FACTS

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Capital - Uyo

 

Motto - Land of Promise

 

Population - 5,450,758(2006 est.

 

Area: 7,081 sq km

 

Local Government Areas

 

       31

 

Abak, Eket, Ekpe, Atai, Essien Udim, Etinan, Etim Ekpo, Ikono,Ikot Abasi, Ini, Itu, Mbo, Mkpat Enin, Nsit. Ibom,Ikot Ekpene,   Nsit Ubium, Okobo, Onna, Oron, Oruk Anam, Ukanafun, Uquo Ibeno, Uruan, Urue Offong/Oruko, Uyo, Obot Akara, Ibesikpo Asutan, Ibiono Ibom, Eastern Obolo, Udung Uko, Ika, Ibeno

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GEOGRAPHY

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Wildlife/Vegetation: Akwa Ibom falls within the tropical zone with a dominant vegetation of green foliage of trees and shrubs. It constitutes a major chunk of the nation’s oil-palm belt.  The Atlantic coastline stretches 129km from Oron in the East to Ikot Abasi in the West.

The State also has three distinct vegetation zones: the saline water swamp forest, the fresh water swamp forest and the rain forest.

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Climate: Akwa Ibom State has a tropical climate marked by two distinct seasons:

• The dry season November – March

• The Wet season April - October

• The wet season is usually interrupted by a short dry period in August. 

Average temperature of the State ranges from 23 to 31 degrees centigrade.

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Festivals: Ekpo Masquerade Cultural festival

 

Royalty:

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TOURISM:

 

• Ibeno Sand Beach

• Natural/man-made IBOM Mobil oil treatment 

• Oron Museum/ Monument 

• Mary Slessor House/ Monument Tomb

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PEOPLE

 

Main ethnic groups:  

• Annang

• Ibibio

• Oron

• Other subgroups are Eket, Ibeno, Itu Mbonuso and the Andonis

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IMPORTANT SITES

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QUICK HISTORY

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The region of the state was created out of Cross River State on September 23, 1987.

 

Akwa Ibom State was created on the 23rd of September 1987 by the then Military Administration of General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.  The creation of the State brought to fruition years of prolonged struggle by the people that occupied the mainland part of the former Cross River State.

For many, the creation of the State was a mark of justice, having been left out in earlier state creation exercises despite leading in the struggle for state creation in Nigeria, through the Ibibio Union, - a foremost Socio-Cultural organization that served as a unifying platform for the people of this part of Nigeria.  In 1948, Ibibio Union, formed in 1928, transformed from a mere cultural association to a goal driven institution which promoted and championed the cause of state creation in Nigeria. 

However, when in 1967 the 12 state structure was established following the creation of states by the General Yakubu Gowon administration, the Mainland part of Calabar Province in the then Eastern Nigeria was merely part of the then South Eastern State.  In 1976, South Eastern State was renamed Cross River State.  This change in name did not satisfy the people.  Rather, it encouraged them to carry on with the struggle for  a state of their own.

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After the collapse of the 2nd Republic in 1983, a memorandum demanding the creation of Akwa Ibom State was submitted to the General Buhari Administration by the Paramount
Rulers from the 10 Local Government areas that made up the mainland part of the then Cross River State, even thoughit did not yield the desired result.

Undaunted, the people waited for another opportunity.  The opportunity came when, in 1986, the Administration of General Ibrahim Babangida set up a political Bureau to define the future political direction of the country.  The memorandum was re-submitted.

​On September 23, 1987, the collective dream of the people was actualized as Akwa Ibom State, the “Land of Promise” was finally created, after about four decades of sustained agitation.

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FAMOUS NIGERIANS

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• Samuel Okon Peter (OON), (DSP) World heavyweight boxing champion

• Vincent Enyeama Professional footballer and former Super Eagle captain

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THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS

 

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