The Indigenous Igbo People Of Akwa Ibom State, Who Are They?

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]The Ibos in Akwa Ibom found themselves there not by choice but [music] by political division.

[00:00:07]Do you know that many people don't know that we have indigenous Ibos in Akwa Ibom state? Yesterday, I mentioned Akwa Ibom as being an Ibo state and some people doubted it. But as always, we deal with facts, not propaganda.

[00:00:21]If you don't know something, ask. I will gladly explain. Akwa Ibom is commonly said to consist of the Ibibio, Annang, Ikid, Obolo, and Oron ethnic groups. But beyond these well-known groups, the state also has an authentic indigenous Ibo tribe. The name of the community is Ohobo Ndoki.

[00:00:44]The Akwa Ibom state government has mischievously tried to annex the area by renaming the village Ikot Udo Enyong too, but it was met with stiff rejection [music] by the Ohobo Ndoki, who despite being overwhelmed by their Annang neighbors in Ukanafun, they have maintained their distinct Ibo culture and speak their clear Ibo language till date. Ohobo Ndoki is a full-blooded Ibo community situated in Ukanafun local government area of Akwa Ibom state. The people are part of the larger Ndoki Ibo subgroup, a culturally colorful group known across Abia and Rivers states. They speak clear Ibo language, practice Ibo traditions, and maintain strong and sensual ties to other Ndoki communities. Ohobo Ndoki is bounded [music] on the east by Ikot Inyang Okpondo, on the south by Edem Idim, on the north by Ikot Inyang village of Etim Ekpo local government area, and on the west by the Azumini Blue River, which separates Ohobo people from their kith and kin in Ukwa West local government area of Abia state and Obi Ibo local government area of Rivers State. [music] Historically, Ohobo used to be part of Old Imo State, from which Abia State was created in 1991.

[00:02:08]Now, in 1987, the village was made part of Old Cross River State.

[00:02:13]Shortly after Akwa Ibom State was created, [music] and Ohobo found itself inside its borders, not by choice, but by political decision. The river was used as a natural boundary.

[00:02:27]Based on the recommendation of the Boundary Adjustment Committee, chaired by late Alhaji Kaloma Ali, a lawyer and politician who subsequently served as Minister for Solid Minerals Development during the regime of his close associate, late General Sani Abacha, based on the bounce. Despite the shift, the people of Ohobo never lost their Igbo identity. They have held tightly to their language, names, customs, and traditions, even while surrounded by their Anaang neighbors. Over the years, there have been deliberate attempts to rewrite the Igbo identity of Ohobo.

[00:03:05]The Akwa Ibom State Government in its gazette of the year 2000 renames the village Ikot Inyang Udoh to there's Ikot Inyang Udoh one in nearby Anaang community.

[00:03:18]But the Ohobo people firmly rejected this. To them, the name Ohobo carries the spirit of their identity. Ohobo is coined from two Igbo words, Oha, which means people, and Obu, which refers to heart, as well as where a king lives, or Obara, first son of a large extended family receives visitors. Ohobo simply means the people's heart or people's palace. This love for their heritage was clearly demonstrated when they Eze elect, Chief Lucky Nwosu, rejected his certificate of recognition in November 2023 because it bore the government imposed name instead of Ohon Obu, he boldly insisted, "We want the certificate in the [music] name of Ohon Obu.

[00:04:08]We are proud to be in Akwa Ibom, but we want our identity respected." His stand reflects the determination of a people who refused to be erased. Ohon Obu consists of four villages, Aballa, Obikpo, Umuchuta, and Ohon Obu, and has a population of over 20,000 people. They share cultural, linguistic, historical, and ancestral ties with Ndoki communities in Ukwa East and Ukwa West, that is Abia State, Oyibo, Rivers State, and beyond.

[00:04:44]Now, the Azumini Blue River stands between Ohon Obu and their kinsmen in Abia and Rivers. Yet, the bond remains unbroken.

[00:04:54]The Ndoki and Asa Ibo people dominate the oil-rich Ukwa East and Ukwa West local government areas in Abia State >> [music] >> and Oyibo local government area in Rivers, home [snorts] to the Afam Power Station.

[00:05:09]Ohon Obu, though now inside Akwa Ibom, belong to this same Ibo heritage and lineage. From the foregoing, it is crystal clear that Akwa Ibom has her own indigenous Ibo population and not just Ibo residents, mainly businessmen from Abia, Anambra, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers State. It is now clear that Akwa Ibom State is not made up of only five ethnic groups.

[00:05:35]Whenever the ethnic groups in the states are listed, Ibo must also be mentioned.

[00:05:41]Ohon Obu is not an Ibo settlement or migration community. It is an indigenous Ibo land that predates the creation of Akwa Ibom State. There are also other Igbo-speaking communities in Ikot Inyang and other areas of the state, but Obolo stands out because it is deep inside Akwa Ibom territory, yet has obdurately and successfully preserved its Igbo essence from generation to generation.

[00:06:07]Because of their Igbo identity, Obolo Ndoki people have faced marginalization in the state.

[00:06:13]This includes disputes and power struggles over the major gas facility located in the community.

[00:06:20]These issues continue to shape their political and economic reality, a topic that we'll break down in future discussion. The existence of Obolo Ndoki proves without doubt that Igbo people are indigenous to Akwa Ibom State.

[00:06:34]Their resilience, language, and culture have survived boundary adjustments, political pressures, and attempts at cultural erosion. Today, they stand as a testament to the deep and widespread presence of the Igbo nation across Nigeria. Akwa Ibom is indeed a multi-ethnic state.

[00:06:56]And Igbo is one of its original ethnic group.