Akwanshi Monoliths

The Akwanshi are a collection of several hundred ancient basalt monoliths found in villages around the Ikom area, principally in the Nta and Nnam communities north of town. The stones are cylindrical, with carved human faces, geometric patterns, and symbolic markings, and are believed to be ancestral memorials dating from the 16th to 19th centuries. They are unique to this corner of Cross River State — nothing quite like them exists elsewhere in Nigeria or West Africa.

The stones are found in their original village settings, often in groves or beside pathways, rather than in a museum context. Visiting requires a guide from Ikom — ask at your accommodation or at the Ikom Local Government offices. The National Commission for Museums and Monuments nominally protects the stones, but the real guardians are the local communities. Treat the sites with appropriate respect; the stones remain culturally active for many residents.

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A story
The Akwanshi were carved by the Nta and Nnam peoples, who believed the stones embodied the spirits of ancestors. Some of the carvings include explicit facial features, rings around the neck indicating wealth, and navel markings. Local communities maintained the stones as active ritual objects well into the 20th century. The stones were only brought to international academic attention in the 1960s, and remain one of the most distinctive monumental traditions in West Africa.