around them. These distinct social
and cultural traits which later developed into strong class
distinctions through Bfik early contacts with Western
culture,
civilization and the Slave Trade, did not escape the
lke en
attention of Chief Inyang Nta Henshaw when he wrote pieces like
BFFIOM KONO ISANDA and AYARA IBOTO.
As could be seen, nature's ad ornment of Efikland with
abundant river sceneries, fertility and beauty, lends itself
most favourably to Chief Henshaw's musical
expressions as found
Ln Bdiye Cannan, The dominant water
inage gives rise to the NDEBM
ayth which Chief Henshaw describes
vividly in his song and
Conmentary on Anan88. Through the mediun of music, Chief
Henshaw
nas successfully reconstructed the
grandeur
and pageantry of
 50
5 g0ciety which i8 8till reminiscent of its past glory.

By his choice of Bfik language in compos ing his mmsic, Chief

Tnvang Nta Henshaw has proved beyond doubt hie paseionate and

9ingular 1ove of his people for whom he primarily nade his

compositions, His music is prodominantly didactic and pregmant

with thenes which are religious, noral, social and otherwise.

In his e ong entitled Eti Eyen Eka we see how Bffion risked his

Own 1ife in order to save that of his sister; Atido Nkanike is

a kind of Clarion call to rouse weak and lapsed christians fron

their lethargy; whi le a piece 1ike EIfiom Kono Tsanda and Anansa

reminder to the social audience of Chief

LIcang 0but ong serve a s a

HenshaW, of the need for go od moral behaviour and social etique tte.

These strong political less ons not withstanding Chief Inyang Nta
fascinating appeal and attraction to
Henshar's music has a

umerous people of both Dfik and non-Efik origin.

indisputably a mmsic loving people as can be

The Efik are

3een from their use of misic to expre ss every thinkable feeling

ike those of love, sadness (when a person dies), joy(as on

festive occassions), poetry and even drana as inm SIDIBE and

ANSA ENO . These are indications that among the Dfik and clearly

3n the case of Inyang Henshaw, music was not used nerely for
entertainment but rather it played an invaluable role in the day

to day life and cosmology of the people. It featured prominently

 51
11 aspects f Bfik 30cialization.
in
TwOm a careiul examinatlon or the works of Chief
Inyang Nta
ha and
Hen
in parti cular or those discussed in this project.
one not he8itate to conclude thet
Chief Henshaw is not
anly a genius of a high order, but also a
competent traditional
historian and
musician , He haS, through his musical
compositions,
riven us an
insight into the historical scenery of the Efik of
the past.
Pinally, the success of Chief
Henshaw's work can be feltf
fron the universal impact it has on people. Their appreciation
ior his Work may be
gaged by tho nunber of visits, letters and
telegrams he receivesB. 80 His work also has a commercial value and
18 used in and outside the
country. As an award for his
competency
and brilliant achievement in the musical
field, he was
incorporated
a3 a
provisiomal Associate member of the
Performing Right Society
OE Lond on on 14th September, 1967
Undoubtedly, Chief Henshaw merits the title of
"King of Bfik
folklore", More importantly, his works
demonstrate clearly
that music in a traditional sOciety is
inde ed an extreme ly
valuable oral historical document.
80. INTERVIEW VITH CHIEF INYANG NTA
HENSHAW 29th FEB. 1980.
81. IBID
82, CHRONI CLE OF SATURDAY, 1st MARCH, 1980.
 52
BIBIIOGRAPHY
PRIMARY SOURCEBS
A
1. Oral Tradition: see part II
11. Archival materials:

(a) Intelligence keports

(1) MYLIUS, B. N. A Report on the Calabar Division with

8pecial Reference to the Efik clan, Calabar province,

1935. (NA/B, CP 53/1/545
(1i) - / , CP. 55/1/553. 1932-1935.
(iii) A Report on the Calabar Native Court case, Calabar

province, 22nd July, 1935 (NA/E., CP 3/1/1326

(iv) JEFPREYS , M,D.W. DIPIOMA THDSIS ON IBIBIO , 13/1/28,1931
SECONDARY SOURCES: (a) PUBLISEIBD BOOKS
i AKPABOT, S.E. , IBIBIO MUSIC I NIGERIAN CULTURE,
LONDON, MICHIGAT STATE UNIVERSITY
PRESS., 1975.

