The mystery behind nsibidi;the Annang perspective

Nsibidi symbols

According to Wikipedia.org Nsibidi (also known as nsibiri,nchibiddi or nchibiddy is a system of symbols indigenous to what is now southeastern Nigeria that is apparently an ideographic script, though there have been suggestions that it includes logographic elements.
Though this ancient form of writing was first associated with the ejegam people of cross river, this article will analyze nsibidi from the Annang people perspective. To understand this mystery one must know and have profound knowledge who the Annang people are. The word Annang means to announce, literary it means to be outspoken or to speak well which comes with lots of proverbs and wise words. A good orator in the Annang land was considered to be brave and described as akwo annang that is the singer of annang.
The subject matter of discussion which is nsibidi happens to be a form of writing that was found among the Annang brother tribes. When I was a kid, during the ember months which happens to be the masquerades season, we heard of nsidibi a lost writing that was only knowledgeable to the initiates of the nnabo and ekpe abon masquerade groups. There were situations that if a masquerade has placed an nsidibi insignia on the road, that for another to pass he must remove the nsibidi by writing a counter nsibidi word, if not he might die crossing the nsibidi.The implication of this meant that a masquerade or an initiate must be knowledgeable in the ancient writing, since it was used as a form of power play.The Ekpe society made use of nchibiddi to send secret information to it members. Nchibbidi or Nchibiddy as the Annangs would call it was believed to be intellectual to the initiate immediately he completes the secret rites of initiation.
Though a lost form of writing,we may never fully fathom how mysterious it was to the users to warrant such secrecy.
Written by Edidiong (Richard) Samuel Akpan