Akwa Ibom State is a state in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria on the east by Cross River State for about 114 km mostly across Cross River, on the west by Rivers State for 52 km mostly across the Imo River and Abia State to the west and north for 151 km, and on the south by the Atlantic Ocean. The state takes its name from the Qua Iboe River which bisects the state before flowing into the Bight of Bonny. Akwa Ibom was split from Cross River State in 1987 with its capital as Uyo and 31other local government areas.
The Ibibio people are a coastal people in southern Nigeria. They are mostly found in Akwa Ibom, Cross River State and the Eastern part of Abia State. They are related to the Efik people. During the colonial period in Nigeria, the Ibibio Union asked for recognition by the British as a sovereign nation.
The Anaang are an ethnic group in southern Nigeria, whose land is primarily within 8 of the present 31 local government areas in Akwa Ibom State: Abak, Essien Udim, Etim Ekpo, Ika, Ikot Ekpene, Obot Akara, Oruk Anam, Ukanafun in Akwa Ibom State. The Anaang are the second largest ethnic group in Akwa Ibom state.
Central Ibibio is the major dialect cluster of the Cross River branch of Benue–Congo. Efik proper has national status in Nigeria and was erroneously made the literary standard of the Ibibio language, though Ibibio proper has more native speakers.
Ekpe, also known as Mgbe/Egbo, is a West African secret society in Nigeria and Cameroon flourishing chiefly among the Efiks. It is also found among a number of other ethnic groups, including the Bahumono of the Cross River State, the Ibibio, the Uruan and the Oron of Akwa Ibom State, Arochukwu and some other parts of Abia State, as well as in the diaspora, such as in Cuba and Brazil. The society is still active at the beginning of the 21st century, now playing more of a ceremonial role.
The Efik are an ethnic group located primarily in southern Nigeria, and western Cameroon. Within Nigeria, the Efik can be found in the present-day Cross River State and Akwa Ibom state. The Efik speak the Efik language which is a member of the Benue–Congo subfamily of the Niger-Congo language group. The Efik refer to themselves as Efik Eburutu, Ifa Ibom, Eburutu and Iboku.
The Oron people are a multi-ethnic tribal grouping that make up the Akpakip Oro or Oron Nation. The Oron (Örö) are located primarily in southern Nigeria in the riverine area of Akwa Ibom and the Cross River States and in Cameroon. Akpakip Oro are regarded as an ancient warrior people, speaking the Oron language which is in the Cross River language family of the Benue–Congo languages. They are ancestrally related to the Efik people of the Cross River State, the Ibeno and Eastern Obolo( ie Adoni East) in Akwa Ibom, the Andoni people in Rivers State, Ohafia in Abia State and the Balondo-ba-Konja in the Congo.
The Ibom or Mbot Abasi Kingdom was an Ibibio nation with its seat of government in Obot Okon Ita. The Mbot Abasi kingdom was located in present day Arochukwu, Abia State in Nigeria. Around 1630, an Igbo group from Abiriba known as the Eze Agwu arrived to Ibom. This caused a long term conflict and stalemate known as the Aro-Ibibio Wars.
Ikono is a Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, located in the South South of Nigeria. It is bounded at the North by Ini Local Government Area, South by Abak and Uyo Local Government Areas, East by Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area and West by Ikot Ekpene,Essien Udim and Obot Akara Local Government Areas. It was created a stand alone local government in september 1996. It has a landmass of 407.16 square kilometres (157.21 sq mi). It is no doubt one of the four largest LGA in Akwa Ibom and also known as the cradle of the Ibibio people [Ntippe Ibibio]. It occupies the northern fringe of Akwa-Ibom State next to Ini local Government which occupies the northern most fringe of the state. It is predominantly inhabited by the Ibibios, the largest ethnic groups in the state. Some popular sub-groups within Ikono include Ukpom, Nung Ukim and Ediene.
Mbo is located in the South Eastern part of Nigeria and is a Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State. Following the local government creation exercise of the federal government in 1989 Mbo Local Government Area was carved out of Oron Division same year.
