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Efik Nnabo Society Masquerades of Calabar, Nigeria

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Efik Nnabo Society Masquerades of Calabar, Nigeria research note Nobody Can Harm You, Nobody Can Charm You Efik Nnabo Society Masquerades of Calabar, Nigeria Onyile Bassey Onyile and Christopher Slogar all photos by Onyile Bassey Onyile except where otherwise noted he Nnabo society is an institution of the Efik ordered by the Obong. The Efik phrase nedseo nsibidi refers to people of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. the act of execution. Formerly charged with martial duties, Nnabo The origin of Nnabo is shrouded in history, although Efik masquerades today serve various functions— oral history traces it to the region of the Ejagham peoples of including spiritual protection and public per- the upper Cross River region. According to members of the formances to honor deceased members and the Owanese group, Nnabo is not an Efik term, but rather is Qua/ Efik Obong, or paramount ruler—while offering a visually rich Ejagham, because they “owned” the word.1 However, the pre- Tdisplay of heritage that speaks to a larger complex of masquer- cise meaning was not proffered because it’s “nsibidi”—that is, ade societies previously found throughout the Cross River basin. a secret. Apart from its general connotation as a “war dance,” Here, we address the lacuna in published sources about Nnabo members noted that Nnabo also means, “Everybody knows that by introducing the primary masquerade characters and their something happens” or, more succinctly, “Action!” It may be that roles based on interviews with society members in Calabar. the group originated with, or was inspired by, a Qua/Ejaham or Nowadays Nnabo highlights the warriorlike prowess dis- Efut source, as was the men’s Leopard Society, known as Ekpe played by energetic young men in their attempts to intimidate amongst the Efik of Calabar (Latham 1973:36; Leib and Romano and frighten onlookers during public performances. That the 1984:48). masquerades seek to inspire fear is no surprise, considering their The institution of Nnabo is not limited to the Calabar region. former roles among the Efik, which included warfare (Figs. 1, 5, A Nnabo masquerade costume seen by the authors at the Oron 7). Hence, Nnabo connotes the fearlessness and steady vigilance Museum in 2004 indicates the group is widespread throughout required to protect the dignity and integrity of the Efik people. the southern Cross River region. Its label read: While a few members in Calabar today might still desire to regain Nnabo, otherwise known as Idem Nsibidi, is very prominent among its former power, Nnabo long ago ceded its martial function to the people of Ekoi, Quas, Efik of Cross River State, and Idua in Oron government and now performs primarily to honor fellow mem- area of Akwa Ibom State. bers during events such as commemorative funerals, or the instal- lation of a new Obong. Nnabo also provides public entertainment According to the Ibibio scholar A.E. Udoh, the Ibibio of Akwa at the holidays (e.g., the annual Christmas carnival of masquer- Ibom State also had a related group called “Nsibidi,” which, like ades in Calabar), and may perform during private functions. Ekpe, “had secret signs known only to members” (1983:54).2 We were repeatedly told that, prior to the colonial period, However, unlike the well-known Ekpe society, which is orga- Nnabo led the way onto the battlefield during times of confron- nized by grade and whose members are initiated by invitation, tation or war. Its masquerades were charged with intimidating membership in Nnabo is open to any interested person, male or the enemy and removing any malignant spiritual forces they may female—but men perform all of the masquerades. have incurred. In times of peace, certain members—the Nsi- The characters of Nnabo masquerades act aggressively because bidi Nnabo—carried out the executions of condemned persons they were meant to strike terror into the hearts and minds of 70 | african arts SPRING 2016 VOL. 49, NO. 1 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/AFAR_a_00271 by guest on 25 September 2021 1 Efik Nnabo Society masquerades called Mkpokoro, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria, 1996. Photo: courtesy of Ekpo Eyo tic tourists and therefore is potentially a lucrative event for the Nnabo members who perform. Hence, they decided to keep things more civil from then on. We were fortunate to be invited into the home of Atafiong Okon Ata (a.k.a. Ikwa Afang) in Calabar South municipality. He is a former Nnabo president of the (Owanese) Nka Okutama Isong Efik Eburutu group, one of the seven Nnabo associations of Calabar.3 Also present were fellow Nnabo members Dr. E.E. Ironbar (clan head); Mr. Aniekan (Financial Secretary); Louis Edem Duke (Secretary General); Bassey Offiong Okon (Youth enemies met on the battlefield, criminals condemned to death Leader); and