The stone monoliths of Ikom
The carved stones at the Alok Open Air museum form a circle, and they have remained in this position for thousands of years.At the other sites where the stones are found,they also form a circle. You cannot miss the circular form when you visit.There seems to be a formula here,and some have said that there […]
The carved stones at the Alok Open Air museum form a circle, and they have remained in this position for thousands of years.At the other sites where the stones are found,they also form a circle. You cannot miss the circular form when you visit.There seems to be a formula here,and some have said that there is a code embedded in the arrangement of the stones, as well as in the inscriptions on the lot of them. One stone seems to guard the next one,a guide tells me. Some stones are female, while others are male. Some have blank faces upon which nothing has been inscribed, while others present a clear face, and reflect the cultures and beliefs of those early times.
A mix of emotions or conditions are captured by the stones. You see all this if you look carefully: Some stones are child like. Others are bold, sober, regal, wise, happy and a few feminine. At Alok, another stone which has not been carved, still possesses a special beauty of its own.There are small stones, while others are large. A few present a triangular inscription, while others don’t. But all stones unite on the simple fact that each seems to contain a code expressed in Nsibidi, which has been seen by many as Africa’s first alphabet. One of the stones is known as the ‘Wisdom stone’. It is beautiful, adopts a fairly round shape, and is pleasing to the eye. It is said that if you pray by this stone, your prayers or wishes will be answered. This has happened to quite a number of persons, including a scholar who recently visited and prayed for twins. Very soon she got her twins, Sylvanus Akong, the village head of Nto Atel, Alok tells me. His words “This stone plays a great role here. People pray and get what they desire.”
The marks on some of the stones are equally significant, Chief Akong tells me “These marks represent some of the tribes known to the Nnam people, at the time the stones were carved. It is most likely these groups were all together at the time of the Bantu migrations into what later became Nigerian territory. These groups might have included include the Tiv and the Igala, as well as the Nupe.”
It is about 2:00 pm and the nearby trees cast a shadow upon the stones, giving them an enchanting character.On some of the stones are numerous spirals and triangular shapes. Chief Akong says “These stones existed before the coming of Christ, and the people then had already formed a theory of mathematics and of the triangle. This explains the mathematical signs inscribed on the monoliths.”
He explains “Nsibidi is a scientific language, and the people used it in their own scientific activity.The west simply appropriated their ideas and gave different interpretations to the reality which they found in Africa.” He adds that the triangle seen on many of the monoliths is actually a common sign in mathematics and geometry. Another stone is known as Akpanya, the chief says, which presents a woman who bears a shield. It is said that in the ancient days, she would lead the men to battle. Without her physical presence, the battle will be as good as lost.This shows that the early people gave women a lofty place in their community,as well as in their cosmology. This may explain the reverential presentation of Akpanya. Many ancient societies have a belief in a powerful feminine figure. Sometimes, this rises to be a figure such as a powerful goddess who is believed to save the people in times of great need. Alok is not an exception in this context. This reminds one of the line attributed to Goethe which goes ‘The eternal feminine lifts us up’. Chief Akong tells me that a lot more is to be seen in the 25 other underdeveloped sites, where monoliths can be found. He adds that the monoliths form a concentric circle, made of an inner and outer section. These circles also relate to the calendar used by the people of that time, he says.
At the plot of land which is fenced and harbours quite a number of stones, is to be found one stone which is called the children’s stone. In Nnam, the local language, this is called ‘Etalabaen’ which roughly translates to ‘Children’s stone’. Chief Akong says that during the New Yam festival which holds on September 15th every year, the children’s stone is painted and “children and adults gather around the stone which is a sort of peace symbol.” Then there is another carving which is that of Mgbe Aban-Mbeny,who was the first king of the community,the chief tells me.
Some of the stones have suffered from the effects of weathering, and a number of online sources seem to hint that there has been some level of theft of monoliths from the various sites.
There is the Ekpe stone present at the Alok site.The stone has seven parts,and each part or circle is said to represent the seven strong families which started the Ekpe society. But seven is also another significant spiritual concept which was known to the ancients.
The carved stones are all made of Basalt which was sourced from a nearby stream, what the chief calls the ‘mother base’ which lies some seven kilometres away from Alok. On the carvings Chief Akong says “These people existed before the iron age. The carvings are metaphysical elements, and reveal a spiritual energy. The carvers had knowledge of science, for most of the signs in science are present on the monoliths.” Professor Catherine Acholonu comments on the inscriptions on the carvings.
Her words “my linguistic analysis places the inscriptions on the monuments at around 4,500 BC.” One of the monoliths is a carving of a rather prayerful looking female figure that is presented wearing an equal armed cross, an Nsibidi sign, and this from time immemorial has been the symbol of Truth.
But there is some danger to the various sites where the monoliths can be found.
According to a recent report “The stones are also in danger from fungus and plant growth. There are limited resources for clearing the weeds and plants that grow up around the monoliths. At Alok circle, microbes have covered the monuments with a corrosive white dust. In addition, local people sometimes set fire to the stones while clearing land for cultivation.” Alok is some thirty minutes from Ogoja, that is if you are driving from Vandeikya in Benue state. The chief is friendly, as well as his people, and it won’t be long before you are taken to see the monoliths.