Obot-Akara is in the south of Nigeria and is a Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Uruan is a Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, south of Nigeria.
Ikot Udo Abia is a village in ward four of the Etinan local government area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. "Ikot Udo Abia" means followers of Udo Abia. The villagers are the Ibibio people who are of the Afaha group within the Iman Clan. The language spoken in the village isIbibio. Ikot Udo Abia lies in the area of Africa which was affected by the Atlantic slave trade of the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries.
Ibibio is the native language of the Ibibio people of Nigeria, belonging to the Ibibio-Efik dialect cluster of the Cross River languages. The name Ibibio is sometimes used for the entire dialect cluster. In pre-colonial times, it was written with Nsibidi ideograms, similar to Igbo, Efik, Anaang, and Ejagham. Ibibio has also had influences on Afro-American diasporic languages such as AAVE words like buckra, and buckaroo, which come from the Ibibio word mbakara, and in the Afro-Cuban tradition of abakua.
Edikang ikong is a vegetable soup that originated among the Efik people of Cross River State and Akwa Ibom State in Southsouthern Nigeria. It is considered to be a delicacy among some Nigerians, and is sometimes served during occasions of importance. Edikang ikong is a nutritious soup and expensive to prepare, and has been described as being mostly eaten by rich people in Nigeria. Ingredients used in edikang ikong include beef and dried fish, bush meat, crayfish, shaki, kanda, pumpkin leaves, water leaves, ugu, onion, periwinkle, palm oil, salt and pepper.
Atama soup or Amme-Eddi is also called Banga Soup in pidgin English(Nigerian English) It is a kind of palm-fruit vegetable soup that originates from the Efik people of Cross River state and Urhobo people of Delta State in South South Nigeria. It’s a popularly food among the Delta, Cross River and Akwa Ibom State People of Nigeria. The Urhobo people of Delta state called it Amme-edi or Banga soup. The soup is made from palm fruit-pulp that is derived from palm fruit; the extracted palm-pulp is base primary ingredient for the soup. Atama or Amme-edi(Banga) soup is thick and dark brown in color. It’s normally prepared with choice of protein like fresh meat or dry meat(mostly bush meat), dry fish, fresh fish and sometimes shrimp(dry or fresh), periwinkle as added proteins for more enhanced flavor. Ingredients: primary ingredients are fresh palm-pulp sourced from palm fruit, salt and pepper and secondary ingredients which are decided based on preference of the cooker are onions, salt, pepper(different kinds of pepper are preferences) and different kinds of spices could be added depending on the cooker preferred or desired taste or flavor. This soup could be styled into different flavors depending on cooking preferences. Every added ingredient could drastically change the taste of the food.
Ikot Ukpong is a village in Okon development ward II of Eket local government area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Ikot Ukpong means "Family of Ukpong" or "People of Ukpong". Ikot Ukpong is made up of different settler-families and descendants of the founder of the village. The deity of Ikot Ukpong was called "Ukpong Idem", meaning "spirit body". Other deities traditionally recognised by the village were Ekpo (ancestors) and Ndem Ikpa Isong. Their primary language is Ibibio despite their affinity with Ekid people of Eket. Ikot Ukpong is occupied by the Ibibio people.
Editan soup is a vegetable soup that originates from the Efik People of Cross River State in South South Nigeria. It is popularly known amongst the Cross River State people. The soup is made from Editan leaf, a bitter leaf. Before being cooked the bitterness must be squeezed out.
Ekpo (Ghost) is a cultural society art form that originates from the Efik, Ibibio and Annang peoples in the Cross River/Akwa Ibom in Southern Nigeria. The practice was also adopted by neighboring regions, namely Arochukwu and Ohafia (Abia state) during the expansion of the Aro-Kingdom.
Ukazi or Okazi soup is an Igbo soup similar to Afang soup of the Efik tribe; the difference between the two is that okazi is thicker than Afang aside the peculiarity to each tribe. The soup is made majorly from two leaves: okazi and water leaf.