ii AYANDELE E.A. , THE MISSIONARY IMPACT ON MODERN NICERIA

1842-1914 LONDON LONGMAN GROUP LTD;1966.

i i i AYE, E.U. OLD CALABAR THROUGH THE CENTURIES,

CALABAR HOPE WADDEL PRESS., 1967

iv BEBBEY, F., APRICAN USTC. APEOPLE'S ART, GREAT

BRITAIN, GEORGE G. HARRAP & C0.LTD.1975

v BIOBAKU, S,0. , SOURCES OF YORUBA HISTORY, OXFORD,

ARENDON PRESS 1973
vi DIKE, K.0. TRADE AND POLITI CS IN THE NIGBR DELTA,
1830-1865 OXFORD, CLAREN DON PREBSS 1956.
 53
vii FORDE, DARYLL EFIK TRADERS OP OLD CALABAR, OXPORD
UNIVERSITY PRESS, 1963.
viii GOLDIE, HUGH., CALABAR AND ITS MISSION (EDINBURGH 1890)
ix HUTCHTNSON, T.J. , IMPRDSSIONS OF VESTERN APRICA, 1OIDON
1970
x JBPPRDYS,M.D. W., OLD CALABAR AND NORB ON THE IBIBIO
LANGUAGE, CALABAR, 1935.
xi LATHAM, A.J.H. , OLD CALABAR 1600-1891
(PRI-COLONI L ICO1TO1EE C D. V. 1O21 TT IN
3OUTII . 3T. a I C . I . 10DO, OXFORD
U.I IFT 233. 1973

xii LOVELL, JOHN (JR). BLAGK SONG: THE FORCE AND THB PLAE,
LONDON, THE MACMILLAN COMPANY: 1972.

xiii NAIR, K.K. , POLITICS AND SOCIETY IN SOUTH

EASTERN NIGERIA, 1841-1906 LONDON,
FRANK CASS AND Co. ITD., 1967.
xiv NOETIA, J .H.K., THE MUSIC OF AFRI CA, LONDON, VICTOR
GOLLANOZ LTD, 1975.

xv NORTHRUP, D., TRADE WTTHOUT RULPRS, OXFORD, OXFORD

UNIVERSITY PRESS 1978.
xvi RANGER, T. 0., BMERGING THEES OF AFRICAN HISTORY,
LONDON, HEINEMAN EDUCATIONAL BOOKS
LTD, 1968.
zvii S0 JA, E.W.& J.N.PADEN., THE ABRICAN EXPERI ENGE VOLSS
1811 EV ANSTON, NORTHVBSTERN
UNTVERSITY PRESS, 1970.
 54

v i i i
TALBOT, P.A., THE PEOPLES OF SOUTHERN NIGDRIA, VOLS
1&111, LONDON, FRANK CASS AND
CO. LTD,
1926.
xix UYA, 0.E., AFRI CAN HISTORY. SOME PROBLEMS IN
MBTHO DOLOGY AND PERSPECTIVES.
VANSINA, J., ORAL TRADITION. A STUDY TN HISTORI CAL
METHO DOLOGY, LONDON, ROUTLEDGE & KEGAN
PAUL. 1961.

(B) ARTICLES
i UDO, E.A., The igbo origin of the Efik by A. E.
Afigbo A REVIDW". C.H.J. VOL I NO, I
(JUNE, 1976)
11 AMOS AJATO., "POCUS on South Bastern State ", The
Nigeria VOL.I, NO.I 1970 .

(C) PRINTED REPORTS

i HART, A.K., Report of Enquiry into the Dispute over
the Obongship of Calabar. (Sole Commiss-
ioner 0fficial Document) No.17 of 1964.
NA/E. CER . /48.
i i NOAH, M. E.., Ef1: Expansionisn and Influence in the
Cross River Basin: C.H.J, VOL.2 No. 1
(JUNE 1978).
ii1 APIBBO, A,E. , Trade and Politics on The Cross River
Basin, 1895-1905".
T.H.S.G. VOL.XIII, NO.I 1972.
 55
PART II
TABLE OF ORAL EVIDENOE.
Below are the names of some informants whose evidences are

ublished in part II of this paper.

