…Backs Udonsak; Clears air on new state agitation
By Soni Daniel
The umbrella union for the Ibibio-speaking people of Akwa Ibom State, Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio, has criticized the attacks unleashed by their Oron-speaking people on the leader of the Ekid People’s Union, Dr. Samuel Udonsak, for exposing the antics being deployed by the Oron people to secure the creation of Oro-Obolo State out of Akwa Ibom State.
The Ekid Peoples Union President, Dr. Samuel Udonsak, had used the inauguration of the 12th International President and Executive Council of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio International in Uyo on Friday, July 24, 2026 to expose the steps being taken by their Oro neighbours to undermine the Ibibio in their bid to secure Oro-Obolo State.
Angered by the exposure by Udonsak, Oro Union slammed the Ekid Peoples Union leader for his speech and made other remarks, which have not gone down well with the Ibibio leadership.
Dr. Samuel Udonsak, who was invited, in his capacity as the Leader of Ekid People’s Union, did say, as part of his remarks to the gathering, that contrary to their renewed claims, Oro Nation is not a littoral community, as it does not have any direct border whatsoever, wheresoever, with the Atlantic shoreline.
Among other things, Udonsak insisted that no official map in history, or any judgement/pronouncement of court in any of the various historical decided cases on the matter, has ever shown Oro Nation as a littoral region.
Udonsak also argued that the resurgence of the Oro-Obolo consciousness and its quest for (Obolo) State creation is a game plan by the Oro ethnic group to tactfully annex parts of Southern Ibibio ancestral lands into Oro Nation so as to gain access, and make inroads to the seashore in aboriginal Ibibio territory.
In response to the attack, the umbrella Ibibion union, Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio threw its weight behind Dr. Udonsak, arguing that what he said is nothing but the truth, which is backed by facts and figures dating many decades.
The Ibibio group stated: “Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio knows that the core essence of the scheme is for Oro Nation to gain land contiguity to the Obolos in Eastern Obolo LGA for the purpose of the creation of their proposed OroObolo State on parts of Ibibio soil and land.
As a conscious Ibibio leader and patriotic Akwa Ibom son, the Ekid People’s Union President further made the cogent point at the auspicious gathering, that if the Ibibio, the majority ethnic group, keep quiet and allow Oro Nation, to pull through its scheme and game plan of disconnecting the Ibibio from the Atlantic coastline, and making the coastline part and parcel of the proposed Oro-Obolo State, the economy of the rest of Akwa Ibom State and its people (the Ibibio and the Annang) will consequently be totally strangulated and emasculated with the cut-off of the State from the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea.
“This is the absolutely patriotic point Dr Udonsak vehemently made, not just for the Ibibio, but for the rest of Akwa Ibom people,” the Ibibio union said in a statement jointly signed by Obong P.J Okon, the Ntisong Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio and Obong Tony Okpon, the Secretary General of Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio.
“Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio recognizes and respects the rights of all Oro people (currently living in Oron, Okobo, Urue Offong/Oruko, Udung Uko and Mbo LGAs), Obolo people (currently living in Eastern Obolo LGA) and Ibeno people (currently living in Ibeno LGA) of Akwa Ibom State, to seek a geographical entity (State) of their own.
“Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio and all Ibibio people at large, however, firmly hold the position that “no village, no section, no part, no inch of any of the Ibibio LGAs in Akwa Ibom State shall be made part of the proposed Oro-Obolo State, or any other State”.
“Clearly, the President of Ekid People’s Union, Dr Samuel Udonsak, was therefore, only re-echoing and re-sounding the non-negotiable position of Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio and the generality of Ibibio people, at home and in the diaspora, on the matter.
“Accordingly, Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio does not only align with, but wholly owns up the message eloquently delivered by Dr Udonsak to the Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio International convergence on July 24, 2026 for the inauguration of the 12th International President and Executive Council of the Organization.
“The personal attacks of Oro Union, their sons and daughters on Dr. Samuel Udonsak are therefore, totally unwarranted, and Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio warns that the attacks should stop forthwith! There are copious historical and legal facts and evidence which confirm and affirm the full Ibibio aboriginal ownership of the ancestral lands in Esit Eket, Eket, Onna, Ikot Abasi and Mkpat Enin LGAs – that directly bound the Atlantic Ocean at various points, and which have been the core targets of agitators for the creation of a new state in the region, by way of annexure of parts thereof into the proposed Oro-Obolo State.
“Oro is NOT littoral and can never be allowed to selfishly claim such, not only wrongly and brazenly, but to the objectionable, extortionist detriment of the IBIBIO NOW AND FOR ALL TIME, EVER! NEVER! Oro can continue to benefit like any other community from the commonwealth of Akwa Ibom State in peace.
“As the majority ethnic group in the State, the Ibibio have been more than fair to all others and hopes to remain so, but being taken for granted must stop now, forthwith! Contrary to their consistent and persistent claims, Oro Nation has not been marginalized in the public affairs of the State,” the statement said.
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