Ikot-Abasi

Last updated

Ikot Abasi
Ikot Abasi, Nigeria
LGA
Akpan Udo-Ekpo Road, Ikot Abasi.jpg
Nickname: 
Alu City
Nigeria location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Ikot Abasi
Location in Nigeria
Coordinates: 4°38′0″N7°39′0″E / 4.63333°N 7.65000°E / 4.63333; 7.65000
CountryFlag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria
State Akwa Ibom State
LGAIkot Abasi
HeadquartersIkot Abasi
Government
 • TypeTraditional
 • ChairmanHon. Joseph Affia
Area
 • Total280.8 km2 (108.4 sq mi)
Population
 (2022) [1]
 • Total169,200
 • Density600/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+1 (WAT)
Climate Am
Website web.archive.org/web/20111006012428/http://www.aksgonline.com/lga.aspx?qrID=ikotabasi
Ikot-Abasi

Ikot Abasi is located in the south west corner of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. It is bounded by Oruk Anam Local Government Area in the north, Mkpat Enin and Eastern Obolo Local Government Areas in the east and the Atlantic Ocean in the south. The Imo River forms the natural boundary in the west separating it from Rivers State. [2] The Federal University of Technology Ikot Abasi is a federal government-owned university located in Ikot-Abasi.

Contents

People

The people of Ikot Abasi are made up of the Ibibio ethnic group with diverse cultural heritage and tradition. [3] They speak the Ibibio language.

Ikot Abasi is made up of five clans namely: Edemaya Clan, Ikpa Ibekwe Clan, Ikpa Nnung Assang Clan, Ukpum Ette Clan and Ukpum Okon Clan. Ikpayong Nnung Assang Clan

Districts

Ikpa Ebkwe District

  1. Ata Udo Usung
  2. Ikong Ukpo Inwa
  3. Ikot Aba
  4. Ikot Abasi
  5. Ikot Akpan Ata
  6. Ikot Essien
  7. Ikot Etetuk
  8. Ikot Obong
  9. Ikpetim
  10. Uta Ewa

Edemaya District

  1. Atan Eka Iko
  2. Atan Ikpe
  3. Ediduo
  4. Iboro
  5. Ikot Aboa Ndia
  6. Ikot Akpabo
  7. Ikot Akpan
  8. Ikot Efre
  9. Ikot Eneni
  10. Ikot Etenge Ndom
  11. Ikot Eyen Imo
  12. Ikot Ikara
  13. Ikot Iyire
  14. Ikot Ndien
  15. Ikot Obio Akpan
  16. Ikot Obio Ekpe
  17. Ikot Oboro Enyin
  18. Ikot Okpok
  19. Ikot Ubo Akama
  20. Ikot Ufot
  21. Ikot Unya
  22. Ikot Uso Ide
  23. Ukan

History

Because of its location at the break in the mangrove swamp and rain forest of the eastern Niger River delta, it was a collecting point for slaves in the 19th century. [4] In 1870, Jubo Juboha came to Ikot Abasi and founded the kingdom of Opobo. [4] He was a former Igbo (Ibo) slave. [4]

Ikot Abasi, a community in then Calabar Province, for good reasons. Although Ikot Abasi, formerly part of the famed Opobo Kingdom, was already on the world map before 1929, the women's uprising against Nigeria's colonial rulers in 1929 was to provide a further push into prominence for this town, then already popular as the site of a famous boat yard, seat of a British consulate and part of the late King Jaja's area[ citation needed ].

Three-quarters of a century ago, Ikot Abasi was one of a number of towns in both Calabar and Owerri provinces, whose women bravely took exception to what they considered exploitative excesses of the British rulers of the then non-independent Nigeria.

