‘An atomistic society; perpetually at war with itself’.
The above quote is attributed to Professor Emmanuel Ayandele, the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, (1975-1981). He was referring to the political culture of the people of old Cross River State (now Cross River and Akwa Ibom) out of frustration at intense local political rivalries; ethnic and communal divisions; resistance and criticism; and what he saw as a tendency for groups within the state to undermine one another rather than cooperate.
The description may have been more fitting for today’s Akwa Ibom than the now Cross River. As we have proven it, even though we are slightly less than a third the size of current Cross River and nearly monocultural, we have told the world that we are more quarrelsome, less agreeable and more divisive than the over six distinct ethnic groups in today’s Cross River.
These past two months have seen the worst in us. The social media have published miles long scrolls of attack against ourselves. Platforms in the state have been mounted to pour vitriolic on ourselves. Otherwise responsible people have descended from their high horses to spread our unwashed inner wears on the streets. We are shamelessly spewing salted rubbish, peppered hatred, corrosive invectives and outright lies about ourselves.
The trigger is the near-jinxed Ibaka (or is it Ibom) Deep Seaport which has divided the state deeper than the depth of the proposed port. Based on the attacks so far, an average Akwa Ibom person would rather bid farewell to the seaport than have it located where he does not want it. The adage Ibibio imaha idem (Ibibio people do not love themselves) is on full display here.
For crying out loud, the vehemence generated by where the seaport should be sited plays splendidly into the game plan of those who do not want us to have the facility; and they would rather see us kill it ourselves. Just so you know, the single most important facility that makes Lagos Lagos is its sea port. Now Lagos has four sea ports and does not want a competitor in the eastern flank of the country. So, our quarreling with ourselves helps Lagos seaports stay in lucrative business and keep watering the state economy.
This Ibaka Ibom Deep Seaport is over 20 years old already and it is still at the design or quarrel stage with billions of naira already expended. The 2024 state audit report shows that the Ministry of Special Duties and Ibom Deep Seaport recorded actual expenditure of about N101 billion. The 2025 budget allocated to this ministry was N86.84 billion. A three year (2023-2025) budget allocation for this ministry is N253 billion. We are not looking at what the governments of Godswill Akpabio and Udom Emmanuel spent on the project. Because it would amount to looking for a needle in Ibeno beach to request the state government to account for all the money expended on it since inception, I can infer that no less than N500 billion of Akwa Ibom people’s money has gone into it already. If care is not taken, the just conceived Dangote port at Olokola, Ondo State will be fully operational while we are still at the quarrel-table.
The real tragedy is not that we are quarreling nor that the seaport may not see the light of the day. It is that we have not seen prominent sons and daughters of the state from the divides speak out for the entire state and its interests.
Generally, the whole of Akwa Ibom and southern Cross River are a people of the same parentage, and ancestry. When we were in Cross River State, ‘Calabar’ for other Nigerians meant anyone from that state! You did not hear Ibibio, Efik, Annang, Ejagham, Bekwarra, Bahumono, etc. We only heard Calabar as if it were the state. Within the state, people from the current Akwa Ibom were not seen as Ibibio, Annang, Oro, Ekid, Obolo but grouped as Mainland, to differentiate those separated by a river called Cross River from where the state derives its name.
The old Cross River had four languages that the state radio and television stations used: English, Efik,Ejagham and Bekwarra. Efik was for ALL the people in today’s Akwa Ibom and southern Cross River while the other two languages were for central and northern Cross River. Except perhaps for someone from Eastern Obolo, everyone from the 31 LGAs of Akwa Ibom understands both Ibibio and Efik. In fact, Efik Bible is used in churches across the state. If you ask an Akwa Ibom person to pray in vernacular, he or she will likely do so in Efik.
Broadly speaking, there is one central language for the people of Akwa Ibom and southern Cross River. As obtained in other ethnic groups in Nigeria, there are different dialects in the state. In Ibo land, for example, people from Anambra and Abia speak different dialects but one language. In fact, in Abia State alone, Ngwa people speak a different dialect from the Ohafia or Aro people; it is even more distinct for those from Ebony. Because an Ebony person speaks an entirely distinct dialect does not mean he is not Ibo.
Time was when the Ibibio were the forth largest ethnic group in Nigeria, but it is no longer so today because we have balkanised ourselves into every street, every hamlet, every village, every compound and every living room for selfish reasons.
In the last quarter of a century, I have monitored developments in my state very closely. I can say that I have been to all the 31 local government areas of the state. The first governor under this current political dispensation, Obong Victor Attah had big dreams for the even development of the state. Apart from the Uyo Capital City Masterplan within the 10 kilometres radius he created, Obong Attah tried to distribute facilities evenly across the state. The Ibom Power at Ikot Abasi, model secondary schools in rural areas of Oruk Anam, Mkpat Enin, Ibeno; and state university in a land bestriding two LGAs of Mkpat Enin and Eastern Obolo; Deep Seaport in Mbo LGA; Ibom Airport bestrides three LGAs of Uruan, Nsit Atai and Okobo; and Ibom hotel and golf resort in Uruan.
He saw himself as the governor of the whole state and not of a particular area…and did a lot to decentralize development away from the state capital. Sadly, successive governors have been more clannish about development. But we cannot allow the actions of a few to tear us apart.
We need to grow up and leave this clannish mentality retarding our progress. Education and the Christian faith we profess should guide us to grow above certain barriers. If you go to my state, the number of churches far outweigh the number of any other institution. It is not uncommon to see seven churches on one street. Every parishioner wants a title; we feel inadequate without them. Why are we not living up to the values of the faith we profess? Who is bewitching us? The Bible says that by our traditions, we have made the scripture of no effect.
Part of what is tearing us apart is that if this project is in Oro or Ibeno land, and the agitation for a new state materializes, Akwa Ibom would have lost the seaport to the new state and, perhaps access to the sea and the oil money that is making us run riot.
The Oro people who are teaming up with Ibeno and Eastern Obolo to ‘leave’ the state are doing so so that Oron will be the capital of the dreamed state, and that they will be the majority in the new state. By then Ibeno, Okobo and Eastern Obolo people will cry foul for being ‘marginalised’ by Oro people. We do not need this infighting. Let’s relax as no state will be created out of the current Akwa Ibom State.
We are one people, one culture, one ancestry, one language, with one style of dressing, have one marital tradition, same food culture and same family and rulership structure. The quarrels have not reduced the poverty staring our people. Let’s allow economics and science determine where a seaport should be located.
For communities that believe that their ancestral homelands have been taken by another, I urge them to approach the courts than tear ourselves apart. When the Supreme Court eventually rule, even our ancestors will finally rest!
Esiere is a former journalist!
