UbongAbasi Ise

By Da Daniel Effiong It may surprise many that the etymology of where is now referred to as Obot Akara Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State is Andibot Akara , meaning, who created, rules. This invariably means that it is the Creator who rules and dominates (Gen.1: 1:26-28; Jer.10:12).  What people should know is that the name of the area was ab initio, Andibot Akara , and not Obot Akara , which might have been deliberately corrupted from the original name. The People of Obot Akara, because of their love for the Almighty God who made the heaven and the earth, named the place after God. As the name changes, it did not occur to them that appellation was no longer meant for the Almighty God (Andibot) but for an individual’s personal spirit (obot or obot emana). It should be noted here that obot emana is a name for a personal spirit which is equivalent to Igbo’s version called chi as mentioned in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Those that indulged themselves in the traditional re...

  ...As Akan Okon Preps Oro indigenes For IDSP Jobs   By UbongAbasi Ise The officials of the Akwa Ibom State Government had, over weekend, explained to the stakeholders of Oron nation how the present site of Ibom Deep Seaport project was arrived at contrary to allusion to political interest and influence. In a bid to resolve questions bordering the location and name-change of the deep seaport project, a delegation of Akwa Ibom State government which include the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, the Commissioner for Economic Development and Ibom Deep Seaport, Mr. Akan Okon,    the Chairperson of Technical Committee on Ibom Deep Seaport, Barr (Mrs.) Mfon Usoro, and other state government officials met with Oro stakeholders at Oron Civic Centre.  During her presentation, Barr. (Mrs.) Mfon Usoro said her committee, following the inauguration in 2016, received the Outline Business Case, OBS, on the project which was previously done a...

 By UbongAbasi Ise A non-governmental organization, The New Nigeria Group, has unveiled its plan to facilitate the emergence of a reformed leadership in 2023 that would serve as a break from bad governance in Nigeria. During the inauguration of Akwa Ibom State chapter of the group in Uyo yesterday, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, the New Nigeria Group convener, assured Nigerians that with the group’s vision, it will be possible to get all adults in the country employed.   Ohuabunwa said Nigeria’s large population could not be an impediment to mass employment given the potentials in the country but noted that the real challenge is lack of employment roadmap.  “It (employment) is possible except for those who do not want to work or you are retired or you are sick or you are incapable of working. I want every adult in Nigeria to work and it is possible. How many are we?  Our number is not the issue; the issue is that we have failed to plan for that number,” he said.   Maz...

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang has stressed the need for youths to desist from cultism. Senator Enang who appeared on a special NTA program, Weekend Deal, charged parents to also look out for the children of their neighbours. "Parenting responsibilities should be shared; comfortable people in the society should also shoulder the responsibility of other kids," said the Presidential aide. Senator Enang said there was nothing to gain in belonging to cult group, adding that children of these days would benefit more if they refrain from being part of illegal groups. He advised those in authority to see power as transcient saying, "It is not what you get or make out of government, it is what you put in for the survival of all." He said as presidential aide, his office is presently enrgaging the youth and Artisanal refiners of crude oil in the Niger Delta to curtail restiveness and pipeline vandalism. "We are al...

  By UbongAbasi Ise Bombardment of Ikot Akpan in Essien Udim local government area today has led to mass movement of persons from the community to nearby local government areas thus causing a swell in the population of some host villages. An undisclosed source from Abiakpo clan in Obot Akara local government area who spoke with our correspondent lamented over large influx of internally displaced persons hitting his community for wants of refuge. While regretting accomodation and food crises already compounding socio-economic condition of the area, the source said the insecurity in Essien Udim would take huge toll on agricultural production as indigenes have fled their community, abandoning their farms during this planting season. Earlier today a combined military operation had carried out bombardment on Ikot Akpan community  following the recent spate of attacks on security operatives in the area by gunmen. The Essien Udim community has been besieged for some days by persons s...