Attractive Variety of Natural
Landscapes
Across the state, especially as you move from the coastal south to the elevated
north, you will find an attractive variety of natural landscapes, offering breath-taking
views. They range from the moody mangrove swamp and picturesque vegetation island,
to flat land of secondary vegetation and pockets of thick tropical forests, palm
groves and vegetable land to rugged valleys on the slopes of gentle rolling hills.
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I promised the people that if they elect me as governor, their lives will not be
the same again and I am doing it, I have several other lofty plans for residents
of the state. I am not one of those whose coming to power was fortuitous, I prepared
for it and I know that God will assist me achieve my vision for the state.
- Akpabio
Ibom Entertainment Centre
- 5-Star Hotel with 250 rooms, Int'l Standard Theme/Water Park
- Galleria with Multiple Cinema Hall, 10,000 Seater Dome
- Shopping Mall
- Complimentary Services with Monorail
Historic Sites
These relics are characterized by architectural designs, squat masonry district
offices and government guest houses with elevated zinc pan roofs, open-walled and
steep-roofed native court buildings, iron bridges and cottage styled masonry houses.
A visit to the state will present one with nostalgic feelings of colonial presence
and occupation.
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Craft Making
Akwa Ibom is known all over the country and beyond for her captivating works of
art, of which craft making is at the fore-front. These crafts are products of natural
and man-made plants found in Akwa Ibom State. Among these crafts are Dolls, toys,
ritual objects and puppets. Bamboo from raffia palm is cut and marked to represent
dolls for female children to play with. At the developed level, the soft wood Ukpo
is delicately carved into ritual objects used by female fertility cults which are
often beautifully painted with white clay, earth colours and enamels. Dolls are
used in sacrificial rites for child birth and to appease ‘Eka Abasi’ to lay her
hands off a sick baby.
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Rafia Craft
Raffia craft is another work of art that has made the state a household name. Raffia
belts, hats, shoes and hand bags are the products. Other raffia products include
Lawyers Wigs, toys and furnishings (including car furnishing).
The fibers are extracted from raffia palm fronds which could be dyed as may be desired.
The weaving is manually done by the use of a simple loom. The local weavers demonstrate
a great skill in the execution of a wide variety of woven design motifs. Ikot Ekpene
town is the main centre of the craft trade; this explains the pseudonym of Ikot
Ekpene as “Raffia City”.
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Pottery
Pottery is an art practiced by women in many parts of the state. The most outstanding
centers are; Itak and Mbiafin villages in Ini Local Government Area, Etinam, Ikot
Ebom Itam, Ekpene Ukim, Etoi and Ikot Uboh in Nsit Local Government Area of the
state.
The combined production of the cottage industry alongside traditional pottery results
in a wide range of wares such as clay pots for cooking, musical drum pots, and table
wares. Ornamental flower pots and planters, tea sets, drinking mugs and lamp stands
are all product of the craft.
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Basketry
This is another craft widely practiced in the State. The baskets come in different
shapes and sizes depending on the intended function. There are baskets for storage,
baskets for the kitchen use and baskets for packaging and transportation of goods. |
Cane Craft
These are also indigenous to the state, with majority of the producers found in Ikot Andem Itam
in Itu Local Government Area of the state. Among the range of cane
crafted furniture produced by the people are settees, garden chairs, bar stools,
room dividers, babies’ cots and beds.
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Smitten & Metal Crafts
In Akwa Ibom State, there abound many tinkers and metal workers. Around Ikot Ekpene
are the brass designers who turn-out ornamental swords, ceremonial staffs and candle
stands. Other metal workers are engaged in the production of metal boxes, pan pots,
hoes, machetes and chisels. Other metal works include beds, metal furniture, gates
and designed railings.
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Weaving
Cloth weaving in traditional society is limited to the production of strips of Ekpang,
a strip of thick cotton fabric woven on a simple loom. Less common is the production
of crowns, Ntinya strictly produced on order as the crowns can only be worn by select
chiefs. There are several weaving centers in Uyo, Abak, Eket, and Ikot Ekpene areas.
