Ibom kingdom was an

Ibibio Ibibio may refer to: *Ibibio language *Ibibio people *Ibibio Sound Machine, an English electronic afro-funk band who sing in Ibibio See also * Ibiblio ibiblio (formerly SunSITE.unc.edu and MetaLab.unc.edu) is a "collection of collections", a ...

nation with its seat of government in

Obot Okon Ita {{Infobox settlement , name = Obinkita , other_name = , native_name = , nickname = , settlement_type =Village , motto = , image_skyline = , imagesize = ...

. This kingdom was located between present day Abia and Akwa Ibom states in Southeastern

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

. Around 1630, an Igbo group from

Abiriba Abiriba pronounced E`biriba`/is an ancient Enuda kingdom in Abia State, in southeastern Nigeria, traditionally an Igbo speaking region. It is in the Ohafia local government area. History The origin of the Abiriba people is not as speculativ ...

known as the Eze Agwu arrived to Ibom. This caused a long term conflict and stalemate known as the Aro-Ibibio Wars.

Origin

The kingdom of Ibom originated by the settlement of the

Ibibio people The Ibibio people (English: / ɪbɪˈbiːəʊ/) are a coastal people in southern Nigeria. They are mostly found in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States. They are related to the Efik people. During the colonial period in Nigeria, the Ibibio Union as ...

from Usangale in the Cameroons around the 15th century. Ibom is an old word used by the Efik /

Annang The Anaang (also spelled Annang) are a sub-ethnic group of the larger Ibibio people, whose land is primarily within 8 of the present 31 local government areas in Akwa Ibom State: Abak, Essien Udim, Etim Ekpo, Ika, Ikot Ekpene, Obot Akara, Oruk ...

/ Eket people of

meaning the ancient universe, the cradle earth, or the cradle, original or ancient community from which others sprang forth. The word Ibom symbolizes the ancestral, the origin, the cradle, the source and theancient community or place or area from which other communities or people sprang forth or originated. Akwa Ibom State is one of the present two states created from the old

Akwa Akpa Duke Town, originally known as Atakpa is an Efik city-state that flourished in the 19th century in what is now southern Nigeria. The City State extended from now Calabar to Bakassi in the east and Oron to the west. Although it is now absorbed in ...

kingdom, Cross River State being the sister state.

Akwa

Akwa also spelled Aqua, meaning The Great One or The Essential One is believed to be the ancestor of the people of

and Efik. Kwa or Qua therefore means Essential One or Great One. It is of no coincidence that their ancient Kingdom was originally known as

. The words Akwa, Aqua, Kwa, Qua are common names for places, rivers, in both Akwa Ibom State and in Cross River State. It is now a town in Arochukwu,

Abia state Abia State ( ig, Ȯha Abia) is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, it is bordered to the north and northeast by the states of Enugu, and Ebonyi, Imo State to the west, Cross River State to the east, Akwa Ibom State to the ...

in Southeastern Nigeria still called Ibom. an

kingdom which last King Akpan Okon lost to the Arochukwu people after the Aro-Ibibio Wars, which the Arochukwu won with the combined Igbo and Akpa armies. Ibom is also where the famous

Ibini Ukpabi The Ibini Ukpabi () was an oracle of the Aro Confederacy of what is now south eastern Nigeria. It was known among the British as the 'Long Ju-ju'. Ibini Ukpabi was used to settle cases, particularly those of murder, witchcraft, poisoning and family ...

oracle is located.

References

External links

*http://www.aro-okigbo.com/history_of_the_aros.htm *https://web.archive.org/web/20080828190518/http://www.aronetwork.org/others/confederancy.html *http://aronewsonline.org/html/Prologue.asp{{dead link, date=November 2017 , bot=InternetArchiveBot , fix-attempted=yes Countries in precolonial Africa Aros History of Nigeria Former monarchies of Africa 17th century in Africa Ibibio Towns in Abia State Former countries in Africa Ibibio people