Eket

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Eket, Nigeria Ekid
LGA and town
Eket, Nigeria
Coordinates: 4°39′N 7°56′E / 4.650°N 7.933°E / 4.650; 7.933Coordinates: 4°39′N 7°56′E / 4.650°N 7.933°E / 4.650; 7.933
Country	Nigeria
State	Akwa Ibom State
Government
• Chairman	Hon Akaninyene Tommey Ikott
Area
• Metro	83 sq mi (214 km2)
Population  (2005)
• Urban	364,489
	estimated
Time zone	UTC+1 (WAT)
Vehicle registration	KET
Climate	Am

Eket is one of the 31 local government areas in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The name Eket also refers to the indigenous ethnic group of the region and to their language. The natives refer to themselves and their language as but the Europeans spelt the name as "Eket". The town itself is an industrial city that in recent years has become a conurbation joining together separate villages. The Office of the Surveyor-General of Akwa Ibom State estimates the area of the Eket Local Government Area to be approximately 176.000 square Km while the 2006 National Census gives the population of the Local Government Area as 172,856.^[1] However, the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Economic Development gives the 2013 estimated population of the Eket Local Government Area as given as 218,438 with a population density of 1,241/square Km.

History[]

Not much has been written about Eket people before the coming of the European missionaries, traders and colonialists. However, it is common knowledge that the Portuguese explorers arrived the coast of West Africa in the late 1400s and interacted with the natives through trading activities and slavery.^[2][3] It is believed that Eket people had contact with the Portuguese at this time and up till today, the people of Eket still talk about the Portuguese whom they refer to as "Akpotoki".

Some ideas about the history of Eket people before the colonial era can be gleaned from the oral histories of the different Ekid clans. According to the 1956 Jones Report,^[4] Eket people acknowledged themselves as belonging to 11 clans. Although Prof. Jones did not mention the names of these 11 clans, they are Afaha (the largest clan), Etebi, Abighe, Idua, Ibeye, Uda, Aniogh, Abikpi, Nnama, Assang and Akiki. Of these 11 clans only Afaha and Idua clans have been recognized as such by the Akwa Ibom State Government while the other 9 clans have been grouped into one recognized clan – Ekid Offiong. Thus we have three recognized Ekid clans, namely Ekid Afaha, Ekid Offiong and Idua clans. The fourth clan in Eket Local Government Area is Okon clan. These different clans of Eket people have their oral histories explaining their origin and migration to their present locations. Common among the oral histories of migration of Eket Afaha and Ekid Offiong clans is the fact that they migrated from Usak Edet (Isangele) in the present-day Cameroons through various routes to their current locations. The Idua people claim they migrated from the Cameroons to Calabar through Northern Cross River before crossing to Esit Eket, Eket and Oron on the mainland. These oral histories seem to confirm the position of several historians such as Abasiattai (1988)^[5] and Edet Udoh (1983)^[6] that Eket, Oron and Ibeno people migrated through a seaward route from the Cameroons to their current locations.

Although King Jaja's commercial and political adventures in the Qua Iboe area which impacted on the Ekid people have been documented in colonial records, including the 1881 Jaja-Ibeno War^[7] it seems the one singular event which brought Eket into history was the signing of the Treaty of friendship and protection between the "King" and Chiefs of Eket, Qua Iboe River and the representatives of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Britain, Ireland, India, etc. at Eket Beach, Atabong ("Esok Akungkpung" or "Esok Afia Anwe") on 8th September, 1884.^[8] The signatories for Eket were given as Ackpun, Userturo, Uko, Ito and Esiet while R.W. Craigie, commander of Her Majesty's Ship "Flirt" signed for Consul E.H. Hewett, Esq). "Ackpun" was a misspelling of "Akpan", that is, Akpan Udoimuk of Nung Akpan in Atabong Village^[9] while "Userturo" was a misspelling of "Uso Etukudo" (Uso Etukudo was of Nung Uso Ekon in Usung Inyang village). The signatories for Eket were village/family heads of the surrounding villages of Atabong and Usung Inyang. The British trader, George Watts, signed as witness. On the same day, similar treaties were signed between the British officials and the "King" and Chiefs of Ibeno at Ibeno Beach and the "King" and Chiefs of Okut (Okat) at Okat Beach. These treaties were part of the treaty drive mounted by the British in preparation for the 1984/85 Berlin Conference. With the treaties, the British were able to convince the other European powers that these territories were firmly under its control.^[10]

