Ika | |
---|---|
Nickname: (Ika-Annang) | |
Coordinates: 5°01′0″N7°32′0″E / 5.01667°N 7.53333°E | |
Country | Nigeria |
State | Akwa Ibom State |
Government | |
• Chairman | Hon. Barr Utibe Nwoko |
Area | |
• Total | 44.9 sq mi (116.3 km2) |
Population (2022) [1] | |
• Total | 92,900 |
• Density | 2,100/sq mi (800/km2) |
Time zone | UTC+1 (WAT) |
Website | www.annangheritage.org |
Ika (Ika-Annang; also Ika Ibom) is a Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. [2] [3] The headquarters of the Ika local government area is Urua Inyang. Ika is subdivided into clans, Ito, Achan and Ikananang (Odoro) and over 50 villages in totality with an identical cultural display called Akakum/Asakom nicknamed Afum (meaning wind). Displayed mostly at Christmas.
Ika is one of the eight Annang local government areas of the present thirty-one local government areas in Akwa Ibom State. Ika local government area of Annang people Annang or Ika people (Ika-Annang) were formerly in the old Abak which was subdivided into other local governments resulting in five new local government areas, namely Abak, Oruk-Anam, Etim-Ekpo, Ukanafun and Ika local government areas. During the colonization of Nigeria by the British, Ika Annang was for the most part under the Aba division of the Owerri province, as opposed to other Annang who were under the Ikot Ekpene or Abak divisions.
The language of the Ika people of Akwa Ibom State is an Annang dialect of the Annang people.
The political and spiritual headquarters of the Ika Annang people is Urua Inyang (Nsidung). Other notable villages in Ika include Ikot Osukpong, Abiakana, Nto Ukara, Ikot Ikara, Nto Udo Enwan, Ikot Urom and Afen Ikot Okoro. During pre-colonial times, the Ika Annang people, just like other Annangs had established military and marital alliances with the people of Arochukwu. This is still evident today in Ika villages such as Ikot Osukpong. Moreover, work by Professor Ephraim Stephen Essien has shown that Ika and Arochukwu people share a number of deities.
A few villages in Ika Local Government Area have historical and cultural affiliations with the Igbo people. Villages like Ikot Inyang (Formerly known as Oboeze- meaning Umubueze (People of Kings) in Igbo language) have strong affiliations with the Igbo people.
Akwa Ibom State is a state in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It borders Cross River State to the east, Rivers State and Abia State to the west and north-west, and to 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 her capital Uyo and with 31 local government areas.
Anaang is 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 after the Ibibios in Akwa Ibom state.
Abak is a town and Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The LGA was previously part of Cross River State. It was later subdivided into other local government areas such as Oruk Anam, Etim Ekpo, Ukanafun and Ika. Notable tribes include the Annang. Abak consists of five clans: Abak Urban, Afaha Obong, Ediene, Midim and Otoro. The major economic activities of the people of this area before and after the Nigerian Civil War was palm produce exported through river port at Ekpene Okpo, Ntak Ibesit, a distance of about 8 km from Abak town. Abak town, the local government headquarters is located about 18 kilometres from Uyo, the State capital. It has a landmass of 304 square kilometers. Abak to say the least, is the shadow of its former self due to politically motivated neglect by successive governments in Akwa Ibom state. Abak was the economic hub of the former Southeastern Nigeria before the civil war. The Nigerian Army barrack that is popularly known as Ibagwa Barrack is located or can be found in the Abak. The Ime Umana Campus of the University of Uyo which accommodates the Pre-Degree, JUPEB and other special courses is located in Ediene Abak, Abak
Ikot Ekpene, also known as The Raffia City, is a historic town in the south-southern state of Akwa Ibom, Nigeria. It is the political and cultural capital of the Annang ethnic group in Nigeria. The town is located on the A342 highway that parallels the coast, between Calabar to the southeast and Aba to the west, with the state capital, Uyo, on this road just to the east. Umuahia is the next major town to the north. The population of the Ikot Ekpene Local government area was estimated to be 180,500 in 2022.
Ikot Okoro is a rural settlement of Akwa Ibom State and was one of the larger population concentrations in the now defunct South Eastern Nigeria. Now smaller, it is about 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of the regional center of Abak. The people of Ikot Okoro have been clamoring for the creation of a local Government area (LGA) from the present day Oruk Anam LGA. Oruk Anam LGA incidentally happens to be one of the biggest LGA in Nigeria and as such grassroots development have not been felt in most part of the LGA especially in Ikot Okoro. It is noteworthy to state that successive administrations in the past have neglected this once prosperous and dynamic area. It is the belief of the general population that once the actualization of the Annang State or ITAI state is achieved, Ikot Okoro will reclaim its lost glory.
Oruk Anam is a Local Government Area located in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. The indigenous population is largely made up of Annang people, one of the minority tribes in Southeast Nigeria.
Etim Ekpo is a town and Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The area has 11 wards.
Ukanafun is a Local Government Area located in the South South of Nigeria in Akwa Ibom State.
