BRIEF ORIGIN OF BEKWARRA PEOPLE OF CROSS RIVER STATE
BEKWARRA PEOPLE OF CROSS RIVER STATE. By Ushie Ashiwere A Nigeria ethnic group found in Cross River State upper valley with two language spoken in the Local Government. The Bekwarra Language and Àfrike. The king is called Ushie kakpa or Ushie ebeshie Current King: HRM. Ogbeche Linus Bekwarra people are believed to have migrated from Obudu in present day Obudu local government of Cross River state. Their Progenitor Agba. They left their ancestral home as a result of conflict between the Ebang eguji and ebang ekpenehe. The word Bekwarra means "Bek" they "kwarra" means flee or left. It is a Bette word because when they saw the people leaving they began to say "Bek - Kwarra ". Odama Ashide led them to Bekwarra together with Mbube who settled at Ishane Nyanya close to Utugwang before they later moved further to their present abode. When the Bekwarra arrived their present abode they met the Bewo people who were already resided in what later became known as Bekwarra today. Gakem came later from Bendi present day Obanliku to join the rest of the Bekwarra people to occupy the boundaries from the Northern part. The original attire of the Bekwarra was the Igbagiri a fabric made from either either strong animal skin or sag materials called the ishuguru. But due to modernity and changes in patten of dressing and fabrics, Bekwarra Traditional council quickly adopted the new cultural attire to fit the modern pattern of dressings. The attire comprise of three colours. The red, black and white with their significant colours. The red for our popular crop (palm seedlings) the black for our fertile soils and that of Nigeria at large. White for our purity, hospitality. Bekwarra has 10 political wards namely Afrike Okpeche, Afrike Ochagbe, Abouchiche, Beten, Gakem, Nyanya, Ugboro, Ibiaragidi, Otukpuru Ukpah. The local government was created in 1996 by Late Sani Abacha The present Chairman is Dr. Josepat Owan Emekah The community has notable personalities like KANU Agabi, Peter Eneji, Legor Idagbor , Prof Ochugudu, Prof Anthony Eneji, Prof Abua, Signor Omang Idiege, Ushie Hillary, etc. This is her cultural attire and is gradually gaining national recognition. Ushie Sunday A. Historian
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