The next major historical event was the arrival of the Rev. Samuel Bill at Ibeno in December 1887 at the request of Ibeno chiefs to establish a Christian Mission in the area.^[11] Through the establishment of the Qua Iboe Mission, Christianity and western education were brought to Ibeno, Eket, Etinan and from there Christianity and education spread to other parts of Ibibio and Ibo lands and beyond.

Next came the establishment of the Qua Iboe District in 1885 with A.H. Whitehouse as the first Vice Consul of Qua Iboe District. The district was part of the Oil Rivers Protectorate declared on June 5, 1885 after the conclusion of the Berlin Conference.^[12] This Protectorate was expanded and renamed the Niger Coast Protectorate on May 12, 1893, with Sir Claude MacDonald as its first commissioner. The Qua Iboe District comprised what is today most parts of Akwa Ibom State, including Esit Eket, Onna, Ibeno, Nsit Ubium, Etinan, Abak, Etim Ekpo, Oron, Mbo, Okobo, Urue Offong/Oruko, Udung Uko, Okobo etc. between 1893 and 1899. In 1905 Eket became a district comprising present Eket, Esit Eket, Ibeno, Onna, Oron, Mbo, Urue Offong/Oruko, Udung Uko, Okobo and part of Nsit Ubium Local Government Areas. In the 1950s Eket District came under Uyo Province in Eastern Region. In the mid 1950s Mr Keith Arrowsmith was the Divisional Officer (DO) for Eket. In his book "Bush Paths" he reported on a conversation he had with the then Premier of Eastern Region, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, who informed him that the first trial of county council elections in the Eastern Region of Nigeria would be conducted in Eket in 1955.^[13]

At the creation of the defunct South Eastern State on May 27, 1967, Eket became one of the 10 Divisions of the new State before additional Divisions were created in August 1970. In the 1970 exercise, Oron Division was created while Nsit Ubim was included in the new Etinan Division. Under the 1976 Local Government Reforms carried out by the Federal Government of Nigeria, Eket Division became one of the 301 Local Government Areas in the country.

During the Second Republic (October 1, 1979-December 31, 1983), the various State Governments embarked on the creation of new local government areas. In the then Cross River State, the Government of Dr Clement Isong split Eket Local Government into five Local Government Areas, namely Eket, Uquo, Ibeno/Edor, Onnion Nung Ndem and Awa/Ikot Akpan Ntembom Local Government Areas. With the military take-over of the government on December 31, 1983, the newly created local government areas were abolished and Eket Local Government Area returned to what it was in 1976. The Military Government of Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Sanni Abachi created new local government areas in 1989, 1991 and 1996 and Eket was again split into Eket, Onna, Esit Eket and Ibeno Local Government Areas.

Economy[]

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The abundant rivers, creeks and streams and the lush vegetation provide an enabling environment for crop, fish and animal farming, e.g. cassava, various species of yams and coco-yams, vegetables, plantains, bananas, tilapia and snail farming, etc. The traditional occupations of the Eket people are therefore subsistence farming, hunting, fishing and trading.^[14] However, over-farming and poor farming practices are depleting soil nutrients on many farms and plots. With the creation of states on May 27, 1967, and the commencement of Mobil operations between 1969 and 1970 which resulted in increased population in Eket, a lot of people are engaged in construction and service industries, e.g. catering and hotels management, transportation, telecommunications, merchandising (supermarkets), teaching, civil service, the professions, etc.