TNFORMANDS DADE
1. CHIEF INYANG NTA HENSHAW 7/6/79: 20/6/79; 27/2/80
2. CHIEF EFFIOM OBO BFFANGA 17/6/79
3. CHIEP MAGNUS ESSIEN E. OKU 24/6/79
4. CHIBF EKONG EDIM IMONA 3/9/79

5. R. MICHAEL EKPA ITA 13/10/79

6. LT. JOSEPH UKPONG OFFI ONG 23/10/79
 59
PRIARY RO-1
FIMD OREND MTOD O COLLCOLNG WIDG
collecting Oral bvidence, I used the method taught ue
In
T , Brin during our I1eld Research course. I had to book

nintnents with ny antormiante and made sure I made nyse1f

appoir

vailable at the appointed days and dates previously scheduled .

T started by introducing myself and the purpose of my visit.

Some of my informants were very understand ing and co0-operative

and demanded nothing from me, Sorie on the other hand, demanded
noney and drinks which I gave ungrudgingly.

The next step I followed was to introduce the topic to the

informants. Some found the topic interesting while a good

on the
number of then dissuaded me from writing the topic
too difficult ; Some informants spoke at
gr ounds that i t was

but I had to apply my knowledge of

large into irrelevant topics
which brought the
historical me thod ology by asking questions
informants to the topic ,

on music I made u s e of a tape recorder

Since my topic is

They were all conducted in the

in most of the interviews.

informante houses and in a relaxed atnosphere . I maimta ined

the period of the interviews The
a neutral position throughout
,

evidences were final1ly cros9 checked with docunentary materials.

interviewed twenty people from all walks of
Altogether I
Efik society as well as their neighbour ing group, the
11fe in
interviewed more than one person on each of the
Qun. I also
topice recorded.
Hawever, it 1s not possible to publish all the field

the 1imited scope of this paper, I have therefore

uOrks because of
presented only six intervieus for publication.
 57

CHIEF EPPIOM OBO BFANGA

53 YEARS

QCCUP ATION: TEACHING

17/6/79

0DB: DIRECT

7ALUB OF EVIDENCE: RELIABLE

ORICIN AD MICRATIONS
Ibeku where
The Bfik came from Bgypt and migrated to Ummahia
settled for sone time. It was from there that they came
They
from Umuahia migrated to Ibom in
about the name 'Iboku', the
lived peacefully but refused to worshiip
rochulkwu where they
the Aros, They regarde d Ibom as the ir own
Bhe long-juju, of
8pecial home.
to Uruan and i t is of late that
From Arochukwu they cane

are Ibibio. The Efik settled here for

those in Uruan claim they
sOon arose between a n Efik woman and an
8Ometine buta quarrel
over an axe issue.
Ibibio woman

The Efik woman borrowed an axe from the Ibibio woman to

chop wood with but in the proces8, the axe got broken and she

failod to go and report to the Owner. After a few days, the owner
 58

a n d demanded for her axe but the Efik woman instead of

Logizing threw the broken axe before the owner. A fight soon
apo

betwe en then during wh1ch the i r pe ople took sides. The

angued
were defeated and took to the i r he els They made away with
2Pik .

two thinge, Ofong Obong Uruan called 'Ikpaya' (A king's gown)

and a hat to fit, 'Ntinya. When the pe ople of Uruan discovered

Dfiks who a t
that these things were nissing, they pursued the
settled at
this point started splitting but the bulk of them

