View source for Ikot Ekpene

{{Short description|Town in Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria}}

{{Use Nigerian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=August 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2017}}
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{{Infobox settlement
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<!-- Basic info  ---------------->| official_name                   = Ikot Ekpene
| native_name                     = 
| other_name                      = 
| settlement_type                 = Town
<!-- images and maps  ----------->| image_skyline                   = 
| imagesize                       = 300px
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| image_flag                      = 
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| nickname                        = I.K
| motto                           = The Raffia City
| image_map                       = 
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| pushpin_map                     = Nigeria<!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map -->
| pushpin_label_position          = right
| pushpin_map_caption             = Location in Nigeria
<!-- Location ------------------>| coordinates                     = {{coord|5|11|N|7|43|E|region:NG|display=inline,title}}
|module={{Infobox mapframe|wikidata=yes|zoom=8|marker=village|coord={{WikidataCoord|display=i}}}}
| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = Nigeria
| subdivision_type1               = [[States of Nigeria|State]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Akwa Ibom State|Akwa Ibom]]
| subdivision_type2               = 
| subdivision_name2               = 
| established_title               = <!-- Settled -->
| established_date                = 
| government_type                 = <!-- Politics ----------------->
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| leader_title                    = Chairman
| leader_name                     = Mr. Aniefiok Nkom
<!-- Area    --------------------->| unit_pref                       = Imperial <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired-->
| area_footnotes                  = 
| area_total_km2                  = 116
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| area_water_km2                  = 
| elevation_footnotes             = <!--for references: use<ref> </ref>  tags-->
| elevation_m                     = <!-- Population   ----------------------->
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_total                = 143,077
| population_as_of                = 2006 census
| population_est                  = 180,500 
| pop_est_as_of                   = 2022
| population_density_km2          = auto
| population_note                 = 
<!-- GDP --------------->
| demographics_type1       = [[GDP|GDP (PPP, 2015 int. Dollar)]]
| demographics1_footnotes  = 
| demographics1_title1     = Year
| demographics1_info1      = 2023
| demographics1_title2     = Total 
| demographics1_info2      = $3.5&nbsp;billion<ref name="TelluBase">{{cite web|url=https://tellusant.com/repo/tb/tellubase_factsheet_nga.pdf|publisher=Tellusant|title=TelluBase—Nigeria Fact Sheet (Tellusant Public Service Series)| access-date = 2024-01-11}}</ref>
| demographics1_title3     = Per capita
| demographics1_info3     = $8,100<!-- General information  --------------->
| timezone                        = [[West Africa Time|WAT]]
| utc_offset                      = +1
| timezone_DST                    = ''not observed''
| utc_offset_DST                  = +1
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->| postal_code_type                = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
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| blank_name                      = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
| blank_info                      = [[Tropical monsoon climate|Am]]
| website                         = {{URL|www.annangheritage.org}}

https://www.raffiacityhub.com.ng
| name                            = 
}}

'''Ikot Ekpene''', also known as '''The Raffia City''', is a historic town in the south-southern state<ref>{{Cite web|title=Map – Ikot Ekpene (Ikot-Ekpene) – MAP[N]ALL.COM|url=http://www.mapnall.com/en/Map-Ikot-Ekpene_1135306.html|access-date=10 September 2021|website=www.mapnall.com}}</ref> of [[Akwa Ibom State|Akwa Ibom, Nigeria]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iAnVbwAACAAJ&q=Ikot+Ekpene|title=Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State: Ikot Ekpene, Uyo, Eket, Mkpat-Enin, Abak, Oruk Anam, Ika-Annang, Oron, Nigeria, Eastern Obolo|last=Books|first=L. L. C.|date=23 February 2017|publisher=General Books LLC|isbn=9781155785943|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.channelstv.com/2017/02/19/gov-emmanuel-commits-to-democracy-dividends-in-ikot-ekpene/|title=Gov Emmanuel Commits To Democracy Dividends In Ikot Ekpene • Channels Television|date=19 February 2017|website=Channels Television|access-date=23 February 2017}}</ref> It is the political and cultural capital of the [[Annang]] ethnic group in Nigeria (Nair, 1972). The town is located on the [[A342 highway (Nigeria)|A342 highway]] that parallels the coast, between [[Calabar]] to the southeast and [[Aba, Abia|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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hotels in Ikot Ekpene – Tours in Ikot Ekpene|url=https://booknaija.ng/city/akwa-ibom/ikot-ekpene/|access-date=10 September 2021|website=Booknaija Travels|language=en-US}}</ref> The population of the Ikot Ekpene [[Local government areas of Nigeria|Local government area]] was estimated to be 180,500 in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ikot Ekpene (Local Government Area, Nigeria) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/nigeria/admin/akwa_ibom/NGA003014__ikot_ekpene/ |access-date=2024-02-01 |website=www.citypopulation.de}}</ref>

Kannan Nair, the noted historian described the town as a cultural and political capital of the [[Anaang people|Annangs]] and the Ibibios.  The [[Ibibio people|Ibibios]] live to the east and most of the Annangs live to the south of the town.