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Cosmetics
The most common body decoration in Akwa Ibom traditional society is Okukin and Udohaya
body decoration techniques. In the Okukin approach, a black indelible ink is used
to draw design motifs on the desired part of the body. In the Udohaya type, a deep
penetrating brown dye in paste form, made from roots and herbs is used. When eventually
the paste is washed off, the dye leaves a dark stain that could last for as long
as three years before fading completely.
Tattooing, which produces a permanent effect is also in practice. However in recent
times the practice is being replaced by more temporary body decoration with the
use of white clay, cam-wood and red oxide to mark and draw motifs on the body. This
decoration is seen among traditional dancers especially maidens.
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Grotesque Mask
The Grotesque masks on their parts were sacred symbols reserved for dangerous ancestral
spirit masquerades. Among such masks is the Ekpo and Nyoho.
The masks show a distinctive feature compared to the Beautiful masks, as they are
designed to instill fear in the minds of spectators. They are usually, made from
finished mat and in Lamp-black colour. Their macabre nature is often intensified
by the use of attachments of animal and human skulls, horns, miniature coffins and
spirit dolls.
On the mask, one finds traces of sacrificial matter such as caked
blood from previous sacrifices. Ekpo is such a mask and bears an ominous and mysterious
Idiong ring on the head. A double Idiong ring on the head of the Ekpo indicates
membership of the highest rank of the highly revered Idiong divination cult.
In addition to the physical features, the forms employed by the grotesque mask, portray
various animal and human imagery, with flapping jaws, the diseased gangosa, bulging
eyes, grimacing facial features and general aggressive countenance. The grotesque
mask presents an insight into the dangerous abode of the ancestral spirit world
among the people and this explains the reverence given to it. Another popular grotesque
mask among Akwa Ibom people is the Ekpu Oron.
The Ekpu Oron mask is popular among the Oron and to some extent Eket peoples of
the state. The Ekpu is a revered ancestral worship expressed in the carving of spectacular
wooden statues to honour the dead. A long braided beard indicates age; Ekere, a
traditional war gong in the hand meant that the ancestor was a hero-ama obio Ekong;
if he was seated on top of other people, it showed that he had slaves; a top hat
showed he had wealth and a strong phallus told of his many wives and children. Looking
at the Ekpu statues, one is given an insight into a biographical profile of the
dead ancestor.
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Funeral Art
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Beautiful Mask
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This is a tradition embedded in the culture of Akwa Ibom people. it is meant to
express the peoples belief that death is a continuation of life rather than an end.
The expression ekpo akpa ayin, ikpaha utong, presupposes that the dead hears and
could therefore intervene in matters of the living. This explains the belief system
to provide for the dead.
The traditional funerary abode Nwommo was erected as a necessity for the dead. For
men, the structure was usually erected with the use of Okono poles and a frame-work
of bamboo, over which roofing mats were decked. The roof was often pitched. Decorated
cloth was draped across the open front of the Nwommo.
The female version was often built with earth walls and had a steeply sloping roof.
Though too tiny for any normal living being, the symbolic dwelling of the dead was
often heavily decorated and decked out with house-hold utensils for the comfortable
living of the dead in the after life. To avoid theft, some of these utensils had
to be deliberately damaged to render them useless to normal human use. The impressive
aspect of the Nwommo hut was the lavish decoration. The walls were often painted
using white and coloured clay, charcoal, and green from the awa plant. Red, obtained
from cam-wood and red oxide was also used. Similarly, blue from local indigo dye
and later, washer man’s blue were used. The motifs included abstract geometric patterns,
semi-abstract figures and symbols.
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The Beautiful Mask is worn on variety of occasions and functions. It could be won
by masquerades like Udo Obot Eyen. Such benevolent spirit masquerades are usually
staged by young pre-teenage boys who dance around the village from compound to compound
asking for the gods' blessings and bestowment of fertility on the village women
folk who in turn offer gifts to the masquerade. Beautiful masks are also worn by
play masquerades or clowns for entertainment.
To distinguish these masquerades from the Grotesque type, they are designed and
painted with white clay and other earthly colours. Their hair styles are coloured
black to give off natural hair outlook. The facial features retain what could be
presumed to be human faces, it bears a distant spiritual and pious countenance.
The mask neither wears a smiling nor grimacing outlook.
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