When Mobil Producing Nigeria started its operations in the then South Eastern State soon after the civil war, the location of Eket Local Government gave the town the advantage of being the hub of Mobil Producing Nigeria operations. Consequently, several companies providing services to Mobil were established in Eket.^[15] The Mobil Airstrip, Management Housing Estate/Mobil Guest House, Mobil Pegasus School and Mobil Technical Training Centre are located in Eket while the Qua Iboe Terminal is located at Ibeno, about 15 minutes from Eket by road. Qua River Hotels was also established by the State Government although it has now been closed down. In the late 1970s and early 1980s there were the Seastate Seafoods Ltd, the Qua Steel Products Ltd and Dr Pepper Bottling Company, all of which are now closed down. These business undertakings helped greatly to expand the economy of Eket. A private oil refinery, Amakpe International Refinery, was to be sited on the outskirts of the city along the Oron road but it is yet to materialize.

The town has a stadium as well as other infrastructure of importance, e.g. a network of tarred roads including the East-West Federal Highway which passes through the town, Eket-Etinan road, Eket-QIT Road, Eket-Jamestown Road, a telecommunications exchange, a public power transmission network, public waterworks, public and private motor parks, two urban marks (Urua Nka and Fionetok market), an abattoir, etc. It also has a number of supermarkets and hotels such as Grace Garden Apartments, Villa Marina Hotel Royalty Hotels, Crystal Palace Hotel, Roseboom Hotels, Eden Hotel, La Imperial Hotel Ltd, Olympus Hotel, Springfield Hotel, Hotel Marezi, Darells Hotel, Royalty Apartments, Sereneo Hotel, and others. Due to its industrial nature, Eket is a relatively expensive city.

Many of the internal roads and drainage systems in the town were constructed or rehabilitated by Mobil Producing Nigeria under its Community Development program.^[16] However, with the advent of NDDC the company was compelled by law to contribute to the funding of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) thereby curtailing its community development efforts. The State Government has embarked on a major drainage project along Atabong Road and is in the process of upgrading infrastructure in the town with the rehabilitation of major roads including Atabong Road, Eket-QIT Road, Idua Road, etc., the rehabilitation of the Stadium and Urua Nka, and the construction of housing estates. Eket is a cosmopolitan town with several gated estates, including Usua Amanam Estate, Ikot Ibiok; Esa Akpan Estate, Atabong; Uwa Estate, Ikot Ibiok and Stevegrad Estate, RCC Road. There is a Federal Low Cost Housing Estate at Mkpok and State Low Cost Housing Estates at Ikot Udoma and Okon.

Banking business thrives in Eket due to the increased economic activities in the town. Currently First Bank, UBA, Union Bank, FCMB, Ecobank, Fidelity Bank, etc. operate in Eket. There are three main markets in the town, namely, Urua Nka, Fiongetok Market and Udoinyang Market. In recent times, a thriving foodstuff market has been established along Marina Road where agricultural products from the Northern part of the country are sold. There is also a standard abattoir at Ikot Ebok village. Eket also has a Mother's Babies home at Idong Iniang, Eket.

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 and farming. There are vocal local campaigns to increase the percentage of oil revenue that is given to the local community.

The People[]

The Eket or Ekid are the people who live in this Local Government Area. 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 potlatch-like feasts in which the poorer people are fed en masse. In addition to the Amama, groups of "Ekpenim Isong" (Ekpo Ndem Isong in Ibibio) 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.

Common surnames include Odungide, Akanimo, Assam, Inwang, Essiet, Udoito, Edoho, Edohoeket, Etukudo, Ukpong, Abia, Ekpo, Ikott, Abasekong, Asamudo, Nyoho, Ekong, Ekanim, Udofa, Edem, Inyang, Itauma, Udosen, Usoro, Etti, Etteh^[17] (actually meaning father),^[18] Udofia, Ukoetuk, Uku, Abia and Nsien. Just like the remainder of West Africa, the family name normally is an indicator of which specific region one is from.

