The Ekpeye are an ethnic group in Ahoada East and parts of Ahoada West Local Government Areas of Rivers State, in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The Ahoada metropolis serves as the administrative headquarters of the Ekpeye ethnic nation. The Ekpeye language is closely related to Ikwerre and Ogba languages, and the people are descendants of Akalaka. linguistically and culturally the Ekpeye people share close affinity and ancestral root with the Ikwerre and Ogba people of Rivers state.
The Ekpeye population is over 232,000.
Politics
Traditional leadership
The Ekpeye ethnic nation is ruled by a king called the Eze Ekpeye Logbo also known as Ny'udu Ekpeye Logbo. The traditional stool that would unite the whole of Ekpeye people was created in 1977, with Eze Edmund Unoshi Ashirim of Ihuaba in Upata kingdom serving as the Eze Ekpeye Logbo I.
After his demise, Eze Robinson O. Robinson of the Ubie kingdom ascended the throne in 1979 as Eze Ekpeye Logbo II. As of November 2024, the serving Eze Ekpeye Logbo is Eze Kelvin Ngozi Anugwo, who got enthroned on May 4, 2022.
The ethnic nation is divided into clans known as Igbu. As of 2024, there are seven major Igbus including:
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Igbu Ehuda
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Igbu Upata
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Igbu Ubie
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Igbu Akoh
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Igbu Igbuduya
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Igbu orlukwo
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Igbu Ugbobi
Democratic leadership
Language
The Ekpeye people speak
Ekpeye language.
Festivals
The Ekpeye people celebrate several festivals such as the Eta,
Ogwu Ekpeye, Owu, and Ugbokolo.
Notes
Further reading
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Amini-Philips, Isaac C. (1994) King Nworisa of Ekpeyeland (1830–1899): his life and times Riverside Communications, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, ;
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Amini-Philips, Isaac C. (1998) Establishing a chronology for Ekpeye history Emhai Print. & Pub., Port Harcourt, Nigeria, OCLC 53842667;
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Ekine, Gift V. (2014)- A Concise History of Ekpeyeland and People, Osia Digital Press, Port Harcourt, Nigeria ()
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Ekine, Gift V. (2013)- A Dictionary of Ekpeyewords and Pronunciations, Osia Digital Press, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. ()
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Picton, John (February 1988) "Ekpeye masks and masking" African arts 21(2): pp. 46–53, 94 OCLC 40558650;
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Clark, David J. (1971) Reading and Writing Ekpeye Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, OCLC 2464074;
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"Ekpeye: a language of Nigeria" Ethnologue;
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Ajugo, U. B (2005) "The True History of Ekpeyeland :3000 BC ~ 2005 AD". A BGR Project, Port Harcourt Nigeria.