In 1995, the year of that famed Beijing conference, the National Gallery of Modern Art, Lagos (NGA) put out a very important book, The women's revolt of 1929. The book, which features contributions from notable academics like Prof. Monday E. Noah, Prof. Obaro Ikime and Chief N.U. Akpan, among others, reminds that one of the women killed by the colonial forces during the 1929 protest was the mother of a boy, Egbert. That lad would later grow into a famous jurist and administrator (Justice Egbert Udo Udoma). Such was the impact of the reforms that trailed the women's protest that the March 8, 1933 issue of the Daily Times described the changes as "the great charter of liberty for the people" but the prize did not come easy. Prof. M. E. Ekpo, another of the book's contributors, revealed that in the Calabar Province alone, more than 53 people were killed beside over 50 others injured.

Launched in 1989, in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the uprising, The women's revolt of 1929 is an anthology of select papers from a national symposium on the subject, which took place in Port-Harcourt in 1982. According to Dr Paul Chike Dike, editor of the anthology, "An attempt by the (protesting) women to move nearer the colonial troops led to the order to shoot, in which over 24 women were killed".

The sculpture for the slain Women Ikot Abasi Women Riot.jpg
The sculpture for the slain Women

Geography

Until the 1970s, the ancient Opobo Kingdom was part of then South Eastern State (later re-Christened Cross River). However, a boundary adjustment exercise split Opobo. Opobo Island was made part of Rivers State while the mainland part remained within Cross River. That area, renamed Ikot Abasi, now lies in present-day Akwa Ibom State. Sources say ancient Ikot Abasi referred to smaller settlement but the name has assumed a more or less generic dimension in recent times. In the larger sense, today's Ikot Abasi comprises five clans: Ikpa-Ibekwe, Ukpum-Ette, Ukpum-Okon, Edem-Aya and Ikpa Nnung Asang. The palace of the paramount ruler of Ikot Abasi is within Ukpum okon clan .

Ikot Abasi once hosted a British Consulate, which is how one of the major streets here, Consulate Road, came by its name. At the roundabout leading to Consulate Road, the tourist would notice a statue of the late Justice Udo Udo Udoma, the first Nigerian to bag a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in law. The deceased legend's other achievements included his appointment as Chairman, Constituent Assembly (1977–1979), Chief Justice of Uganda (1963–1969) and Governor-General of that African Great Lakes country in 1963. Sauntering down Consulate Road, the wayfarer is likely to find one or two decent eateries not long after walking past Beracah Chambers, a law office. Further down this road, stands the Local Government Secretariat.

Overlooking the river, which separates Ikot Abasi from Opobo Island, are a number of quaint bungalows. One or two of these blocks serve as offices of the Ikot Abasi Traditional Rulers Council. Opposite these chiefs' secretariat, across a narrow asphalt lane, is a monument that was unveiled on December 16, 1985 by Justice Udoma. The spot, where the sculpture has been installed, is believed to be the place that some of the brave women were martyred in 1929.

Tourism

The area is dotted with tourist attraction centres. Her beautiful beach front at Uta Ewa, the Berger Jetty along Uta Ewa creek and the coastline create attractive tourist resorts.

Natural resources

The abundant gas and oil deposits have attracted many establishments to the area. The oil fields include, Utapate (onshore). Adna (offshore) and Asabo

Agricultural resources

Arable agricultural produce include cassava, yam, sweet yam, taro and maize while cash crops are not limited to oil palm, coconut, raffia, rubber and palm kernel. There is an abundant forest reserve for timber and wild life while commercial fishing thrives in the area. Although known for boat-building, a sand bar partially blocks the entrance to its port from the Gulf of Guinea. [4] Ikot Abasi is also a home to Alscon, the biggest aluminium smelter plant in Africa.

Related Research Articles

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Ikot Abasi is one of the 31 local government area of Akwa Ibom State. It is surrounded by Eastern Obolo and Mkpat Enin local government areas. The primary language that is spoken is the ibibio language. The villages in Ikot Abasi include Essene, Ete, Uta Ewa, Edem Aya, etc.

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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.

References

  1. ↑ "Akwa Ibom State: Subdivisions". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  2. ↑ "Ikot Abasi | Nigeria | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2022-11-14.
  3. ↑ "List of Terraced Duplexes in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom". nigeriapropertycentre.com. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Ikot Abasi | Nigeria". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2017-02-06.
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