A book on Ibibio Cultural heritage titled “Ibibio Nation: History and Culture,” which seeks to add to the existing body of knowledge about the largest ethnic group in Akwa Ibom State often regarded as the fourth in the country is set for presentation to the public soonest.
The book which is divided into two sections with ten chapters is written in a language that attempts to satisfy the yearnings of many Ibibio men and women and many others who are interested in the diacritics of proper words to aid the correct reading and understanding of the Ibibio language.
The Ibibios as an ethinic nationality has made significant contributions to the development of Nigeria and has produced prominent Nigerians including Sir Udo Udoma, one-time justice of Uganda and Clement Isong, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria during the country’s civil war and the late Air Vice Marshal Nsikak Eduok, former Chief Of Air Staff among others and Obong Victor Attah, former governor of Akwa Ibom State.
Written by a renowned son of Ibibio and an accountant, Otobong Aniefiok Uwah, it is undoubtedly a worthy addition to Ibibio historiography and cultural studies as it seeks to expand the relationship of the Ibibio with her neighbours, the Aro and also the historical connection between them and the Efiks, mostly found in Cross River State.
According to Ottoabasi Abasiekong, director at Ibom Heritage, promoters of the book project, the book also contains an” important subject of Afaha, the warring group that conquered the aborigines they met on the way and created most of Ibibio mainland by conquest.”
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Speaking in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, Abasiekong said contemporary topics of the last one hundred years of Ibibio history that are relevant to our today such as the Cross River, Ogoja and Rivers (COR) state movement, Resource Control, Women’s War of 1929, Civil war etc. are dealt with in details as it relates to the involvement of key Ibibio men and women.
“The reality of the interesting culture of Ibibio is espoused in the second section of the book. The identity of the Ibibio man and woman in forms of name identity, ancestral worship, invasion of Christianity, taboos and totems etc. are detailed. Kingship and requirements for the traditional institution, marriage and inheritance within the Ibibio cultural context, the killing of twins, the importance of masquerades as social crusaders and the police of old were told in detail,’’ he said.
Furthermore, he said the book “will add to the resource materials available to students in tertiary institutions and aid other levers of society to properly situate the Ibibio story and its relevance to nation-building.”
Abasiekong maintained that the book presentation proper will have a “Meet and Greet,’’ keynote presentation and panel discussion by “some of the brightest minds across the lengths and breadth of Nigeria. It will also have eminently distinguished and qualified Akwa Ibom sons and daughter play major roles on the day in support of the propagation of a great heritage of the Ibibio of West Africa.”
The book will be presented on March 25, 2022, at the prestigious Ibom Icon and Golf Resorts, Uyo.
