Edited by Azizi Powell
This post presents information about Efik people and Akom Ibom state of Nigeria, West Africa. This post also showcases four videos of Efik/Akom Ibom Gospel music by Mr Gee and includes information about Highlife music.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, religious, and aesthetic purposes.
In addition to the music, I am interested in documenting and sharing examples of the traditional clothing and hairstyles, contemporary clothing and hairstyles, the traditional dances and/or contemporary dances that are shown in these videos.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. In addition, thanks to wiseguy4reel, the producer of these videos and thanks to YouTube.
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I haven't found any biographical information about this featured singer. If you know of any links to that information or can share information about this singer, please add those links and/or information in the comment section below. The English language title of these songs and English language summaries for these songs would also be appreciated. Thanks!
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE EFIK
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efik_people
The Efik are an ethnic group located primarily in southeastern Nigeria, in the southern part of Cross River State. The Efik speak the Efik language which is a Benue–Congo language of the Cross River family. The Efik migrated down the Cross River from Arochukwu and founded numerous settlements in the Calabar and Creek Town area. They had sojourned from Nubia through to Ghana and then Arochukwu in present-day South East Nigeria. After staying there harmoniously as guests for about 400 years (11th - 15th century), they left after a disagreement with the Aros. The bulk of them left to Uruan in present-day Akwa Ibom State, some to Eniong and surrounding areas. They stayed in Uruan for about a hundred or so years and then moved to Ikpa Ene and Ndodihi briefly before crossing over to their final destination in Creek Town (Esit Edik / Obio Oko). Creek Town and its environs are often commonly referred to as Calabar, and its people as Calabar people, after the European name Calabar Kingdom given to the state [in present-day Cross River State. Calabar is not to be confused with the Kalabari Kingdom in Rivers State which is an Ijaw state to its west. Cross River State with Akwa Ibom State was formerly one of the original twelve states of Nigeria known as the Southeastern State.
The Efik people also occupy southwestern Cameroon including Bakassi...
The Efik are related to the Annang, Ibibio, Igbo, Oron, Biase, Akampkpa, Uruan, and Eket people by common ancestry...
The Efik were the middle men between the white traders on the coast and the inland tribes of the Cross River and Calabar district. Christian missions were at work among the Efiks beginning in the middle of the 19th century. Even by 1900, many of the native peoples were well educated in European ideologies and culture, professed Christianity and dressed in European fashion...
The Efik and indeed the people of the Old Calabar kingdom were the first to embrace western education in present-day Nigeria, with the establishment of Hope Waddel Training Institute, Calabar in 1895 and the Methodist Boys High School, Oron in 1905...
The Efik king, also known as the Obong of Calabar, still (as of 2006) is a political power among the Efik.[3]...
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INFORMATION ABOUT AKWA IBOM
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akwa_Ibom_State
"Akwa Ibom is a state in Nigeria. It is located in the coastal southern part of the country... The state is bordered on the east by Cross River State, on the west by Rivers State and Abia State, and on the south by the Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost tip of Cross River State.
Akwa Ibom is one of Nigeria’s 36 states, with a population of over 5 million people and more than 10 million people in diaspora. It was created in 1987 from the former Cross River State and is currently the highest oil- and gas-producing state in the country. The state’s capital is Uyo, with over 500,000 inhabitants. Akwa Ibom has an airport (Akwa Ibom International Airport) and two major seaports on the Atlantic Ocean with a proposed construction of a world-class seaport Ibaka Seaport at Oron. The state also boasts of a 30,000-seater ultramodern sports complex. Akwa Ibom state is home to the Ibom E-Library, a world-class information center.[2] Along with English, the main spoken languages are Ibibio, Annang, Eket and Oron language.[3]...
Politics
Politics in Akwa Ibom state is dominated by the three main ethnic groups, the Ibibio, Annang and Oron. Of these three, the Ibibio remain the majority and have held sway in the state since its creation. For the past eight years, the Annang people held sway since the governor for those eight years was from Ikot Ekpene senetorial district.
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INFORMATION ABOUT HIGHLIFE MUSIC
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlife
"Highlife is a music genre that originated in Ghana at the turn of the 20th century and incorporated the traditional harmonic 9th, as well as melodic and the main rhythmic structures in traditional Akan music, and married them with Western instruments. Highlife was associated with the local African aristocracy during the colonial period. By the 1930s, Highlife spread via Ghanaian workers to Sierra Leone, Liberia, Gambia and Nigeria, among other West African countries, where the music is now very popular.
Highlife is characterised by jazzy horns and multiple guitars which lead the band. Recently it has acquired an uptempo, synth-driven sound (see Daddy Lumba). Igbo highlife and Joromi are subgenres.[1][2][3]
This arpeggiated highlife guitar part is modeled after an Afro-Cuban guajeo.[4] The pattern of attack-points is nearly identical to the 3-2 clave motif guajeo as shown below. The bell pattern known in Cuba as clave is indigenous to Ghana and Nigeria, and is used in highlife."
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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
These videos are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date, with the oldest dated videos given first.
Example #1: Akwa Ibom Gosple Gyration 4.
wiseguy4reel Uploaded on Oct 26, 2009
This is a lovely Akwa Ibom Song by Mr Gee, a strong and talented Akwa Ibom Singer. Please listen and be blessed. Please comment when you uve heard it, thanks...
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Example #2: Efik Worship 2
wiseguy4reel, Uploaded on May 15, 2010
This is a lovely Akwa Ibom Song by Mr Gee, a strong and talented Akwa Ibom Singer. Please listen and be blessed. Please comment when you uve heard it, thanks...
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Here's a comment from this video's discussion thread:
eddy jakes jr, 2013
"Abasi awang afi mr gee. We are sons of efik soil in diaspora .it is painful no one to speak the sweet efik language with."
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Example #3: Efik song 3 ( MMbon Udim Enyong, Edi Ikpe Ikpe Iwot mmi)
wiseguy4reel Uploaded on May 15, 2010
This is a lovely Akwa Ibom Song by Mr Gee, a strong and talented Akwa Ibom Singer. Please listen and be blessed. Please comment when you uve heard it, thanks.
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Example #4: Efik Worship 1 (Se Eka'kediong)
wiseguy4reel Uploaded on Apr 1, 2011
An Akwa Ibom Gosple song by Mr Gee, my good friend. Please listen to him, as God uses him to bless and prosper your life..
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Singing begins at 1:15
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