Editing Efik mythology (section)

=== Myths of death and the Afterlife ===
The Efik originally believed in the power of reincarnation.<ref name="auto26">[[#refHackett1988|Hackett]], p. 42</ref><ref name="auto27"/> The Efik believed that seven reincarnations were to occur before the final judgement by Abasi.<ref name="auto26"/> If an infant had a mark on its body which was equally on the body of a previously deceased sibling, the infant was believed to be a reincarnation of the deceased sibling.<ref name="auto27">[[#refWaddell163|Waddell]], p. 381</ref> Belief in reincarnations accounts for the assigning of personal names such as Nyong ({{langx|efi|italic=no|Nyọñ}}) which is given to a child whose siblings have died before they were born.<ref name="auto28">[[#refSimmons1958|Simmons]], p. 355</ref> The name may also be given to a child who resembles a deceased relative.<ref name="auto28"/> According to Simmons, <blockquote>One Efik belief postulates the existence of several worlds each separated from the sky above and the earth below. A person who dies in one world becomes reborn in the world below... When an Individual has passed through the entire seven worlds in seven generations he travels on a path which connects world seven with world one. Before he commences another seven-world cycle he renders an account to God of his actions during his sojourn in each of the worlds.<ref name="auto28"/></blockquote>
The spot where the individual renders an account to God of his actions was known as Usan Emana ({{langx|en|italic=no|Plate of Birth}}).<ref>[[#refBurton1865|Burton]], p. 394</ref> Spirits about to reincarnate were believed to dwell in Effiatt (formerly known as Tom Shott's island).<ref name="auto26"/> The Efik also believed in the existence of a realm inhabited by the souls of the dead.<ref name="auto4"/> According to Aye, "It was believed that all the ghosts of persons who die in a year sail in a large canoe at midnight of every 31 December, singing and paddling to their new home in Ọnọsi thus: ''Ekpo ke ẹnyọño Ọnọsi-o uwaya''! The ghosts are returning to Onosi-o uwaya."<ref name="auto4"/> There was also a belief in a realm deep within the Land of the dead known as mkpọsọk which could be likened to the Greek [[Tartarus]].<ref>[[#refGoldie1886|Goldie]], Dictionary of the Efik, p. 13</ref>
<!---In some cases, the soul of the dead may return to Obio Ndem, the realm of marine spirits. Such myths can be found in the works of literary writers such as E.A. Edyang who narrates that prior to the birth of Asibong Edem -->