Ekpeye people

"Ekpeye" redirects here. For the language, see Ekpeye language.

Ekpeye is an ethnic group predominantly found in Ahoada East and parts of Ahoada West Local Government Areas of Rivers State, in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The Ahoada metropolis serves as the administrative headquarters of the Ekpeye ethnic nation. The Ekpeye people who are descendants of Akalaka are known to have migrated from Benin which is their ancestral home.

Ekpeye People

Emene Ekpeye
Ekpeye Eta (Wrestling) Festival
Total population
approx. 226,000
Regions with significant populations
Rivers State Nigeria
Languages
Ekpeye language . Pidgin . English
Religion
Christianity . African Traditional Religion Omenela
Related ethnic groups
Ikwerre . Ika people . Igbo Ukwuani . Ogba Esan

Politics

See also: Nigerian Civil War, Biafra, and Politics of Nigeria

Traditional leadership

The Ekpeye ethnic nation is ruled by a king called the Eze Ekpeye Logbo also known as Ny'udu Ekpeye Logbo. The traditional stool that would unite the whole of Ekpeye people was created in 1977, with Eze Edmund Unoshi Ashirim of Ihuaba in Upata kingdom serving as the Eze Ekpeye Logbo I. After his demise, Eze Robinson O. Robinson of the Ubie kingdom ascended the throne in 1979 as Eze Ekpeye Logbo II. As of November 2024, the serving Eze Ekpeye Logbo is Eze Kelvin Ngozi Anugwo, who got enthroned on May 4, 2022.

The ethnic nation is divided into clans known as Igbu. As of 2024, there are seven major Igbus including:

1. Igbu Ehuda
2. Igbu Upata
3. Igbu Ubie
4. Igbu Akoh
5. Igbu Igbuduya
6. Igbu orlukwo
7. Igbu Ugbobi

Language

The Ekpeye people speak Ekpeye, classified as an Igboid language.

Festivals

The Ekpeye people celebrate several festivals such as the Eta, Ogwu Ekpeye, Owu, and Ugbokolo.

Further reading

• Amini-Philips, Isaac C. (1994) King Nworisa of Ekpeyeland (1830–1899): his life and times Riverside Communications, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, ISBN 978-31226-6-5;
• Amini-Philips, Isaac C. (1998) Establishing a chronology for Ekpeye history Emhai Print. & Pub., Port Harcourt, Nigeria, OCLC 53842667;
• Ekine, Gift V. (2014)- A Concise History of Ekpeyeland and People, Osia Digital Press, Port Harcourt, Nigeria (ISBN 978-978-52044-4-5)
• Ekine, Gift V. (2013)- A Dictionary of Ekpeyewords and Pronunciations, Osia Digital Press, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. (ISBN 978-978-52044-2-1)
• Picton, John (February 1988) "Ekpeye masks and masking" African arts 21(2): pp. 46–53, 94 OCLC 40558650;
• Clark, David J. (1971) Reading and Writing Ekpeye Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, OCLC 2464074;
• "Ekpeye: a language of Nigeria" Ethnologue;
• Ajugo, U. B (2005) "The True History of Ekpeyeland :3000 BC ~ 2005 AD". A BGR Project, Port Harcourt Nigeria.