Ikpa-Bne.
moved to Ndoghi within the mangrove swamps
Pron Ikpa Ene they
the then 'Ikot-
Cross River and fr om here to Creek Town,
01 the
Efik they stil1
Btonko'. Though they recognised themselves
as

had 1ineage with the Hebrews, so they

main tained they a

me an inE 'Hebrew'
Efik Eburutu', Brutu
recogmised thems e lves as

from Arochukwu.
and Ututu! got
RELICIOON
many gods and goddesses as well a s
The Bfik worshi pped so

a s Usan Abasi and Lso Bkpo, Amongst a l l these, Nden

other things
first thing they worshipped as their god. I t was
(deity) was the
that they kmew Usan Abasi.
thr ough Ndon
dem 1s a opirit nd ia worshipped as suoh. When a person is

the Ndem spirit, his or hor eyes and oars would be

pOBDCEsed by
Opened: whi.le in this tran ce, the person is able to communicate
 59

d i tth
u the
h t he deities.
d eities. The person will then mention the name of the

deities that he or sh is possessed with. This is how the

different names of Ndem originated.

Different touns in Efikland wOrshipped different types of

Ndem 0ld Toun had worshipped Anansa Ikang, Cobham Toun Iboku

Anuen, Henshau Taun Esiet Ebom or Sungku Monko etc. Different days

were also reserved exclusively for the worship of the deities and

offered to them. Akwa Offiong, Akua

on these days, sacrifices were

Akwa Ibibio were the days reserved for these kinds of

Ederi,
sacrifices to be made.
 60

CHIEF MAGNLIS ESSIEN EMPENYONGC

NAME
58 VEARS
AGE:
STATUS: FORMER SECRETARY UF THE 08CNG'S COUNCIL.

RESIDENCE 21 EKONDO STREET, CALABAR

DATE: 24/6/79

MODE: DIRECT

VALUE DF EVIDENCE: RELIABLE

ORIGIN AND MIGRATIONS

and our
The history of the Efik is shrouded in uncertainty

had, Nsibidi is
and the form of writing we
unuritten mythology
"Efik
interpretable today. But the Efik say of themselves,
not
edi utu ke mbom idem
idem (Igbo), idihe Ibibio,
Idighe Hbon

mImenyime Iboku".
the Igbos but Efik
given to the Efik by
Iboku is the name

The roote in the tuD WOrds

themselves as 'Eburutu'
people know
Origin of the Efik.
point to the O r i e n t a l
Eburutu' and Iboku'
oriental offshoot of the Efik called
the
The Igbos in recognising
stands for fire because the Efik were war-

them Igbo-Oku', Cku

that is the Hebreus
know themselves as Eburutu
1ike. Efik people
immediately above ArachukWll.
uho settled at Ututu
Eastern 5tate
outside the former South
The Efik travelled
From here they left
in one w a v e .
Ututu down to Uruan-Ekpe
through
and Enyong. The 1aet uave
to Creek Toun, Calabar
in three waves

aa the a n c i e n t
from Creek Toun which is regarded
a f migration was
O r pre-destined home
 61

The first Efik uho left Creek Toun founded old Tourn

(Obutong) in order to take advantage of the trade ui th the

supercargoes. 0ld Toun was followed by Duke Toun to form Atakpa

then Henshau Toun came as the third batch to found Okopedi Ewa Nsa.

They then subsequently moved to the present site of Henshau Toun

which was ocCupied by Enwangs who are now in Dron Division.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE
The Efik are descended from two maximal lineages-Atai Ema

Atai Iboku and Effiom Ekpo. Atai Ema came down from Ibom and while

mother of
here he had a daughter called Eke Ema Atai who became the

Ekpo Ibanga Nkanta. Ekpo Ibanga Nkanta is reputed to be the father

Ema Atai are the clans

Df the Duke Town Efik and Dku Atai and

In a sense both Effiom Ekpo, Oku Atai

descended from Atai Iboku.

descended from Atai Iboku but Effiom Ekpo by

and Ema Atai are

That is why the Efik have both matrilineal

matrilineal lineage.
but much emphasis is placed on thee
and patrilineal lineages

patrilineal.
 62

MR. MICHABL EKPE ITA

NAMB:

37 YEARS
AGE
TEACHING/MUSI C
OCCUPATION:

RESIDENCE:
29 WHITB HOUSE STREET, CALABAR

DATE:
13/10/79
MODE OF INTERVIEW: DIRECT.

