Eket

Eket
Ekid
LGA and town
Motto: Ekid ide diong..o
Eket
Coordinates: 4°39′N 7°56′E / 4.650°N 7.933°E / 4.650; 7.933Coordinates: 4°39′N 7°56′E / 4.650°N 7.933°E / 4.650; 7.933
Country  Nigeria
State Akwa Ibom State
Government
  Chairman Mr Frank Archibong
Area
  Metro 83 sq mi (214 km2)
Population (2005)
  Urban 364,489
  estimated
Time zone WAT (UTC+1)
Climate Am

Eket is the second largest city in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The name also refers to the indigenous ethnic group of the region and to their language. The city itself, an industrial city that in recent years has become a conurbation engulfing separate villages, has a population of over 200,000, while entire urban area, which covers Okon, Nsit Ubium, Afaha Eket and Esit Eket, has a combined population of 364,489, the second largest urban population in Akwa Ibom state.

Economy

An oil refinery is currently under construction in the outskirts of the city along the Oron road. The city has a stadium complex, an airstrip as well as other infrastructures of importance. It also has a number of hotels such as Villa Marina, Royalty Hotels, Crystal Palace Hotel, Roseboom Hotels, Eden Hotel, La Imperial Hotel Ltd and others.

Eket due to its industrial nature is a relatively expensive city. The government has plans of upgrading the city by the provision of further major roads in the city and the construction of housing estates.

In the 1990s, western environmentalists were concerned over the activities of oil exploitation in and around Eket, such as Shell and Mobil. The area is now newly "oil-rich" and Eket is the thriving hub of a new oil and gas business, with more than 250 companies providing support services such as catering, flights, and exports. However, this success has caused problems, especially a reluctance by local young men to engage in traditional work such as fishing. There are vocal local campaigns to increase the percentage of oil revenue that is given to the local community. Eket as an ethnic group comprises Eket, Esit Eket, Ibeno and Onna L.G.As

Population

The Eket are a people who live in this region. They are a sub-group of the Ibibio people. Eket is also the name of the main sub-language that they speak, a Benue–Congo language. Both languages are similar, but sufficiently distinct to give away the precise district the speaker originates from. The Eket have a form of caste or class society, with the "Amama" being the highest caste, and these are notable for undertaking traditional potlach-like feasts in which the poorer people are fed en masse. In addition to the Amama, groups of "Ekpo Ndem Isong" class rule individual villages and towns, and their will is enforced by the "Ikan" class (traditional masked police) to which entry is by merit rather than birth.

The local religion is one of ancestor-worship, worship of Ala the "earth deity", and seasonal agricultural festivals. Water is abundant in the Niger delta, and the vegetation luxurious. However, over-farming and poor farming practices are depleting soil nutrients on many farms and plots.

Popular surnames include Ukpong Etteh[1] (actually meaning father),[2] Udofia, Ukoetuk, Uku, Abia and Essien. Just like the remainder of West Africa, the family name normally is an indicator of which specific region one is from.

Clans That Constitute Ekid

Afaha Clan Ekid Offiong Clan Idua Clan Okon Clan
Afaha Atai

Afaha Ukwa

Ata Idung Afaha Ekid

Atai Ndon-Afaha Ekid

Ebana

Ede Urua

Edebuk

Effoi

Ekepene Afaha Ekid

Ekpene Ukpa

Esit Urua

Etibe

Idim Afia

Idung Imo

Idung Offiong

Idung Udofa

Iko Ekwa

Ikot Afaha

Ikot Udota

Nditia

Odio

Ofriyo

Okopedi Idung Udo

Osiok

Afia Nsit

Asang Ikot-Use Ekong

Ata Idung-Inyang Uso Ekong

Ebebi Ikot Uso

Ekong

Etebi Idung Akpaisang

Etebi Idung-Iwak

Idung Enen Uso

Idung Udo

Ikot Abasi

Ikot Ebiyan

Ikot Ekid

Ikot Ibiok

Ikot Odiong

Ikot Udoma

Ikot Use Ekong

Mkpok

Ukwa

Atabong

Idua

Ikot Etok

Iseuit Idua

Odoro

Usung Inyang

Anana

Ikot Abasi

Ikot Abia

Ikot Akpa Enang

Ikot Akpa Ikpo

Ikot Akpandem

Ikot Ataku

Ikot Ekpo Okon

Ikot Ikpa

Ikot Inyang

Ikot Nsidibe

Ikot Obio

Ikot Obio Ata

Ikot Obioro

Ikot Odudom

Ikot Oso

Ikot Ukpang

Nduo Eduo

References

  1. Efik-Ibibio phrasebook Archived July 24, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
  2. "Name Dictionary Reference". Dictionary of Nigerian names.
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