Akwa Ibom State
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Akwa Ibom is a state in Nigeria. It is located in the south-east of the country, lying between latitudes 4°321 and 5°331 North, and longitudes 7°251 and 8°251 East. To the east, the State is bordered by Cross River State and on the west by Rivers State and Abia State and to the South by the Atlantic Ocean.
- Area: 8412.00 sq kilometres
- Population: 3,000,000 (1993 est.)
- Languages: Ibibio, Annang, Ibeno, Eket
Uyo is the capital of Akwa Ibom State. Ikot Ekpene, Abak, Eket, Ibeno are some other prominent states.
Ikot Ekpene, also called IK, is a very famous small town in Nigeria. It is located at an important junction in the south of the country, joining Calabar, the eastern port with Port Harcourt, the southern port, Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, and Eket, a major Oil producing town.
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History
Akwa Ibom State was created out of Cross River State on September 23, 1987. Akwa Ibom was created by combining the Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, Eket and Abak divisions of old Calabar province.
People
Akwa Ibom State is made up of a homogenous group of people believed to have originated from the single ancestral stock. The languages spoken in the state are closely related, and the Annang and Ibibio languages are mostly identical with a few dialectical differences. The Eket and Ibeno languages, are closer related to each other that to the other two, and are only partially understandable by speakers of the other two languages.
The people are predominantly of the Christian faith although some native African religions are practised by some of the people.
The inhabitants of the state are:
The Ibibio are the largest group, whilst the Annang, which form the second largest group, speak a language very similar to the Ibibio Language. Ibeno and Eket have got a similar language, and are population groups located at the ocean. The Ibibio language belongs to the Bantu language family, which forms part of the Niger-Congo group of languages.
Local Government Areas
Akwa lbom State has 31 Local Government Areas, namely: Abak, Eket, Etinan, Ekpo Atai, Essien-Udim, Ikono, Ikot Abasi, Ikot Ekpene, Itu, Mkpat-Enin, Mbo, Nsit-Ubium, Oron, Okobo, Onna, Oruk-Anarn, Ukanafun, Uyo, Uquo-Ibeno and Uruan, Obot Akara, and others.
Politics
Politics in Akwa Ibom state is played on a tripod, representing the three dominant ethnic groups comprising the Ibibio, Annang and Orons.
Of these three, the Ibibio remains the dominant and has held sway in the state power equation since its creation. This scenario has led to mild resentment by the Orons and the Annangs who would want to wrest power from the dominant Ibibio group. But the most consistent in this quest for power are the Annangs who are in the fore-front of this quest for a change of guard.
External links
- akwaibomstate.com: maintained by expatriates from the region, contains various information about the state and its people (http://www.akwaibomstate.com/)
- akwaibomstategov.com: official site of the state government -- used to be elegantly designed, now very messy (http://www.akwaibomstategov.com/)