(a) BKPE
ritualistic
Ekpe in Efik dialect means Leopard and i t is a

elaborate ceremonies for i n i t i a t i o n and continued

sOoiety with
membership. According to
traditions told by ny fore-fathersS,
called Dta Mboto from Usak-Edet
Bkpe was foumded by a woman

society. t is said
Del Rey). Legend also surrounds this
Rio
of the founding ancestors of Iboku) learnt
that when Eyo Emaone
who came and d i s c l o s e d
of its discovery, he sent for this woman

at Creek Town. Since Eyo Ema did

its secret to the Efik pe ople
he ordered that this woman should
not want this to be publicized,

the Dkpe lmowm to the Efik is not kmown

be killed. That is why

other tribe
to any .

The Elkpe initiates use signs and symbols kmown only to the

members of the society. These Bigns are used to test their wnder-

standing of the rituals of the society. Bkpe is played whenever

any inportant thing happens in the town e.6 when an initiate dies;

i t is also played during the coronat ion and burial of an Obong

 63

(King
and 8 t i l l a c t s a s the law enforcing agent of the
Bkpe was

1n the past to judge cases. The society has

used
pe4k, It was

boko, Mboko Fbcko, kye, 1brksM, Cbonko,

mine grades name ly ;
Olku i k r n d Nkanda.
y pc, Ckjcho,
differ fr om those of other neighbouring
The se Srades slightly
Efik.
tribes of the
colourful one
elaborate and
The Bkpe masquerade is a very
nasquerader's face i s
woven material. The
made from a specially
waist warnS of his
his
and a bell hanging at
alwaysS cOvered,
of Ekpe
instrumentation used in the performance
approa.ch. The

music i s :

1 Anyan Ibid (large drum)

2 Ibid Ekomo (small drums)

1 akankang (eong)

1 Nsak (rattle)

(b) OBOI Ekpe inn

i t s music i s very complenentary to
and
This society,
the same lines.
are conce ived along
that both masquerades
and i t is
society Obon i s mainly played at night
In Efik
in daytime, it was done in
ritual.s. When played
conmected with
and women.
The s0cie ty comprises of both men
an enclosure,
 64

Obon music is played on any occasion especially during

burial ceremonies and reception of any important person. The

instrumentation used in the performance of Obon music is:

1 Ibid (large drum)

Ekpri Ekomo ( small drun)

1 Nsing Obon (drun with three le gs)

Ekpat Obon (rattle).

 65

CHIEF EKONG BDIM IMONA

NAME:
43 YEARS
AGE:

OCCUPATION
BUILDING CONTRACTOR/INDUSTRIALIST
RESIDEN CE 5 ITA EKANG STREET, CALABAR

DATD: 3/9/79
DIRECT
MODE:
VALUB OP EVIDEN CE: RELIABLE

ORIGIN AND MIGRATIONS OF THE QUA

from Mbakam near Mamfe now in Camer0 on.

The Qua originated
paramOunt ruler
on account of salt so tho
There Was a dispute
and migrated to Akpang (Odukpani)
moved with all his people
until
settlement. The sojourn c o n t i u e d
which was their first

Irom where they moved to Ikot Akasuk

Ilkot Omin
they settled a t
in Big Qua.
and finally s e t t l e d
Akim Qua
i s divided into
ten Clans nane ly Big Qua clan,
Qua
Ohon Qua clan, Nkonip Qua
clan (Ikot Ansa),
clan, Ikpai Qua clan,
Omin), Akpang Qua clan (Oduk pani),
Ikpai Omin Qua clan (Ikot
ua Clan and Akin-Akim Qua clan.
Idundu Qua clan, Dtamgbihi
the son of Ndidem Eta
of Akim ua Town was
The founder
Mbakam with his people
1e ft
.

tison who
 66

CULTURATL INSTITUTIONS
We, the qua 1ike the Efik have different types of cultural

Tnstitutions but the oldest is the Mgbe society which originated

Ins

with us from Dk i . I t has remained the gove rnment of our 1and up

by Mgbe and the

t1ll date. All the decrees in the land is ma.de

'Ndidem'. The word Ndid em is what

head of Mgbe is the Ntoe or

the Efik have adulterated to Bdiden'.

he wi1l send a
I f the Ndidem wants the land to be cleaned

deliver his message to the people.

