Eket

Eket Ekid
LGA and town
Motto: Ekid ide diong..o
Eket
Coordinates: 4°39′N 7°56′E / 4.650°N 7.933°ECoordinates: 4°39′N 7°56′E / 4.650°N 7.933°E
Country	Nigeria
State	Akwa Ibom State
Government
• Chairman	Mr Frank Archibong
Area
• Metro	83 sq mi (214 km^2)
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.

External links

• Wikimapia
• Eket wood sculpture
• Eket masks