Education[]

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Due to the advent of Christianity in Eket towards the end of the 19th century and the activities of European traders, Western education came to Eket early. However, the first Primary School was the Government Primary School, Hospital Road, Eket which was established in 1905. According to Chief J.B. Adiakpan, the Grace Bill Institute, Afaha Eket was set up in 1916 by Miss Ema Bill daughter of the Rev. Samuel Bill as a Home for the training of girls. It became Grace Bill Memorial Institute after the death of Mrs Grace Bill and finally Grace Bill Institute. It was approved by the government in 1931.^[19] The institute later became the Qua Iboe Church Teacher Training College, Afaha Eket before the civil war. However, although Qua Iboe Church set up several primary schools in the area for the training of teachers and clerks, secondary schools were not established in Eket until the 1960s. Eket people had to send their children to secondary schools outside Eket, e.g. Etinan Institute, Etinan, Methodist Boys' High School, Oron, Hope Wadell Training Institution, Calabar and St Patrick's College, Calabar or to schools outside Calabar Province. The first secondary schools to be established in Eket were St Francis Secondary School, Ikot Ataku/Ikot Akpandem established by the Catholic Church in 1962^[20] and Edoho Memorial Grammar School, Ikot Usoekong founded in 1962 by the late Chief D.J. Edoho, commissioner for Uyo Province.^[21] After the liberation of Eket by the Nigerian Federal Forces in 1968 the QIC TTC, Afaha Eket was moved to QIC TTC, Ndon Eyo so that its premises could become the premises of Edoho Memoral Grammar School whose name was now changed to Government Secondary School, Afaha Eket while the former premises of Edoho Memorial Grammar School, Ikot Usoekong was taken over by the Nigerian Army.

In the 1970s and 1980s several communities, individuals and organizations established secondary schools in Eket to provide education for the increased population of the town. Such schools include Community Secondary Commercial School, Ikot Usoekong (1977), Girls High School, Ikot Ibiok (established in 1983 by the Eket Women Development Association), Nduo Eduo High School, Nduo Eduo, Community Secondary School, Idong Iniang (1982), CDA Secondary School, Iko Eket, Community Secondary School, Odio and Apostolic Church Secondary School, Esit Urua.^[22] The town has a number of private secondary schools and about 90 Private Nursery/Primary Schools. A few of such schools are: Excellent Comprehensive Secondary School, Dayspring School, Hope Power International School, Ideal Preparatory School, Wills' Secondary Commercial School, Alex Secondary Commercial School, Bilson Secondary Commercial School, Pegasus Schools owned by Mobil Producing Nigeria, All-Weather International Nursery/Primary School, New Era International School, Aunty Chinny's International School, Divine Seeds Schools, Adiaha Obong Nursery/Primary School, Nobel's Nursery/Primary School, Ideal Nursery/Primary School, Abraham Memorial Nursery/Primary School, Apostolic Church Nursery/Primary School, Qua Iboe Church Nursery School, etc.

The only post-secondary educational institution in the Local Government Area is the privately owned Heritage Polytechnic^[23] owned by Dr Emmanuel Ekot, a Chemical Engineer. The school started in 2000 as Heritage College but in 2010 it was licensed by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to operate as a Polytechnic. It is located at Ikot Udota, off Eket-Oron Road. The Mass Communication Department of the Polytechnic operates the Heritage Radio, Eket. There is also the School of Nursing attached to Immanuel Hospital, Eket, run by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health for the training of Nurses. Mobil Producing Nigeria also runs a Technical Training Centre (TTC) for the training of technicians for the oil and gas industry.

