Indigenous Warning Systems and Flood Management: A Study of Ekori in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State.

Indigenous Warning Systems (IWS) which is rooted in Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) studies how local practices, symbols, and oral communication methods are employed to predict, interpret, and respond to flood threats. The objectives of this study are to identify the natural indicators used by the Ekori community to predict flood events, examine the communication channels through which flood-related warnings are disseminated within the community, assess the perceived effectiveness and limitations of Indigenous Warning Systems in flood risk management, and examine the challenges to integrating IWS into formal disaster response mechanisms. The study is underpinned by the Theory of Participatory Communication, which emphasises the inclusion of grassroots voices in disaster risk communication, and the Cultural Theory of Risk, which contextualises risk perception within communal belief systems. Using qualitative case study design, data were gathered through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation. The findings revealed that community members rely on natural indicators such as cloud patterns, soil texture, animal behaviour, and ancestral divination to forecast floods. Communication is often facilitated through town criers, community meetings, and symbolic artefacts placed at strategic locations. Despite their effectiveness and deep cultural roots, these systems face neglect due to the dominance of Western scientific approaches and a lack of integration into formal disaster management frameworks. The study recommends incorporating IWS into local and state-level environmental planning, building capacity for community custodians of indigenous knowledge, and establishing collaborative frameworks between traditional leaders and governmental agencies. Emphasising the need for culturally grounded resilience strategies, the paper advocates for a hybrid model that blends traditional and scientific knowledge in flood risk management. Keywords: Ekori, Flood Management, Indigenous Warning Systems, Participatory communication, Indigenous Knowledge Systems.