town c r i e r with Mgbe drum to
notifies then
drun heard by the people
The sound of the Mgbe once

was about to happen.

some thing had happened
or
that
originated from the Mgbe
Nsibidi, a pattern of writing,
that the Ekoi man before the coming of
sOciety. This is to show

knowledge of Writing. Nsibidi are singgs

the Europeans had had
a

the Mgbe initiates. Non inmitiates

and imterpreted by only
cnown
understand the r i t u a l s .
do not

different grades of Mgbe name ly : - Mboko, Nkenemo,

There are

Etore, abu, Matinbo, Matuku, Mani, 0tughantan,

Ebongo, Dibo, Akku,
owned
Asien and Ima.ha, The two erades of Okpoho and Nkanda are

We only bought them Îron the Efik. Asian Ekpe is

by the Efik.
the Qua and Akim people.
Gxcluasively Owned by
 67

type oI
music and drumming is different from any other
Mgbe
aic. This is mainly for identification.

is:
+The instrumentation used in the performance of Mgbe

1 Okam (long drum)

2 Mkpere (small drums)
1 Nkong (gong)

2 Nsak (rattles)
from Ekoi and the origin
(Ekpri-akata) originated also
Amgbo
traditional play that is out to
is
0f the u a is Ekoi. This
a

outt Occasionally especi-

It cones
Correct ovils in the society.
als Comes out
period. I t
ally at night during the harvesting
Ntoe as well asS after any
before the coronation of the d idem or

celebrations of any l a t e Ndidem or Ntoi.

traditional

used in the performan ce of mgbo masio

The ins trunentation

1 Okam (long drum)

2 Mkpere (small drums)
1 Nkong (gong)
2 Neak (rattlos)
 68

CHIEF INYANG NTA HENSHAW

WAME
53 YEARS
AGB
A MEMBER OF THE
OBONG'S COUN CIL
STATUS
OCCUPATION: MUSICIAN
CALABAR
RESIDENCE: 16 EKENG EWA STREET,

DATE: 7/6/79
MODE: DIRECT

BIOGRAPHY and a
and as a little boy
born on June 10, 1927
Iwas Schools

both Henshaw
Towm and Hope Wadde ll
attended
beginner, I a very
school days I was

1937--46. During my
in Ca1labar be twe en
School choirs .

home and in Sunday

at
keen singer Church Choir and
Henshaw Town
the
of ten, I joined
At the age I was admitted into
all choir festival,
after an
fifteen
later a t outstamd ing Choir
was the most
Ch0ir which
Church
the Duke Town of the White Star
irom this, WasS a mem ber
time, Apart
at that I did not stop
and the Bdgerly Road Singing Group.
eical Party voice
and church s ongs but I was also a le ad
e t choral singing
Churches.
3n m o t epiri tual
in singing, I, most of the
i n t e r e s ted
As a roung nan who was
there wore traditional displays of songs
1 i e , took part vhenever
'ron these activities,
villages.
in the township and
and danccs,
ballards and traditiona1
nowiodgo of folklore,
I acquired the
 69

asic 0f the Efik,

After I had left school, I travelled to Lagos to join ny

parentS. ALth ough, was Working there with the costain ' s

Tinited and later the Nigerian Breweries, I did not aband on my

from the United
musical interest. When Bobby Bens on arrived back
Staged at
in touch with me at a concert which was
States, ho got
branch at the Glover Hall.
the Calabar Choral Party, Lagos
concert Bhow t o trace
Bobby Benson made enquiries after the

the addre s s he sought permisSion

my residence and when he got ,

and I was
After a long discussion, they agre ed
from ny parents.
then known as the "Mode rn Thea trical
invited to join his group

there in t h a t group that I proved ny merit and

Partyt. I t was

assistant leader of that theatre

appointed the
quality and was

Bens on a s the leader.

party with Bobby
later
so man showS in Lagos and h e r e n v i r o n s and
We staged
Wlde tour or Nigeria and Ghana. On our
country
we went on a

we I OUnd Out that there was necessity for the

return to Nigeria,
band Dnit. This dance band was mown as
re oup t o have a dan ce
0che s t r a " and i t prOved to be very popular in
the "Jam Session
no brcathin8 9pace because of too many regular
a way that we had
It was here that roalised that one cannot do two
engagencnts.

