Oron (state) - Culture and Traditions

Culture and Traditions

The Oron people have a unique culture and tradition. The Ekpe Society is used in Oron land as the traditional authority. One of the defining ancient cults in Oro culture is the “ekpe” cult. Our ancestors took the secret of this mystical cult with them as they left Usahadit on their final forced, migration to today’s southern Nigeria. Today, it is generally known and believed that “ekpe” cult originated from Usahadit. And among the ethnic groups that celebrate and practice this ancient cult are the Efik people, the Ekid people and the Oro people. The “ekpo” cult may have been copied from our Ibibios neighbors later in our history. But the “ekpe” cult is uniquely and indisputably Usahadit in origin. This is also why the rituals and symbolisms surrounding the “ekpe” cult are far more important to us than activities relating to the mere ceremonial “ekpo” cult. Other ruling secret societies include: the Ekpo, Abang, Edeme awan nkwho, Ekon, Afikegit, Konkoma, Mbok, Ababa, and Nnabo. All these cultural attributes, alongside the Oron people's hospitality, arts, food, and oil and gas minerals attract tourism and commerce.

The Oron people have a very colourful mode of traditional dressing with a piece of fabric called the Iyara (usually red in colour). The red Iyara is usually worn with a white tailored traditional shirt and wrap-around (wrapper) fabric common to people all over the South-Southern regions Nigeria. Sometimes this attire is combined with a rich native tie, usually a colourful silk fabric worn around the neck. These attires are also commonly worn by the Efik, Ibibios and Annang ethnic groups, except that the Annang and Ibibio people do not wear a red Iyara.