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Aspects Of Adim Morphology
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1.1.2.3 CALABAR ESTUARY ORIGIN
An informant asserts
that Adim people first settled in Abakpa or qua area of Calabar. That
war and the search for food and new homes caused them to migrate with
Umon people by canoe, up the cross river. First, they settled with Umon
people at Umon Island on the Cross River. They left the Island for two
main reasons:
a) The Island could no longer accommodate the growing population and
b) The war between Umon and the Efiks over trade monopoly in the upper region of the cross river.
This
assertion was confirmed by MR. DONALD M. McFarland in his book,
Calabar, The Church of Scotland Mission 1846-1946, London, p,45.
In
1846, the Mission Company had watched King Eyamba set out on an
expedition to carry war into the Umon country. An albino was sacrificed
to the river god to ensure success. This expedition really scattered
many units of people who formerly occupied the island. My informant, Mr.
Ben Ikwa argued in favour of his tradition. According to him, when the
people of Adim came up to cross river, they settled with the people of
Ikun and Etono in Ubaghara clan, west of the cross river. They later
crossed the river to the eastern side and came to the present site of
Orum-Ugom (Agwagwune). They saw that there were no inhabitants in
Orum-Ugom, but the area was very marshy in the interior. They found the
Orum-Iton, an area full of raffia palms in the course of time. That is
the present location of Adim which was called ‘Akana’, meaning no
dispute. This is to say that there was no unit opposed the idea of the
formation of the united force against their enemies. Later the name was
changed to Arum Igiliga. The name was likened to a life stick called
Egiliga singular to Igiliga. Egiliga’s symbolism is likened to it’s
thorny back which makes it difficult to carry or easily handled.
It
is on record that the site chosen had some basic characteristics which
attracted the people; as it was a hill which made it militarily
strategic and had water within a radius of one kilometre. The union was
indeed a federation with each federating unit or clan retaining as much
of her unique cultural trait and institutions as possible.
1.3 SOCIO-CULTURAL PROFILE
1.3.1 MARRIAGE INSTITUTION
In
Adim, the concept of marriage is well institutionalized as a social
affair. In those days, parents made choices of whom their sons or
daughters should marry. They may have contracted this since childhood of
the would-be partners. The first approach is for the parents of the boy
to present some token coconut, a bunch of indigo and a piece of cloth
not more than one yard to the parent of the girl. The girl will then be
betrothed to the boy. The presentation will be done during the new yam
festival. They may or not have reached school age when the contact was
made on their behalf. Both boy and girl grow up with this but if the
proposed partners had a violent objection to the union, it will be
possible to break off the agreement.
Another tradition discloses that
when a boy saw himself fit to enter into marriage contract, he had to
tell his father who would guide him into choice making. If the girl he
intended to seek her hand in marriage was approved by the father and
mother, then the father had to go with him to his would-be father in-law
with a keg of fresh palm wine for the traditional asking ceremony. If
this wine was accepted, he will be expected to start sleeping in his
in-law’s house but not allowed to sleep on the same bed with the girl.
1.3.2 AGE GRADE SYSTEM IN ADIM
The
institution of age grade (Egop) played a very important role. It
consists of persons born with approximately three years of one another.
It is said to be a social group based on grade. Age grade is the
advancement of boys and girls to adult status by ritual equivalent to
confirmation where those initiated at the same time constitute a
definite company. Hence, every man or woman belongs to an age grade.
Basically, there used to be four male age grades named after the four
days in one native week of Ekes, Ibums, Igbegbets and Ikpos in Adim. As
members, (new initiates) of a junior age grade rose in rank, they passed
through many stages like Egop Ewala, Egop Otu until they are finally
initiated into an age grade proper.
The importance of age grade
cannot be overemphasized. The social aspects of the village life
depended entirely on the age grade. For instance, they were responsible
for discharging such social services as clearing of bush paths,
collecting community levies, guarding the community at both day and
night against external attacks, some aspects of administrative duties
and other related social services.
1.3.3 THE ECONOMY
The
standard living of any community is a reflection of their economy based
on the management of the variety of their resources. Although, most men
and women were engaged in farming, there was a marked division in the
type of work they performed. Men did most of the cleanings. They cleared
the bush and other sundry activities that go with farm cultivation.
Apart
from farming, the people practised other economic activities like
hunting, fishing, trapping of animals; small scale animal husbandry and
livestock keeping of goats, pigs, etc. Fowls were also raised to supply
eggs and chicken.
The local crafts practised in Adim were carving,
smithing and weaving. Carving and smithing were mainly the occupation of
men while women specialized in weaving industry.
1.3.4 BELIEVE PATTERN
The
people of Adim believe in the existence of a supreme being called
Obasi-golok Ekpeyong. The believe in the continuity of life and a
community of interest between the living and the dead and the generation
yet unborn was fundamental to the religious life of people of Adim
The
belief of the people in life after death was portrayed in the system of
burying the traditional head (Onum) and titled men in the society. On
the death of Onum or any titled man in the society, some of the
properties (including his matchet, snuff box, sleeping mat, etc.) will
be buried along with him. Human heads, particularly those of slaves or
strangers were buried alongside with the dead man. The significance of
this practice lies in the belief that the dead would make use of these
items buried along with him in the world to come. The people also
believe in the existence of many gods of inferior dignity compared to
the supreme deity. Some lineages or compounds possess their own gods in
the form of a stone or tree. In these compounds especially Onun-eko,
Onunegor, Igbase, Ete-Inyangbe, Ekpet and Etigale usually make
sacrifices of goat, fowl and yam to these lesser deities from time to
time.
In the process of sacrificial offerings, prayers for good
tidings such as bountiful harvest, long life and increased population
were made. The smaller gods were regarded as subjects of the chief deity
and were seen as mediators between the chief deity and mankind. The
people believe that they could communicate with the Supreme Being by
offering sacrifices to the smaller gods who were clearly visible to
them. The spirits of the ancestors were usually invoked by the pouring
of liberation. In the process, prayers and thanks are offered to the
ancestors calling on them to convert their message and demands to the
Almighty God (the Supreme Being).
FIGURE 1.1
(The history and development of Adim, Raphael o. Eyong)
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 4]
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