Dr. Uwem Akpan Under Threat
By UbongAbasi Ise
"Trouble sleep
yanka wake am" - Fela Anikulapo Kuti, 1971
At exactly 05.51.48 pm on
Wednesday 20th November 2019, Dr. Uwem Akpan, a lecturer in the Department of
History and International Studies, University of Uyo, received first SMS from
one Dr. David Ukpong, a lecturer in the Faculty of Education of the same
institution. The message was not meant to eulogize Dr. Akpan over his
about-to-be launched book entitled, Ikono,
The Cradle Of Ibibio Nation: A Refutation, but to send a stern warning that
he is about to touch the tiger by the tail.
The minatory message, being
unedited, reads: "Uwem Jonah Akpan how old are you? Am sure you must be a
juvenile. When the history of the Ibibio nay Ikono were you born? Who gave you
the audacity to insult Elders? I don't believe you have a Ph. D, If you claim
one, the source must be verified. Your better withdraw immediately your
so-called thrash from further circulation and destroy it forthwith, or you will
regret your action."
The sender of
this SMS, Dr. David Ukpong, is one of the three authors that came under the
banner of Ikono-Ini Research and Documentation Committee, IRDC, which was
sponsored by Mboho Ndito Ikono Ndo Ini to reconstruct Ikono/Ini history. In 2001,
Ukpong along with Dr. Martin Akpan and Nnamso Akang finished their assignment
and came out with the book titled, Ikono,
The Cradle Of Ibibio Nation. Their work emblazoned Ikono as 'ntippe' or 'cradle' of Ibibio on the historical consciousness of Ibibioland
and by extension, Akwa Ibom State. Ukpong et al set up in their narrative Ikot
Ibom Atai, someplace located at Ibiaku Ntok Okpo and environs in the present
Ikono local government area, as where Ibibio and her subgroups congregated
after they were expelled in 1550 by Aro from Ibom located in the present day
Abia State. Ever since they came out with the publication in 2001, the
Ikono Ibom Atai hypothesis has been mainstreamed in our traditional historical
consciousness , and Ikono has since remained the indisputable primus inter
pares of Ibibio Nation until Dr. Uwem Akpan's 'yanka' recently woke up the
trouble with a refutation which is set to be launched in few weeks time.
Akpan's work
has repositioned Ibibio as the most ancient peoples to have occupied the
present neighborhood for thousands of years long before Ibom episode at about
1550. Several evidences he cited in the work pointed to Usak Edet in the
present day Cameroun as where Ibibio migrated from. To him,
Igbo-Ibibio war was very recent as it has a whole lots to do with a group of
mercenaries from Okonyong stock known as the 'Akpa' who were employed by the
Aro to fight Ibibio with firearms, which resulted in dislodging a large section
of them (Ibibio) from Ibom. He noted that Okonyong in Cross River were the
earliest group to have had interaction with the Portuguese who arrived at
Calabar shores in 1472, adding that it was through the interaction between Akpa
war mercenaries and the Portuguese that they got the firearms to help the Aro
group expel the Ibibio from Ibom.
While Dr.
David Ukpong et al posited that Ibibio first settled at Ibiaku Ntok Okpo axis
or Ikono Ibom Atai in the present day Ikono local government area before
further dispersal, Dr. Uwem Akpan maintained that it was Ikot Oku Ikono area in
the present Uyo local government area that the migrants who dispersed from Ibom
came to settle with their kindred that had already lived there for generations.
Dr. Akpan, in his austere
counterpoise to the IRDC's claim of Ikono as the cradle of Ibibio Nation, has
probably rattled Dr. David Ukpong with his findings. This might be the reason
Ukpong became apoplectic to the extent of issuing the opposing writer with a
text message that is reeked of malevolence. Of course it is commonplace in
history to have the status quo fighting back to kill the emerging idea along
with its protagonists. No conventional belief ever tolerates a new wave of
thinking. Therefore it is not surprising to have Dr. David Ukpong incautiously
demanding the excision of Uwem Akpan's rebuttal from the historical scholarship
because its presence would incinerate their effort that dominated Ibibio
historiography for almost two decades.
To show how
uncomfortable David Ukpong is with the refutation, he sent the second text
message to Dr. Uwem Akpan at exactly 08.24.05 pm on that same day. The text
goes, "How can you write such nonsense about a well researched and
well respected book widely accepted across the length and breadth of Akwa Ibom
State and Ibibio land in general, and you call it a ' refutal" .Are you
refuting a history that had been well documented in Ibibio tradition? That is
madness and the highest height of insult on Ibibio people."
The above SMS
is a perfect example of how reactionary a status quo could be. It always
resists paradigm shift in ideas. It would be recalled how an Italian astronomer
and physicist, Galilei Galileo, was tried and convicted in 1633 for publishing
his evidence that supported the Copernican heliocentric theory which held that
the Earth revolves around the Sun. His research entitled, Dialogue Concerning the Two World Systems Ptolemaic and Copernican,
was instantly condemned by the Catholic Church that saw it as a
contradiction to scriptures and the established geocentricism which places
the Earth and not the Sun at the center of the universe. Galileo was accused of
heresy because of his firm support of heliocentric worldview and was required
to recant his opinions. He was sentenced to house arrest, where he remained
till his death on January 8, 1642. Since darkness could not reign forever,
the ultimate victory of truth over falsehood came in 1822 when the Pope
formally recognized heliocentric theory in astronomy. This theory today, gives
the world a perfect concept of the universe and its impact on the world
civilization is remarkably significant.
History is
replete with accounts of old order warring against new discoveries. Therefore
Dr. David Ukpong's puerile reaction to the emerging antithesis ought not to
shock anyone who is familiar with the currents of history. His threat on an
innocent author who was only guided by facts and evidences is nothing but
height of primeval barbarism demonstrated by someone who claims to have
involved in intellectual activity in the most civilized era. If Ukpong finds
Dr. Uwem Akpan's work inadequate, then he should counter him in the realm of
intellectualism with superior argument. Resorting to the crude way of
intimidation and hocus pocus behaviour are somehow laughable and childish. The
discerning members of the public that come to appreciate Dr. Akpan's effort are
mindful of his safety and security. Any corporeal attack on him is likely to
provoke public outcry against Dr. David Ukpong. In all, Ukpong should know that
his action is not supported by the peace-loving people of Ikono that are eager
to know the actualities about their historical origin in line with proven evidences
and sound argument. Akpan heavily relied on the oral traditions obtained from
notable authorities from Ikono. Therefore Ukpong's attempt to stall the
circulation of Akpan's findings is like closing a stable door after the horse
has bolted.
Yes! I am UbongAbasi Ise. For comment, please send SMS to
08189914609 | email: ubongabasiise@gmail.com
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