Efeffiong Otu Effiong—a.k.a. Efere Otong, “Okra under Nnabo’s sword, or those who would threaten the Obong, Soup” (Protocol Officer). Their combined presence, no doubt, whom Nnabo is charged to protect. While these sentiments still was meant to validate the information provided to us. Atafiong hold true today, the powerful aura and imposing appearance opened the meeting in modern fashion, by reciting a Christian of Nnabo masquerades mostly serve to intimidate on-lookers prayer—after which his fellows replied, “Amen”—then poured rather than martial foes (Fig. 1). Mostly. Because it surprised libation onto the earth to honor the ancestors. He wore the dis- no one when, in the years immediately following the Nigerian tinctive indigo-dyed cotton wrapper (ukara) covered with nsi- civil war (1967–1970), the public performances of Nnabo grew bidi signs,4 a cloth that is the sole prerogative of Ekpe society so unruly amongst rival associations that they were occasion- members. Atafiong later emphasized that Nnabo is distinct from ally banned by the government. As recently as 2003, the Cross Ekpe, although they both use nsibidi as a secret code to transmit River state police forbade Nnabo from performing at the annual information to members. Nonetheless, Ekpe is the most presti- Christmas carnival, Calabar’s largest masquerade venue (Onah gious Efik men’s society, which explains why Ata proclaimed his 2003:n.p.). This event has become a massive draw for domes- membership in it as well. VOL. 49, NO. 1 SPRING 2016 african arts | 71 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/AFAR_a_00271 by guest on 25 September 2021 2 Efik Nnabo Society altar, known as okpokoro Nnabo, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria, 2006. 3 Efik Nnabo Society members, including the masquerades Eka Nnabo (far left), Mkpokoro (cen- ter), Isa Nnabo (near right), Edua Nnabo (far right), Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria, 2010. 72 | african arts SPRING 2016 VOL. 49, NO. 1 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/AFAR_a_00271 by guest on 25 September 2021 NNABO AS MEDICINE 4 Efik Nnabo Charm-Bearer, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria, 1970. The man shown was known by According to Efik oral history, Abasi, or Almighty God, pro- the name Ebisase. vided Nnabo troupe members with the knowledge to create anti- dotes—recipes for specific ibok (medicines) using combinations of plants—so that humankind could protect itself during war or conflict with neighboring villages. Nnabo personifies the most potent of ibok used for protection against impending danger. It lore can be linked to the origin of creation (and for this reason, is one of many masquerades in Efik culture that are believed to Nnabo maskers generally perform in groups of seven). be imbued with spiritual prowess and clairvoyance. A Nnabo As the gathering is called to order, libation is poured onto the masker properly empowered with ibok is considered to be able to earth to invite the spirits of departed members and the ancestors perceive hidden danger in order to overcome it. of the larger Efik community to join the gathering. At the same Before any Nnabo performance, many rituals must be con- time, the spirit of Nnabo and all of its powerful medicines are ducted, including the singing of sacred songs to empower the invoked. Immediately after the pouring of libation, the egg on medicines that protect Nnabo performers. The rites also include the okpokoro is picked up protectively by its custodian. The egg setting the “table,” or altar, called okpokoro Nnabo (Fig. 2), which symbolizes life and motherhood. Essentially, it represents Ndem is placed on the floor with members seated around it. The okpo- Efik, a tutelary deity of the Efik people associated with the rivers koro contains a plantain leaf with two old swords crossed over it; and seas who is revered by Nnabo. Eggs are central components nkoi-ebion (porcupine quill); a portion of iduot (a reddish pow- in Ndem rituals because of their potent medicinal and healing der obtained by scraping the bark of the ukpa tree, Pterocarpus properties. Cowry shells, which come from the sea, also pay soyauxii, which is used as a medicinal ointment); and charcoal homage to Ndem. They solicit protection from evildoer s. Cow- (ukan or nkan), a metaphor of the past. Here nkan and iduot ries were also a precolonial form of currency and so are sym- act as antidotes to any malevolent charm present on or around bolic of wealth and status (Eyo 1979:42–44, 58). The plantain leaf the altar. Also included is a bottle of locally brewed gin wrapped represents nature and provides the assurance of unity among with a red scarf, an egg, and a string of seven cowry shells. In Nnabo members. The crossed swords literally project a show of Efik folklore, itiaba (seven) is a sacred number having special strength. But their four ends also symbolize the cardinal points powers.
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