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THE WUPOLLO TRIBE

The Wupollo tribe is made up of 10 Villages which includes MANKO, TINTA, AMEH, OTONGO, OLULU, AMANAVILLE, AMAYO, OKURU, AWE, INJUMBO ASSUMBO. This villages have a unique language called IPULO.

BRIEF HISTORY OF ORIGIN

Wupollo is the name of the son of Ekotomgba who had three other sons namely; Oliti, Avande and Amana, which today Constitute the Assumbo Court Area, excluding Amana which today is a local government area under Obanliku Local government in cross River State. These four children that makes up the different tribes of Assumbo Court area don't inter-Marry, what they commonly call IKULU. Any disrespect of this Cultural practice is subject to a penalty of death. It should be noted that Wupollo makes up the largest tribe of the Assumbo Clan

LOCATION

The Assumbo Clan that is made up of the four son of Ekotomgba with Wupollo as the largest tribe, is bordered by Obanliku Local government area of Nigeria to the North, Basho to the South, Baworro to the North West and Njikwa to the West. Wupollo is a unique tribe in Assumbo clan under Assumbo Court Area, Akwaya Sub-Division, in Manyu Division South West Region of Cameroon. Assumbo Court area is the Head quarter of Akwaya Subdivision and has remained the epicenter which produced greatest number of politicians in the Subdivision.

ADMINISTRATION

The Wupollo tribe is headed by unique chiefs  refered to as ANGANG, the longest and Most inspiring chiefs of the tribe included Engang JOHN KUNUA of Manko which is the biggest village of the tribe, and Engang HENRY MANDOLO of Ameh Village. Interms of political figures, the Wupollo tribe, TINTA Village has once produced a PALIAMENTARIAN known as HON. NTEH and OKUMO. However should be noted that today the top ranking political figure of the Wupollo man is a Councilor.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The Wupollo man does not have motorable road, meaning no Motto Car has ever stepped it's tires on the Wupollo soil, they trekke by foot to the market for several days to reach the markets or hospitals. It should be noted that helicopter and Mission Airplane has been their major means of urgent transportation.

The Wupollo has Primary Schools as the highest citadel of learning, the secondary schools operating are still to be registered, this has made it difficult for Wupollo to produce many graduates.

RELIGION

The Wupollo man has Pagan customary practice and the Practice of Witchcraft, Christianity as the main religious practices. The Tribe has Churches which includes; Roman Catholic, Full Gospel, Apostlic and Calvary Church. Infact till date, Customary practice remain dominant and a number of Magical Religious Believes.

CULTURE

The Wupollo tribe has a unique culture, with a number of Secret Societies and dancing styles.

Interms of *Secret* Societies, the Wupollo man has both Male and Female Secret Societies. For Male they include; EKUMBO (gentle juju) ULLIENG (Radical juju) EMBULE (crying juju) VASSUO (Escort of death people) KUNUCK, KEKWO. Borrowed secret societies from Bayangi include Inyamkpe, Ivuo, and Imgbe. Female Secret Societies include KIKWI. It should be noted that the woman can not see the Male Juju, otherwise he will get ripe like Banana and die and Vice Versa. Interms of Dancing they have many different dancing styles, Wokkulla, Imgbengilli, Unkunnu, Aggilli, Inyenge, Imgbe, just to name a few. But the Wupollo man does not have any Cultural festival. However the Oliti has Illumu that is the greatest celebrated Cultural festival in Assumbo Court Area.

As far as *MARRIAGE* is concern, the procedure is similar to that of other tribes, when a new born baby girl is delivered, any man wishing to get married to the girl child for himself or for his son, will bring a log of wood throws it at the girls compound and as the child grows he continues bringing meat and other Valuable to secure his position as the to be husband of the girl child. when the child approaches age of Maturity, the man takes palmwine in Calabash to the girl family to officially ask the girls hand in Marriage. The father and the Mother of the girl ask  their daughter if she accepts to marry the man, then she should take the Pamwine in the Calabash and give the father. Once the girl does that, the family goes ahead to write a list of things the family of the man requesting the girls hand in Marriage will bring, at the TOP of the list is a GOAT and FOWL, any other item can follow including Dowry fixed at 250.000frs, but it can be more. However once the goat and fowl are given, traditionally the girl is considered the man's wife. But where the parents refuse their daughter from marrying a man she loves, she can Enlope or go "EPAND"  to the man's house without the knowledge of her parents and once that happens the parents are left with no choice than to go take the Dowry.

LIVELIHOOD

The Wupollo tribe are subsistence farmers who do shifting Cultivation as a means of survival. They Cultivate Rice, Groundnut, Cassava, Corn, and Cocoyams. However today the Wupollo man is shifting towards the production of Cocoa and Honey which to them is more profitable. The sad news is that they lack a motorable road to transport this goods to the Market.

VEGETATION

The Wupollo land is made up of Forest (EKWOT). TINTA Village is privillaged to have the TAKAMANDA PARK, which have one of the rare specie of animal in the Continent the CROSS RIVER GORILLA and grassland OKANAKA) Recently used for cattle rearing. The Wupollo has three major Seasons, Raining Season, characterized by over flooding of streams, Dry Seasons, when Farms are cleared burnt and building of hurts takes place and Hammatan during which places are super cool.

TOPOGRAPHY

The land equally has mountains like EVES OMONGO and low land mostly used for Cultivation. The Wupollo land also has Major Rivers like MUUN, EVE, MEHIN and MAKPANNG, which are used for fishing such as Tilapia, Typus and crabs. This rivers makes it easy for every child in the village to know swimming.

The WOPULLO people are peaceful and loving people, any stranger that enters their house either they know them or not, it's mandatory custom to welcome the strangers, give them food and place to sleep.

TRAVELING

The Wupollo man travel easily over long distances by treeking, when traveling, they Prepare and tie their food either in plastics or Coco leaves, and eat till they return. They don't like settling in Town, especially where non of their Country man is found. The Wupollo man is a known-nonses man who is confident and claims to know everything. However a Wupollo man is unique and rare specie to find all over the World

BY

ITEM ARMSTRONG UMBU

MANKO VILLAGE