Ntak Ibesit is a densely populated rural town in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. The town was noted for production and trade in palm oil and kernel. In recognition of its strategic importance, the Colonial administration established a river port at Ekpene Okpo, with a colonial court. The court is still in operation today. One of the distinguishing features of Ntak Ibesitt is the network of colonial roads. There is a road linking Ikot Okoro, Mbon Ebre, Ukpom and Ekparakwa- all neighbouring towns and villages. A very popular market in Ntak Ibesit is Urua Ekenyong Obom, which is centrally located to serve Ukpom Edem Inyang, Mbon Ebre, Ediene Ikot Ebom.
Ekparakwa is a town and the name of one of the nine clans found in the Oruk Anam local government area of Akwa Ibom State. This is in the southeastern region of Nigeria.
Chief Andrew Akpan Inyang-Etoh was a renowned community leader of the Annang ethnic group who was fondly called "Akpan Umoren Akpan, "Akpan Igwe" and "Noah". He was born in the present day Ukana Ikot Etan village which was extracted from the "Ekpuk Itiaita" that constituted the Ukana Ikot Ofok Village in Essien Udim Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Chief Andrew Akpan Inyang-Etoh was the first man within the Ukana Ikot Ofok community to get his first two sons, Bernard and Columba, to enroll in the prestigious Holy Family College, Oku Abak. Rt. Rev. Msgr. Peter Inyang-Etoh is one of five sons, a distinguished Catholic Priest of Ikot Ekpene Diocese, an educationist, a friend of the needy and a disciplinarian, currently serving as the Governing Council Member of Akwa Ibom State University. He is the founder of Late Chief Andrew Akpan Inyang-Etoh Education Foundation.
Asanga also known as Nung Ikot Asanga is a town located in the Nung Ikot Clan, Oruk Anam local government area of Akwa Ibom State, the southern region of Nigeria.
Abak/Midim is one of the nine Clans or Districts in Oruk Anam local government area of Akwa Ibom State. It is one of the two Clans or Districts in the former Anam Local Government Area, both in southern Nigeria.
Inen popularly known as Inen Ekeffe Is one of the nine Clans in Oruk Anam local government area. And it is numbered as the one among the nine Administrative Areas of the Oruk Anam with its people speaking the Annang language in Akwa Ibom State the southern region of Nigeria.
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.
Ikot Akpan Essien is a town located in the Oruk Anam Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. It is as well one among the major towns of the Abak/Midim Clan both in the southern region of Nigeria.
Ikot Inuen is a town in southern Abak/Midim Clan in Oruk Anam LGA of Akwa Ibom State. It is bounded in the south by Edemaya Clan of Ikot Abasi. It is located on Nigeria's East-West road that links Port Harcourt to Ikot Abasi. It marks the linguistic transition zone between the Annang and Ibibio speaking ethnic groups of Akwa Ibom State. Being part of the Anam political unit of Oruk Anam LGA, Ikot Inuen was part of the Opobo Division from the precolonial era until 1967, when it was moved to the newly created South Eastern State, which was later renamed Cross River State. Ikot Inuen is among the communities that is climatically influenced by Imo River that separates Rivers State from Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. The area is rich in arable farmland, which makes farming the occupation of about half of the populace. Others are involved in petty trading, artisanship, and civil service. The area is rich in crude oil deposits, as evidenced in the corked oil well belonging to Shell Petroleum at Efut Idim Etok, also known as Idim aShell. In academics, the area has a public Primary School, The St Jude's Catholic School, and a public Secondary School, The Community Secondary School. The Ukoessien Central Market boasts commercial activities in the area. Apart from the first church, the St Jude's Catholic Church, established in 1919, other churches in the community include the Methodist Church, the Christ Army Church, the Samuel Spiritual Church, the Apostolic Church, the Mount Zion Mission, the Assemblies of God Church, the Deeper Life Bible Church, the Wings of Redemption Ministries and the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial district in Akwa Ibom State covers 10 local government areas which comprise Abak, Essien, Etim Ekpo, Ika, Ikono, Ikot Ekpene, Ini, Obot, Oruk Anam and Ukanafun. This district has 108 Registration Areas (RAs) and 1124 polling units and location centre is located in the Ikot Ekpene INEC office. Godswill Akpabio of the All People's Congress, APC is the current representative of Akwa Ibom North-West.
The Annang Festival of Arts and Culture is celebrated in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom, a region located in South Southern Nigeria. The festival was initiated in 2016, in order to preserve the Anaañ history, language and culture. The festival aims at preventing the Annang tradition and its cultural heritage from undergoing extinction. It showcase and promote the rich natural endowments of Annang land in Akwa Ibom State. The festival also has a registered foundation referred to as the Annang Festival of Arts and Culture Foundation.
The 2023 Nigerian presidential election in Akwa Ibom State will be held on 25 February 2023 as part of the nationwide 2023 Nigerian presidential election to elect the president and vice president of Nigeria. Other federal elections, including elections to the House of Representatives and the Senate, will also be held on the same date while state elections will be held two weeks afterward on 11 March.