Abstract—In Nigeria, cultural festivals abound to emphasize
and showcase the rich cultural heritage of the people. These
cultural festivals are found in all the geo-political zones of the
country and they have become international events attracting
tourists from all over the world. Obviously, festivals are
veritable instruments for national integration and peaceful
co-existence. Ikoro and Ekpe festivals are cultural festivals
organized by Akwete Ndoki community to mark the end of the
farming season and the beginning of a new one. This paper
examines the social, political, economic and religious
significance of these festivals and the effect of modernization on
them. The main data collection technique used was the
participant-as-observer option of participant observation. This
was supplemented with the in-depth interview and Focus Group
Discussion (FGD). Findings showed that Ikoro and Ekpe
festivals play a vital role in the social, political, economic and
religious sustenance of the community. It was also observed that
Christianity has altered most of the ritual practices.
Recommendations were made which includes that the date for
these yearly festivals be moved from late January to any date
from 24
th December to 2
nd January in order to attract more
participants.
Index Terms—Ceremony, cultural heritage, festival,
masquerade.
Bentina Alawari Mathias is with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka
Nigeria (e-mail: bentinad1@yahoo.com, mathiasbentina@gmail.com).
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Cite: Bentina Alawari Mathias, " Socio-Religious Significance of Ikoro and Ekpe Festivals
in Akwete Ndoki Community of Abia State, Nigeria," International Journal of Social Science and Humanity vol. 4, no. 5, pp. 366-371, 2014.