Ikot Ekpene is known as a regional centre of commerce, with notable exports of [[palm tree|palm]] products, especially [[palm oil]], [[seed|kernel]]s, [[raffia]] products including raffia fibers and its wine, and ground crops of [[yam (vegetable)|yams]], [[cassava]], [[taro]], and [[cereal|corn]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u5tYu9AjYLgC&q=Ikot+Ekpene&pg=PA33|title=Monitoring tour of preemptive management of cassava mosaic disease field activities in Nigeria|date=8 September 2023 |publisher=IITA|isbn=9789781312281|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RR-mmgEACAAJ&q=Ikot+Ekpene|title=Raffia Textiles of the Annang/Ibibio of Ikot-Ekpene, Nigeria|last=Okeke|first=Chukwuanugo S.|date=1 January 1980|language=en}}</ref> The population is made up primarily of the [[Annang]] people with a small number of Igbo traders and Hausa Suya vendors. Significant exports also include [[basket weaving]], sculpture, and, most notably, raffia cane furniture (hence the colloquial name of the town).

Ikot Ekpene is also known for its technological innovations due to the emergence of [https://futurenabs.ng FutureLabs] an innovation hub dedicated to training young technical talents and helping entrepreneurs build tech startups in Ikot Ekpene in partnership with organizations like NITDA and JICA. The Raffia City Entrepreneurs Scheme committee was inaugurated by Hon. John Cleton Etim.<ref>{{Cite web|title= Ikot Ekpene Council Boss Inaugurates 'Raffia City Entrepreneurship Scheme Committee'. - MoreNews.ng|url=https://morenews.ng/ikot-ekpene-council-boss-inaugurates-raffia-city-e/ |website=morenews.ng|date=9 January 2024 |access-date= 20 December 2024}}</ref> 

Ikot Ekpene is also the headquarters of some notable seminaries and the Catholic Diocese in the south-south region of Nigeria. The Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, and Ritman University is located in the city. The city houses the notable mini stadium at GRA road, Nteps Super Markets, Four Point by Sheraton Hotels etc.

==History==
Oral history indicated the Annangs first settled the area in the 16th century.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ikot Ekpene {{!}} Nigeria {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Ikot-Ekpene |access-date=2022-11-14 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

===British era===
Though most inhabitants of the area did not have direct contact with European traders who they called [[Mbakara]] until early in the twentieth century, it is believed that European articles of trade reached the people beginning in the 17th century.

In November 1903, British troops arrived in the area from [[Calabar]] and the following year established a garrison there in January 1904, putting Umoren Eyenobong (known as swordwearer by the Europeans) from Ukana in charge of the immediate Annang people. From Ikot Ekpene the troops marched to Uyo and from there to Abak and Opobo (now [[Ikot-Abasi|Ikot Abasi]]). Between 1904 and 1910, Ikot Ekpene became part of the Enyong District. In 1914 Enyong District was broken up into two: Enyong and Ikot Ekpene Districts. The new Ikot Ekpene District included Uyo and Abak with the headquarters in Ikot Ekpene town (Akpan, 1967).

By 1919, trade with Europeans opened up as the town became an administrative centre. The following companies had posts and stores in the town: John Holt's, Cooperative Wholesale Society, Paterson Zochonis (PZ), G. B. Ollivant and the Compagnie Francaise de L'Afrique Occidentale. The establishment of these companies resulted in an exodus from the surrounding areas and made Ikot Ekpene a vibrant metropolis. In 1937, the colonial administration built the main market and separated those who sold imported European goods from indigenous articles. A slaughterhouse was added to allow for the inspection of meat (Ette, 2020).

In 1903, the British sent in troops and a garrison was stationed there at the main entrance to the town known as Control Post. The town was so important to the British that when a proposed road linking Owerri and Calabar in the late 1920s was to bypass the town, the British administrators abandoned the idea in favour of one linking Eket and Owerri in order to bring the town into the loop (Nair, 1972). It became the site of the experiment in local self-governance by the British in 1951. It was also the birthplace of the famous Ibibio Welfare Union when James Udo Eka teamed up with Udosen Obot at a Methodist school in Ikot Obong Edong (Noah, 1988).

Under the British, the town became the seat of both the (Annang) Division and (Ikot Ekpene) County Council. Today it is a municipal centre in the state of Akwa Ibom.

===Independence era===
Ikot Ekpene, probably more than any other town, was seriously impacted in the [[Biafrian]] civil war{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}. It had strategic military and political importance to both the Biafrans and Nigerians. The town and the area changed hands at least 3 times in this bitter conflict. Following the war, the new reorganization and state structure led to policies that did not recognize the historic importance of the town as most of the Annang leaders were massacred during the war. 
[[File:Nigeria Ikot Ekpene Craft Market 11.81.jpg|thumb|right|Section of Ikot Ekpene craft market showing woven raffia products for sale]]
Like most Annang communities, Ikot Ekpene has a tradition of self-improvement from its sons and daughters, both near and far.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ikot Ekpene Town in Ikot Ekpene Nigeria Guide|url=https://www.nigeriagalleria.com/Nigeria/States_Nigeria/Akwa-Ibom/History-of-Ikot-Ekpene-in-Akwa-Ibom-State.html|access-date=10 September 2021|website=www.nigeriagalleria.com}}</ref> Several groups are working together to recapture and rebuild what they fondly call "The Raffia City". Ikot Ekpene has a long history of transforming the raffia fibre into cloth used in shoes, hats, handbags, mats and with distinctive cultural carvings made out of wood. These unique arts and crafts trades have continued alongside traditional agriculture.

