Ekpe

Ekpe, also known as Mgbe/Egbo (Ekoi language: leopard; derived from the Efik term for the same), is a West African secret society in Nigeria and Cameroon flourishing chiefly among the Ejagham.

Ekpe is a mysterious spirit who is supposed to live in the jungle and to preside at the ceremonies of the society.

Formerly the society earned a bad reputation due to what the British viewed as the barbarous customs that were intermingled with its rites.

The Amama often appropriate hundreds of acres of palm trees for their own use and, with the profits they earn, ensure that their sons achieve comparable rank, which has the effect of limiting access to economic gain for other members of the community.

The Ekpe society requires that its initiates sponsor feasts for the town, which foster the appearance of the redistribution of wealth by providing the poor with food and drink.