Health Care[]

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The iconic Immanuel General Hospital is the main public hospital in Eket. It was established by the Lutheran Mission in 1953 and the Rev. Dr. Karl Kurth, the executive secretary of the Syndical Conference Missionary Board of North America officially opened the hospital and dedicated it to the glory of God in a special service on May 2, 1953, although the corner-stone laying ceremony was performed on 20th June 1951 with the participation of Sir John Stuart Macpherson, K.C.M.G., Governor-General of Nigeria. The 218-bed hospital is now owned and run by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health which in 2020 commissioned the re-modeled and re-equipped Immanuel General Hospital.^[24] There is also a Psychiatric Hospital and a School of Nursing run by the State Ministry of Health.

There is a Government owned Polyclinic on Hospital Road and Health Centres at Idong Iniang, Okon, Efoi, Nduo Eduo, Idua, Ikot Ebok, Afaha Atai, Ebana, Esit Urua, Iko Eket, Ikot Usoekong, Odio, Ikot Ukpong, Ikot Abasi (Okon), Ikot Abia, Ikot Okudomo. The former Minister of Health, Senator Helen Esuene, facilitated the establishment of a Health Centre at Mkpok. Eket is blessed with a good number of private clinics which provide high quality medical services to the people. The first of such clinics was Riviera Klinic which was established by the late Dr. U.E. Umoekuk in the 1970s. The hospital has since ceased to exist. Others are Samaritan Hospital, Afaha Uqua owned by Dr Nnah Etukudo, Redemption Clinic, Marina Road, Carmella Hospital, Afia Nsit, Holifield Hospital, RCC Road, Nduye Medical Services, Ekpene Ukpa Street, Assurance Medical Centre, Abasiekeme Specialist Clinic and Maternity, Good Sheperd Hospital, Eket-Oron Road, Iha Foundation Medical Centre, Ikot Ebok, Goodcare Medial Centre, Utibe Abasi Clinic, Trinity Clinic, Bethany Medical Centre, Solution Clinic & Maternity, Caleb Medical Centre, Cozar Specialist Hospital, Afia Nsit, Victory Medical Centre, Ikot Usoekong, Romivic Specialist Hospital, St. Polycarp Medical Clinic, Wills Memorial Medical Centre, Amado Medical Centre and many others. There are also dentists, opticians and optometrists practising in Eket.

Clans that constitute Ekid[]

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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 Ekpene Ukpa Esit Urua Etebi Idim Afia Idung Imo Iko Ekwa Ikot Afaha Ikot Udota Ofriyo Okopedi Idung Udo		Ata Idung-Inyang Uso Ekong Ebebi Ikot Uso Ekong Etebi Idung-Iwak Idung Enen Uso Idung Udo Ikot Abasi Ikot Ebiyan Ikot Ekid Ikot Ibiok Ikot Odiong Ikot Udoma				Anana Ikot Abasi 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 Okudom Ikot Ukpong Nduo Eduo

Notable Ekets[]

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Eket has produced numerous prominent men and women who have made their marks as traditional or community rulers, public administrators, business men and women, entrepreneurs, scholars or academics, etc.