thinge at the same time and do them well so I resigmed my job at

and took to full t ine profess ional music.
the railways in 1949
 70

bandsmen
in 1957, as I was rehearsing with the
One morning
room and
into the practice
I cOmposed Bobby came
the neW piecs the
with you? He stopped
s e i d , a y friend,
can I have a word
friend Mr.
"Here you meet my
and he Continucd by saying,
band Brodericks
turned round to Mr.
Eodericks from Enugu". He then
man". He then
meet Inyang Ette my right hand
and said, "Frank, then that he
there and
come upstairg", It was
said, please heart

recommended me with a very heavy

that he had
revealed to me how I Lett
was
B r o d e r i c k 's band at
Enugu. That
Mr. Frank
to lead of Enugu
New Time Orchestra
session orchestra to form the
one Jam
in September 1951.
few pounds
more when I had put my personal
After a few years
own orch-
that I should have my
I decided
together,
and pennies decided to go with
"The Top Ten A c e s . My boys
estra and this
was
settled down
Bastern Nigeria in 1963 and
back to
me so I came

there that formed a vO cal group known

was
briefly at Enugu. It
to tho band. This vocal
Brothers", a s an atta chment
as the "Cannan
With the Nigerian B r o a d c a s t i n g
group had a long term contra ct
programno was relaid over the
Corporati on, Enugu
which brod cast
as thoge who were lovers of
Country. It became very popuLar

. s i c could 3ay.
 71

function until a renowned r e c o r d

This band was still in
me a
pi cked me up and gave
company,Philips Nigeria Limited
music devision in the ir
as the man. incharge of the i r
iob tine,
1963-1976. Before t h i s
studio, This was betwe en
recording
own compositions wi th
several disc recordings of ny
made
I had boast of six 78
Aces'". As at now I can
"The Top Ten
ay band,
six long playing
fourte en 45 R. P. M. and
R. P. M. r e c ords,
re cords.
 72

LT. JOSEPH UKPONG OFFI ONG

NAME:
36 TEARS
AGE:
ARMY 0FFI CER
STATUS:
CALABAR
RESIDEN CE: 83 ODULP NI ROAD,

DATE: 23/10/79
INTERVIEW: DI RECT
MODE OF
l o v e r of
Nta Henshaw and a
close friend of Chief Inyang
AS a
inspira-
where he draws his
much disposed to t e l l you
music, I am

tion from .
traditionally
been from a
Henshaw has always
ChiefInyang enrichess
re juvenates and
consistently
which
environment
msical rare
coterie
that
talent. He belongs to
and
awareness with
h i s musical creative experience
combine the
world who
the
of a r t i s t s of as well as a
musician
gentlenan
tment. He is a
genteel compor through
momentous
wrltes his music
He
romantic .

fully genteel talentS to create something

muSlcal
uses his
happenings and he with
presentation
1dea or musical
original
his
extra to blend
trend of events.
traditional societies
he JOlned many
culture,
As a man of a
Imus1cal care er . He i s for example
h1s
influenced
whicha l s o He
and the EKPE sOcie ty.
was
AKATA SOC1ety
nember of the EKPRI
by the
noble title of Ada Idaha Ke Tboku'
conferred wi th the
 73

is also
Obong of Calabar -
Edidem Essien Ekpe Oku V in 1974. He
council adviser to the
one of the
members of the 0bong 's as an

Obong of Calabar.
uncles and
Chief Henshaw was also influenced by his parents,
came fron a
His nother who was a good singer as we ll
auntieS.
also joined many
0ld Town (Obut ong). She
royal family in
Esop Nka Id orenyin
and Esop Nka 0ut
t r a d i t i o n a l sOcieties as

young Henshaw by giving

Ama. She also used t0 encourage
words and sayings
the meanings of most of the
explanations to

which he came by.

and a man of culture.
traditionalist
was also a
His f a t h e r
like Ekpri-Akata
and Ekpe.
societies
was a member of such
He