THE AFAHA FACTOR IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF AKWA IBOM HISTORY

Abstract

The question of the common ancestry of the people of Akwa Ibom State who are currently segmented into various groups such as Ibibio, Annang, Oron, Eket, Obolo (Andoni) has been a subject of intense debate particularly since the early 1980s. In the process, two schools of thought have emerged. The rst school of thought is the Pan-Ibibio origin, while the second school of thought maintains that the groups are of distinct origin. The stance has created and sustained unhealthy “ethnic” competition, thus, undermining the progress of the State. However, it is agreed by both schools that the groups migrated from a location known as Usak Edet in present-day Cameroon Republic. It should be pointed out that most of the commentators tend to create the impression that the groups mentioned above migrated with their current nomenclature. However, research has shown that while the forebears of the people of Akwa Ibom were in Usak Edet, they were known as Afaha and occupied a location known as Edik Afaha. Thus, the Usak Edet and Afaha theses permeate all the sections of Akwa Ibom State. This means that the names the groups now bear were acquired after their settlements. The paper maintains that the Afaha phenomenon should be adopted in the reconstruction of the history of origin, migration and settlement of Akwa Ibom State. This will strengthen the common bond, douse suspicion and engender the progress of the State. Primary and secondary sources of evidence are applied and historical analytical method used in the writing.