• His Eminence Dr , CON, Idua Eket – Prelate Emeritus, Methodist Church Nigeria^[25] former Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN); former President, World Methodist Council of Churches; former Chairman, Christian Council of Nigeria; author of the books My Life & Times, a Memoir (Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Foundation, Abeokuta, 2021) and The Unchanging World and the Unchanging God (Daystar, Ibadan, 1983), from 1999 co-chaired the Nigerian Inter-religious Council (NIIRC) with His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido, CFR, the late sultan of Sokoto, the then president general, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA); member, board of trustees, Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene.^[26]
• Senator Helen Esuene,^[27][28] Atai Ndon Afaha Eket – secretary, Eket Local Government; member, Constituent Assembly; former Minister of State for Health; former Minister of Housing & Urban Development; chairman/managing director, Villa Marina Hotels Ltd; managing director, Grafen Enterprises Nigeria Ltd.
• Senator Eme Ufot Ekaette,^[29][30][31] Nduo Eduo – manager, Pharmacy at NNPC; Chief Pharmacist, Military Hospital, Lagos; managing director at Safi Pharmacy; board member of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC); director, Union Bank Plc; member, International Federation of Pharmacists; member, West African Pharmaceutical Federation; first female president of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria (1977); senator of the Federal Republic representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District (Eket Senatorial District) under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
• Chief Nduese Essien,^[32] Ikot Ibiok – former two-time Member of the Federal House of Representatives (1999–2007; Leader of the South-South Caucus of the House of Representatives; chairman of the House Committee on Anti-Corruption, National Ethics and Values; chairman of the Nigerian Chapter of the African Parliamentarians Network against Corruption (NIPNAC); former Minister of Housing and Rural Development; founder/managing director, Student Care Services Ltd, Calabar/Uyo; chairman/managing director, Kefam Nigeria Ltd, Eket.
• Late Mr Samuel Bassey,^[33] Assang, Eket – former secretary, Nigeria Produce Marketing Company and the Amalgamated Associated Company; former secretary, Municipal and Local Government Workers Union which became the National Union of Local Government Employers; former Secretary All-Nigeria Trade Union; former general secretary, Nigerian Trade Union Congress (NTUC); Signatory of the Apena Declaration of Trade Union Unit which laid the foundation for the formation of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); First Chairman of Eket Local Government Council after the 1976 Local Government Reforms; former member, Federal House Representatives (elected under the National Party of Nigeria – NPN);
• Chief Paul Bassey, Atabong – Project Consultant, Mobil Track and Field Competition; chairman, Akwa United FC, Uyo; Sports Editor, Nigerian Chronicles, Punch Newspaper, Champion Newspaper, etc.; founder, "Today Sports"
• Prof , Ikot Ebok, Eket – professor of Zoology, University of Uyo (UNIUYO); first professor product of the University of Port Harcourt; former special adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan; chairman, Subcommittee of the Presidential Monitoring Committee on NDDC, Abuja; appointed vice chancellor, Adeyemi University of Education, Ondo State, by President Goodluck Jonathan.
• HRM Obong (late), Etebi Idung Akpaisang – First Paramount Ruler of Eket. On behalf of Ekid people, he requested to be joined in the court case between Mkpanak and Upenekang in their claims on Ekid land known as Oko-Iyak (Stub/Widenham Creek) at the Supreme Court of Calabar and at the West African Court of Appeal, Lagos as well as at the Privy Council, London
• Late Brigadier-General ^{[34] [35]}(Atta of Eket) from Atai Ndon Afaha Eket – First Military Governor of the now defunct South Eastern State; Governorship candidate of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the 1983 General Elections; Presidential Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 1993 Presidential Election. He convinced the Federal Military Government to have the operational base of Mobil Producing Nigeria located in the then South Eastern State instead of operating offshore only.
• Late Obong , MBE, from Ikot Usoekong, Eket – clan head of Ikot Offiong.
