Hi! It's your number one fan yet again. Today I’ll be taking you on one of the rich cultural heritage of the Efiks (South-South, Nigeria); the local wrestling known as MBOK, passed down by our forefathers.
Before going into details, the Northern part of Nigeria also has this rich cultural Heritage which they called ‘DAMBE’. This fun-filled play is commonly found among the northern part of the Nigeria, where only the Hausas’, including the Hausa speaking part of Southern Niger Republic and southwestern Chad Republic take part in.
Dambe is seen to be the most dangerous and deadly sport in Northern Nigeria, because a lot of casualties as well as deaths over the years have been recorded. These casualties have raised concerns in the Nigerian society, but such concerns have been overlooked due to the traditional values attached to it.
However, coming down to the South-South Nigeria, the Efiks and the Ibibios also have their version of local wrestling, known as MBOK. MBOK to the Efiks and the Ibibios is not a deadly sport. This because boxing, kicking and/or giving an opponents any form of blow, has been totally cancelled from the sport. The uniqueness of this sport is however, is in the ability of a competitor to successfully throw his opponent’s back to the sandy ground, and once that is done, he is the winner.
MBOK does not really depends on ones weight, but his tactics in the sport. Another unique thing about this sport is that once a competitor's back touches the ground, should a competitor cannot compete again (except it is not in an official event), but a chance would be given to another young man to compete with the victorious wrestler.
In this form of sport, the competitors are to lay hold of each others hands, legs or any other part of the body. The most tactical competitor would take advantage of his opponent's weak points to throw him off balance, to the ground.
When a competitor successfully throws his opponent to the ground, he is the winner, another young man from the audience who indicates interest, is called-in to wrestle with him. If he successfully wins the second opponent, depending on the duration of the event, another opponent may be called in to compete against the him. At last, the Victorious wrestler would be cheered and celebrated among the people as the strongest young man.
The competitors in MBOK are always young men, who are not allowed to put on; shoes, rings, sun googles, face caps, clothes, apart from nigger for their privacy.
MBOK usually takes place during festive seasons, during the enthronement of a new village Chief and/or during any special event, and in most cases may be preceeded by other cultural display like the traditional dance, masquerade display, etc.
MBOK is a form of sport where the good people of the Efiks/Ibibios do gather together to have fun, entertain themselves and be excited.
Moreover, MBOK can take place when a young man wants to get married, and there's need for him to show his intended in-laws how strong he is as a young man. In this case, the young man is made to face another strong young man in MBOK sport. Of course he wouldn't want to embarrass himself, so he must wrestle with all his might. Though it is not in all cases that the intended couple would win, even if he wins or not, he would be allowed to go ahead with his marriage plans.
It is always a fun filled moment.
I'm grateful you came around. Thanks for Reading!
I remain your very own, Miracle D laughing!
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