Many foreign organizations and churches are present in the area. Four institutions of higher learning have added richness to the town: the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, the School of Nursing, the St. Joseph Major Theological Seminary and Ritman University.

==Villages==
Villages in the local government area include: 

# Abak Ifia
# Abak Oko
# Abiakpo Edem Idim
# Abiakpo Ikot Essien
# Abiakpo Ikot Irem
# Abiakpo Ikot Obionting
# Abiakpo Ntak-Iyang
# Adaratak
# Akanaan
# Ata Essien Mbiaso
# Ibiakpan
# Ibiakpan Ikot
# Ibiakpan Nto Akan
# Ibiakpo Edem Idim
# Ibong Nto Akan
# Ifuho
# Ikot Abia Idem
# Ikot Idem
# Ikot Inyang
# Ikot Obong Edong
# Ikot Otu
# Ikot-Ekpene-Village
# Ikot Enwang
# Ikotobio Okpon
# Itak Ikot Udo-Okop
# Mbiaso
# Ndem Ekpot
# Nkap Ikot Obio Ebok
# Nsiak
# Obioekere
# Uruk Uso
# Utu Edem Usung
# Utu Ikot Ekrenyong
# Utu Ikot Essien
# Utu Ikpe<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nigeria Zip Codes |date=24 February 2014 |url=https://nigeriazipcodes.com/5451/list-of-towns-and-villages-in-ikot-ekpene-lga/#google_vignette}}</ref>

== Sports ==
The [[Ikot Ekpene Township Stadium]] is located in Ikot Ekpene.<ref>https://scontent-amt2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/s960x960/118124640_214773976657556_3804198971384294005_o.jpg?_nc_cat=109&_nc_sid=2d5d41&_nc_ohc=6RGHQSEK5GMAX-srrj1&_nc_ht=scontent-amt2-1.xx&tp=7&oh=8e0a452166008f77f885f1e14125cc54&oe=5F7EF931 {{dl|date=July 2024}}</ref>

The Ikot Ekpene stadium is now the host to The Nigerian National League team Ibom Youth FC. It was also a former ground for Akwa Starlet, now [[Dakkada|Dakkadda FC]]. It has several football teams such as Mashal Rock FC, Raffia City FC, Ituen FC, Police Academy, Ibom Stars etc.

Great players have come from this city, such as Etok Aniekan (''Esperanza of Tunisia''), Isaac George (''Akwa United''), Imoh Obot (''Nassarawa United''), and [[Vincent Enyeama]] (''Marshall Rock to Lille of France, Super Eagles of Nigeria)''.

== Notable people ==
*[[Solomon Udo]], professional footballer playing for the [[Armenia national football team]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Profile of Solomon Udo: Info, news, matches and statistics {{!}} BeSoccer|url=https://www.besoccer.com/player/solomon-udo-315666|access-date=17 September 2021|website=www.besoccer.com|language=en}}</ref>
*[[Mmekutmfon Essien]], photographer

== See also ==
* [[Annang]]
* [[Annang Festival of Arts and Culture]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
Ette, E. (2020) Acculturative Stress and Change in Nigerian Society, Landham, Maryland, Lexington Books.

==Bibliography==
*Akpan, N. U. (1967) Epitaph to Indirect Rule: A Discourse on Local Government in Africa, London, Frank Cass & Co Ltd.
*Ekanem, J. B. (2002) Clashing Cultures: Annang Not(with)standing Christianity – An Ethnography. Brussels. Peter Lang.
*Ette, E. (2020) Acculturative Stress and Change in Nigerian Society, Landham, Maryland, Lexington Books.
*Ette, E. (2010) Annang Wisdom: Tools for Post Modern Living. Bloomington, Indiana Xlibris 
*Noah, Effiong (1988) Minutes of the Ibibio State Union, Uyo, Modern Business Press.
*Nair, Kaanan. K. (1972) Politics and Society in South Eastern Nigeria, 1841 – 1906, London, Frank Cass.
*Nwaka, G. I. (1986) The Leopards’ Killings of Southern Annang, Nigeria, 1943 – 48, Africa 56 (4) 417 – 440
*Udo, E. U. (1983) The History of the Annang People, Calabar, Nigeria. Apcon Press Ltd.

{{LGAs and communities of Akwa Ibom State}}
{{Cities in Nigeria}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Akwa Ibom State]]
[[Category:Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State]]
[[Category:Towns in Akwa Ibom State]]
[[Category:1914 establishments in Nigeria]]