Akwa Ibom: A State with rich but forgotten history?
Do you know that first (Experimental) Local Government (County) in Nigeria was Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area?
Sadly: It may be deleted from Nigeria history as we don’t seem to be proud of it.
Do you know that the second highest Slave deport in West Africa (The first was in Badagri, Lagos) was established in Ikot Abasi in the year 1795? and the famous Bridge of no Return was built in Ikot Abasi that same year?
Sadly: In Goggle it is recorded as if the Bridge stands in Imo State along Imo River.
Do you know that the decision and the plan for the Amalgamation of Northern and Southern States into one Country Named Nigeria was taken at the Brick House at Ikot Abasi by Sir Lord Lugard and other Colonial Leaders in the present of all regional Head then?
Sadly: That Center (The Amalgamation house which is still standing in Ikot Abasi till today) was not recognized by the federal government when Nigeria Amalgamation history was Celebrated in 2014, why? we were Silence, we seemed not to be proud of it.
Do you know that Queen Elizabeth the 2nd Ship Came into the Eastern Nigeria through the Eniong River in the Present ITU Local Government Area?, and that till today the deck she claimed to up land is still at ITU ?
Sadly: It’s not our Business, such History is forgotten and such place is not worth a tourist Center.
Do you know that the first leper colony in Nigeria region was established by the Presbyterian Church at Obot ITU?
Do you know that the first telephone service station in west Africa was at ITU?
Do you know that because of our riches in Forrestry Few Italians in the 18th Century collaborated with our Portuguese trade partners to esterblised and Italian Forrest reserve at ITU and it is still there till today?
Sadly; All these does not interest our Generation and it is not even worth a tourist site.
Do you know that Mary Slassor spend More of her lifespan in Use Ikot Oku in Ibiono Ibom, Akwa Ibom State more than she lived in any where on Earth?
Do you know that she died in Use and her House and her grave Monument is still there till today?
Do you even know that the names of the Towns in Akwa Ibom that Mary Slassor affected are writen in the Scottish Currency?
Sadly: Calabar has taken that Glory, Her Monument built by Cross River State Government is a tourist Center where Calabar Canival trend stop and Dance.
Yet there is no major street in Akwa Ibom named after Mary Slassor.
Do You that the name Itu given the a Local Government Area in the then Cross River State and now Akwa Ibom State was dirived from a Portuguese/ English Trade Center called International Trade Union?
Sadly: it is only found in an old book in a dieing Library in Calabar and no one from here is bold enough to put in in the Internet so it could be goggled.
Do you know that the famous “Aba Women Riot” of 1929 actually originated from a Market called Ukam Market in Ikot Abasi and so many women lost their lives in the killing ordered by the Colonial Division Officer in Ikot Abasi,
do you know that it was an Ikot Abasi woman that led that riot?
do you know that no Woman actually died in the street of Aba and that female traders in Aba only did a sympathy walk?
Sadly; Aba ,is more popular in the glory of that History because we just don’t care
Even the mock graves of the 500 dead women in Ikot Abasi is not worth a tourist site to be promoted.
BUT
do you know that tourism is a major Economic driver on Earth today?
Do you know that Akwa Ibom Citizens travel out on tour to so many lesser historical sites around the world?
Why? Why? Why?
Are we not proud of our history?
why can’t we turn our Historical sites to tourist Sites?
Why? do we allow tribalism and Political Influence to rub us of our Heritage?
Think
– Moses Eskor 2020
Akwa Ibom
