that has its nest on creepers.
ekpekukpeku [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] a shrub the
fruit of which is used as a poison
for rats; it is reputed to drive
them mad; but if the onlooker
laughs, the “power of the medi-
cine” is supposed to weaken so
that the rat will not die; also
called: ekpekukpeku n-ɔgb-ofɛ̃
[ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˩ ˩ ˩ ˥ ] “ekpekukpeku which
kills rats”.
ekpɛkpɛyɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] duck; cf. Yor.
kpɛkpɛyɛ [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ].
Ekpo [ ˩ ˩ ] a masquerade-society of
young boys, imitating the Ɔvia
[ ˩ ˥ ]-society; no mirrors and
cloths, as in Ɔvia, are used for
the masquerade-dress, but only
palm-branches and ropes; the
senior is called oh-ɛ̃kpo [ ˩ \ ˩ ]
“priest of ekpo”; their purpose
was stated to be mainly “cheer-
ing up the quarter”, but they
have a juju as well (in form of
a stick) which has a certain
power; thus e.g. barren women
may sacrifice a cock to it, and
offences against it are also ex-
piated by the sacrifice of a cock;
members of the society some-
times bar a road by means of a
rope in order to obtain a small
toll from passers-by. Where
there is an Ɔvia-society, young
men leave the Ekpo at the age
of fifteen, but where there is
none, as e.g. at Urho N-igbe
[ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ], they are said to remain in
it until they are 35 or 40 years
of age; v. Akobiɛ [ ˥ / \ ].
ekpokpo [ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ] bullet.
ekpɔʋ̃ɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ] thanksgiving: especi-
ally a procession round the town
passing all the chiefs’ gates,
made by a newly-made chief;
