Eastern Nigeria is home to three dynamic cultural world's, that of Igbo, that of ijaw and that of Ibibio/efik. At a distance the Igbo and Ibibio/efik may seem unrelated and entirely different in all cultural terms.
However a very closer look will reveal this two groups are a bit similar to one another.
1: The word OYOYO means "dear" in both Igbo and efik languages.
2: UWA means "world" in both Igbo and efik languages, igbos will say 'uwa mu' while efik will say 'uwa
3: The Ibibio/annang masquerade genre known as "ekpo" is practice by Igbo group in Abia State and Imo state.
4: The ekpe masquerade cult and the iyamba (female ekpe cult.Are both practiced by the Ibibio and Igbo group from Ebonyo state and imo state.
5: The practice of sending an engaged maiden to a fattening house (known in Abia State as 'mgbede'), where she will be well-looked after and prepared for marital life, is observed by both the Igbo and Ibibio-Efik.
6: The Igbo and the Ibibio-Annang both use leopard hats as indicators of membership in leopard societies and political cults.
7: The Efik and Igbo share market days. I'll post the names of the market days when I