Art, Spirituality, and Authority: The Ekpe Society’s Ngwomo-Style Meeting House in 1930s Igbo Culture

“View of Ekpe (Egbo) society meeting house in Umuajatta (Olokoro) village [Umuahia area]. The house had a tall thatched roof, and a wall painted by an Annang artist in the style of Ngwomo ghost houses. Surrounded by trees.” G. I. Jones, 1930s.

The written record

The from the 1930s fieldwork of G. I. Jones, a British anthropologist and photographer who documented the cultures of southeastern Nigeria, particularly the Igbo and their neighbors.

The Ekpe (or Egbo) society, also known as the Leopard Society, was a powerful secret society found among the Igbo, Efik and Ibibio peoples. It played an important role in maintaining social order, law, and tradition in various communities.

Historical context

In this description, the Ekpe meeting house in Umuajatta (Olokoro), a village in Umuahia, is depicted with a thatched roof and walls painted by an Annang artist. The mention of the “Ngwomo ghost houses” refers to the traditional artistic style associated with sacred or spiritual spaces. The trees surrounding the house would have added to the sacred atmosphere, as these spaces were often in or near groves considered to be sacred.

This scene provides insight into the fusion of art, spirituality, and social organization in Igbo communities during the early 20th century, reflecting the roles secret societies played in maintaining cultural and political systems.