Nigeria applies to place the Ékpè (leopard) initiation society
on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Other names: Nyàmkpè (in parts of Cameroon), Bònkó (in Equatorial Guinea), Okonko (in Igbo), Abakuá (in Cuba), Ékwé (in Korop, both Nigeria and Cameroon)

The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (see criteria) is made up of those intangible heritage elements that help demonstrate the diversity of this heritage and raise awareness about its importance. In 2008 the Committee incorporated 90 elements (formerly proclaimed Masterpieces) into the Representative List. During the period from 2009 to 2013, it has also inscribed 192 new elements on this List. 

The Ékpè 'leopard' society represents an ancient African institution that provided the supreme functions of governance in communities of the Cross River region of Nigeria and Cameroon, before the colonial intervention. Possession of this graded initiation society with representative body-masks confirmed the autonomy of a principality. Ékpè had four major roles in pre-colonial life: The conferment of full citizenship; holding a title in Ékpè accorded one the status of full citizen with rights to make decisions having implications on the entire community, much as the respect accorded to the ‘toga virilis’ in ancient Rome. Ékpè was the no-nonsense community police, with the power to discipline and — as a measure of punishment — confiscate the property of a community member who disobeyed the law. Ékpè also provided entertainment with dances, music, and body-mask performance for members. Finally, Ékpè was a school for esoteric teachings that revealed ideal stages in a person’s life to achieve maturity within their community, as well as cognizance of the possibility of reincarnation. Ékpè still exists in hundreds of communities with a common set of symbols and values, namely truth and justice. Through the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Ékpè has chapters in Malabo as well as in Havana and Matanzas, Cuba.

Traditionally, Ékpè titleholders were male descendants of the founding fathers of a community, that is, of royal lineage. Non-royalists who achieved heroic deeds like defeating enemy warriors or slaying a leopard were often bestowed Ékpè titles. In some communities the royal women's society plays a prominent role in important Ékpè ceremonies. Because Ékpè developed over the centuries through the accumulation of titles, the numbers and names of Ékpè titles vary from one community to another. For example the Èfìks of the port of Calabar have had nine titles since the mid-nineteenth century, while hinterland Cross River communities tend to have less titles.

Nevertheless, the leading titles are consistently found in multiple communities of the Cross River region and in Cuba. Leading Ékpè titles are Ìyámbà, who acts as the overall chairman of a lodge; Mbókò, who represents the esoteric 'Voice' of the leopard; Mbàkàrà, who represents the transition from material to spiritual life; Èbònkó, who represents the 'universal mother' of the society that 'gives birth' to initiates; Nyàmkpè, who represents discipline amongst membership and is active during funerary rites; and Nkàndà, who represents the highest moral teachings of Ékpè. Many distinct language communities have local names for other titles.