• HRM Edidem (Dr) (late) from Odoro Enen – retired Federal Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources and General Services Department; clan head of Idua and Paramount Ruler of Eket LGA; author of the books 'Visions of a Technocrat' and 'The Way We Live and Die'.
• HRM Edidem (Akwa Enin Akpa Afaha) (late) from Atibe Afaha Eket, Eket – retired civil servant, clan head of Ekid Afaha and paramount ruler of Eket LGA.
• HRH Obong (late), Ikot Ebok – retired auditor-general of defunct South Eastern State, first recognized clan head of Idua.
• HRH Obong (late), Ikot Ukpong, Okon, Eket – retired controller of Post and Telecommunications Department, Federal Ministry of Communications; clan head of Okon.
• HRH Obong (Barr) (late), Atai Idong Inyang Usoekong, Eket – clan head of Eket Offiong and community leader.
• HRM Obong (Atta Ekid Afid), Usung Inyang, Eket – First Eket chartered Accountant (1965); First Accountant-General and retired permanent secretary (defunct South Eastern State); chairman, Mercantile Bank Ltd, Calabar; chairman, Investment Trust Company Ltd, Calabar; chairman, Manilla Insurance Company Ltd, Calabar; chairman/MD, Dr Pepper Bottling Company Ltd, Eket; chairman/MD, Strad e Ponti Ltd, Eket; clan head of Idua and Paramount Ruler of Eket LGA.
• Late , Ikot Ataku, Okon, Eket – former attorney general of the now defunct South Eastern State; First Ntisong of Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio; clan head of Okon Clan.
• Late Chief from Atabong – Nigerian diplomat in Ireland and Camerouns; permanent secretary in the now defunct South Eastern State.
• Late Dr from Idua, Eket – former medical superintendent, Immanuel Hospital, Eket; former chairman of Eket Local Government Council; founder of first Private Clinic in Eket, Riviera Klinic (now defunct).
• Brig-General (retired), Atai Ndon Afaha Eket – former director-general, Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON); chairman/managing director, Irongate Securities, Eket.
• Late Chief , Afaha Eket, /eket – former provincial commissioner for Uyo Province, Eastern Region during the First Republic; founder, Edoho Memorial Grammar School, Ikot Usoekong (1962; after the Civil War, the school was transferred to QIT TTC, Afaha Eket to become Government Secondary School, Afaha Eket while the former site of the school is now Community Secondary Commercial School, Ikot Usoekong).
• Late Mr , Atai Ndon Afaha Eket – former Akwa Ibom state commissioner for industries & commerce; former resident electoral commissioner (INEC) for Bauchi, Bayelsa, Edo States and FCT, Abuja; chairman/managing director, Adcom Ltd, Calabar.
• Late Dr. , Etebi Nung Akpaisang, Afaha Eket – Renowned medical practitioner with the World Health Organization in Ghana and other countries.
• Chief , SAN, Ede Urua – first senior advocate of Nigeria from Eket; former attorney general and commissioner for justice, Akwa Ibom State; former Nigerian ambassador to Russia; managing partner/chief executive officer, Lex Fori Partners (Legal Practitioners), Calabar.
• Dr , Efoi, Eket – former commissioner for agriculture in the defunct South-Eastern State; former school principal and author of "Profiles in Service: Some Heroes and Heroines of the Twentieth Century" (1999) and "Flashes of Oratory" (2018).
• Dr , Idua – former permanent secretary/chief medical officer, South-Eastern State; founder/chief consultant (obstetrics & gynecology), Memorial Specialist Clinic, Eket/Uyo.
• Dr , Ikot Ukpong; Okon, Eket – honorary special adviser on health to the governor of Akwa Ibom State/coordinator, Akwa Ibom State COVID-19 Incident Team; retired group medical director, ExxonMobil Companies in Nigeria, former Akwa Ibom state commissioner for health; for Cross River state chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
• Chief Usual – president, Amakpe International Refineries, Eket; chairman/CEO, Amtrat International Corporation, Union City, California, US.
• Late Chief , Etebi Idong Akpaisang – Pioneer entrepreneur and Community Leader .
• Late Mr , Atabong – retired permanent secretary, Cross River/Akwa Ibom States; former consultant to the Nigerian Legal Team on the Bakassi Boundary issue between Nigeria and Cameroons at the International Court of Justice, the Hague.
• Mr. , Nduo Eduo – first general manager, Qua Steel Products Ltd, Eket; former manager, Investment Trust Company Ltd/Calabar Cement Company Ltd, Calabar.
• Prof , Usung Inyang – professor of Communication Arts, University of Uyo; Human Rights Advocate (Amnesty International).
