Ikom

Ikom lies on the Cross River amid a country known for its carved stone monoliths. Called akwanshi or atal by local Ejagham communities, these upright stones bear human faces and intricate markings. They stand in village meeting places and in groves beyond the fields, preserving a tradition associated with ancestors and the histories of local lineages.

The middle Cross River also formed part of an old network of exchange linking forest communities with the coast. Traders at Ikom dealt with people from the surrounding country as goods moved along river and land routes. The carved stones belong to a long tradition whose age is debated. Their varied faces and designs remain striking witnesses to the artistic and ceremonial life of the region.