About Akwa Ibom State is aimed at bringing to your knowledge and perusal some salient facts about Akwa Ibom State. Happy reading!

About Akwa Ibom State

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The creation date of Akwa Ibom State is September 23, 1987. The state was created by the then Military Administration General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.

The creation of the state saw the end of the prolonged skirmish and struggle of the people. The State was created out of the mainland part of the former Cross River state. 

Having been left out in earlier state creation exercises, the struggle through the Ibibio Union; a socio-cultural organization that functioned as a unifying bond for the people, and their agitation for an autonomous state notwithstanding, many people considered the creation of Akwa Ibom State a pointer of justice.

Akwa Ibom State Capital is Uyo. The State has Nicknamed the Land of Promise. And the Demonym(s) for Akwa Ibom people is Akwa Ibomite. 

The State lies between Latitudes 4o 32” and 5o 33” North and Longitudes 7o 35” and 8o 25” East.  It is bounded on the East by Rivers State, on the West by Cross River State, on the North by Abia State, and on the South by the Gulf of Guinea.

Akwa Ibom presently covers a total land area of 7,249 square kilometers. Dispute territories are not taken into consideration. The State also has three distinct vegetation zones: the saline water swamp forest, the freshwater swamp forest, and the rain forest.

Akwa Ibom state is within the tropical zone with dominant vegetation of green foliage of trees and shrubs. The State also has three noticeable vegetation zones: the saline water swamp forest, the freshwater swamp forest, and the rain forest.

The State is the 10th largest state in Nigeria in terms of landmass. About 13.4 percent of the 960km of the Country’s Atlantic Ocean coastline runs through the State in towns that include; Eket, Ikot Ekpene, Ikot Abasi, Oron, Abak, Itu, Etinan, Ibeno, etc.

Akwa Ibom State also has three peculiar vegetation zones: the saline water swamp forest, the freshwater swamp forest, and the rain forest.

There is a cultural similarity that binds the different tribes together, especially in such areas as cuisines, dressing, dances, songs, rituals, folklore, beliefs, and myths.

The people of the State are culturally homogenous. The three major dialectal groups in the state are Ibibio, Annang, and Oron.

Other subgroups include Eket, Ibeno, Itu Mbonuso, and the Andonis. English is the language of government and business.

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The Main Ethnic Groups in the State include:

1. Ibibio
2. Annang
3. Oron
4. Eket
5. Obolo

Christianity is the predominant Religion of the Akwa Ibom people.

Local government Areas in Akwa Ibom State

Akwa Ibom State has a total of thirty-one (31) Local government Areas. They include:

1. Abak
2. Eastern Obolo
3. Eket
4. Esit-Eket
5. Essien Udim
6. Etim Ekpo
7. Etinan
8. Ibeno
9. Ibesikpo-Asutan
10. Ibiono-Ibom
11. Ika
12. Ikono
13. Ikot Abasi
14. Ikot Ekpene
15. Ini
16. Itu
17. Mbo
18. Mkpat-Enin
19. Nsit-Atai
20. Nsit-Ibom
21. Nsit Ubium
22. Obot-Akara
23. Okobo
24. Onna
25. Oron
26. Oruk-Anam
27. Ukanafun
28. Udung-Uko
29. Uruan
30. Urue-Offong/Oruko
31. Uyo

Read Also: A Complete And Chronological History of Nigeria

Notable People from Akwa Ibom State

Obong Victor Attah   –   A Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State

Udom Gabriel Emmanuel    –   Governor of Akwa Ibom State from May 2015 to date

Senator Ita Enang     – Senior Special Assistant to The President

Godswill Obot Akpabio   –   Erstwhile Governor of Akwa Ibom State/Former Senate Minority Leader

Idongesit Nkanga   –   Former Military Governor,  Akwa Ibom State

Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem   –   National Legal Adviser of The People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

Effiong Bob

Chris Ekpenyong   –   Former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State in Victor Attah’s administration.

Ufot Ekaette    –    Secretary to the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 under President Olusegun Obasanjo

Onofiok Luke   –     The 11th Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly / the Pioneer Speaker of the Nigeria Youth Parliament.

Akpan Isemin      –    Elected Governor of Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria from January 1992 to November 1993 during the Nigerian Third Republic

Late Chief (Dr) Clement Isong (CFR)      –     Second Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria. First civilian governor of the former Cross River State

Charles Bassey    – a member of 1980 Super Eagles, winner of African Cup of Nations

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

Vincent Enyeama   –   Professional footballer (Goalie) and former Super Eagle captain.

Chief Don Etiebiet    –   Former Minister of Petroleum

Ini Edo    –    Nollywood Actress

Ime Bishop Umoh     –    Nollywood Actor

As of 2016, the total population of the state was about 5,450,758 and ranked 15 of 36.  With 770/km² (2,000/sq mi) density.

The current Governor of Akwa Ibom State is Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel and he’s Deputized by Mr. Moses Ekpo both elected under the aegis of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

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Akwa Ibom State Senators are:

Bassey Albert Akpan

Godswill Akpabio

Nelson Effiong

Legislature: Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.

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