• Prof , Nduo Eduo – professor of paleontology/marine ecology, University of Calabar; former special adviser (Political Affairs) to the governor of Akwa Ibom State.
• Late Prof. , Esit Urua – professor of curriculum studies, University of Uyo
• Prof , Ikot Ebiyan, Eket – professor of entomology, University of Calabar; former consultant to the Cross River State Agricultural Development Project.
• , Odoro Enen, Eket – former area manager, Allied Bank Plc; Women Leader and wife of the former Paramount Ruler of Eket, HR Obong (DR) T.P. Enodien.
• Dr , Esit Urua – former general manager, Qua Steel Products Ltd; former commissioner for industries, Akwa Ibom State; author or Royalty (Robertou Communications, Uyo, 2002) and Ndon Esit Urua, Rorbertou Communications, Uyo, 2004.
• Elder , Efoi – former resident electoral commissioner in Rivers, Edo, Delta, Bauchi, Imo and Kwara States; chairman, Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC); proprietor, Aniks International Schools
• Late Chief (Hon) , Iko Eket – Member of the Cross River State House of Assembly (1979–1983) under the National Party of Nigeria (NPN); founder/proprietor, Commercial Development Agencies (CDA); founder, CDA Secondary Commercial School, Ikot Eket.
• Dr , Uqua – chemical engineer and founder of Heritage Polytechnic, Eket and Heritage Radio, Eket.
• Mr , Afaha Eket – managing director, Investment Trust Company Ltd, Calabar; Chairman Eastern Match Industry Ltd, Calabar.
• Late Mr , Afaha Eket – former managing partner/chief executive officer, Knight Frank & Rutley Nigeria Ltd; former managing partner, Sam Udoakagha & Partners; former president, Nigerian Institution of Estate Valuers (1984–86); member, Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy; member, Federal Government Asset Sharing Panel for Cross River and Akwa Ibom States
• Late Mr , Afaha Eket, Eket – former general manager, Palm Produce Board, Calabar.
• Mr I.P. Abakasanga, Afaha Eket – former managing director, Investment Trust Company Ltd, Calabar; former Divisional Manager, Nigerian Tobacco Company (NTC) now British American Tobacco Company.
• Dr , Nung Udofa – CEO, Supra Capital Ltd; director, Dressdner Capital Ltd; founder/Proprietor, Imperial Secondary School, Eket; former managing director, Cooperative Development Bank Ltd, Lagos; executive director, FCMB; former chairman, FinBank Plc; former director, Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC); former director, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN); former director, Credit Direct Ltd.
• Mr , Ikot Ibiok – Akwa Ibom state commissioner for Local Government; former chairman, Eket Local Government; former chairman, Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the Association of Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria (ALGON).
• Read-Admiral , Atabong, Eket – former Flag Officer, Western Naval Command; former Flag Officer, Naval Training Command; former provost marshal of the Nigerian Navy; former chief of administration, Nigerian Navy; former commander of the Naval Task Force, ECOMOG; Nigeria's first Defence Adviser to South Africa with concurrent accreditation to Namibia, Botswana, Madagascar, Lesotho and Swaziland; provost marshal of the Nigerian Navy; attended National War College Nigeria. Managing Director, Fradon Iquoson Services Ltd; chairman, National Committee on the Establishment of Maritime Coordinating Centre; author of the book Nigeria: An Admiral's Compass - Reflections on Leadership, A'Lime Media Ltd, Lagos, 2021)
• Chief , Usung Inyang – retired chief lands officer/permanent secretary, Akwa Ibom State.
• Elder (Barr) , Ikot Udoma – former chairman, Abak Local Government Council; former chief of staff to the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, HE Engr Patrick Ekpotu; retired permanent secretary, Akwa Ibom State; former acting secretary, Akwa Ibom State Water Corporation, Uyo.
• Dr. , Afaha Eket – chief medical director, Onne Medical Centre, Onne, Rivers State; national president, Eket Peoples Union.
• Mrs , Ikot Ebok, Eket – journalist and woman activist.
• Miss , Iseyit Idua, Eket – former branch manager, Union Bank Plc; former president of Eket Women Development Association during whose tenure the association founded Girls High School, Ikot Ibiok, Eket.
• Mr Afia Nsit – managing director, Osmoserve Global Ltd.
• Mr , Atabong – retired surveyor-general, Akwa Ibom State

References[]

External links[]

• Wikimapia
• Eket wood sculpture
• Eket masks
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