Prominent Towns in Akwa-Ibom

Uyo
Latitude:  5.0333          Lat (DMS)                5° 1' 60N              
Longitude: 7.9266        Long (DMS)             7° 55' 36E
Elevation (Feet): 830
Population Est.(2006):  436,873
Zip Code: 520261
History                            
Uyo is the state capital of Akwa Ibom, a major oil producing state of Nigeria. The town became the capital of the state on September 23, 1987 following the creation of Akwa Ibom State from erstwhile Cross River State.The University of Uyo resides in this town.
Uyo Local Government is a creation of statute of the Federal Government of Nigeria. It is by creation one of the 31 Local Government Councils that make up Akwa Ibom State, which is one of the 36 State of the Federation of Nigeria. Its creation was a condensed account of political struggle of people desperately yearning to assert their identity in the political map of Nigeria. Many people see the political existence of Uyo Local Government Area, the Akwa Ibom State capital as providing the Nucleus for the development of the people once neglected. An area in the South Eastern part of Nigeria that is endowed with great economic potentials.
Uyo was fist created as a province in 1959 by the colonial masters. The aim was to split the Ibibio tribe into smaller administrative units for effective governance. The History of the Ibibio cannot be complete without mentioning Uyo Local Government Area as the core or credit of the Ibibios. Their origin to some sources is traced to central of Benue valley (Talbot) while another source has it that the Ibibio people migrated from the Cameroun (Henry Nau a pioneer Lutheran Missionary and K. O. Dike). Bany Floyed and another field informant maintained that the core of the Ibibio people is the “Afaha Lineage” whose original home has been traced to “Usak Edet” in the Cameroon. Among the Ibibios Usak Edet is popularly known as ‘Edik Afaha’ reflecting that all Afaha people in Ibibio land emanated from Usak Edet. A contemporary survey has it that there is no Local Government council in Akwa Ibom State that does not have one two Afaha villages existing within their constituted area.

Indigene of Uyo
Uyo people are of the Ibibio stock and speak Ibibio language. There are unique traditions of the people which are expressed in Ekpo, Ekpe masquerades and dances.
With emergency of various educational institutions in Uyo, there has been an influx of indigenes into these institutions for formal education and in various fields of specialties. While the Local Government Council has for some time now been helping to encourage this with scholarships to deserving indigenes within and outside the country to study professional course, individuals are not left out in this match towards civilization.

What makes Uyo unique is the Culture
Uyo Local Government area as a people have unique but various traditions and culture. In mode of dressing the dominant attire of an Ibibio man is a Loincloth “Unwanwang Ofong Isin” and shirt with Hat and staff to go with. While the women folds have a Loincloth as well generally called ‘Ndot Iba’ with a piece of it on the head as head- tie with blouse to match. They are also blessed with delicacies such as white soap ‘Afia Efere:, Afang Soup, Edikang Ikong soup, Ubo Nkong, Efere Ibaba, Efere Mbukpap Uyo and a host of others. In the entertainment aspect, we have various dances and other cultural play like “Ebre” for women, “Asian Uboikpa” for young girls and also the “Akpara” dance for women.
The men have the “Ekpo” masquerade, the “akinkoriko” or Awade” for young boys. Among the young girls we also have the ‘Abang’ dance for unmarried once the dance from which most young men pick their partners. The young men also have ‘Mbok’ display a kind of traditional wrestling competition often displayed by young men before the elder and the cream of the society as a forum of assessing the strength, might and vigour of some youth for wars, leadership and fitness of a king’s assignment and a process towards the marriage of a princess.
The people of Uyo by way of worship predominantly Christians. They belief in the existence of one Supreme Being Outside this, we still have the practice of Traditional worshipping with their unique shrines for their various deities like Idiong, Ndem, Ibok etc. some of such deities associated with each of the four clans that make up Uyo Local Government Area are “Etefia” of Ikono Clan, The “Afia Etoi” of Etoi Clan “Udu Oku” of Oku Clan an the “Ukana Offot” of Offot Clan. Their belief is that, thought they are different they are messengers of Supreme Being that see to the peace stability and well- being of the area.
The Local Government is endowed with abundant mineral and forest resources, among which are gravel, silica, sand, clay, and timber. Agricultural produce include cassava, yam, vegetables and plantain. Uyo Local Government Area also has large deposits of crude oil.
The people of Uyo Local Government Area are predominantly farmers and traders. Their area of trade is mostly on food items like palm oil and other palm produce, vegetables, plantain, bananas, yam, cassava etc. the trade items also include the precuts gotten from the sea like the fish which are sold sometimes smoked and at times fresh. Also, they have crayfish, periwinkle –‘mfi’ and other products from the sea.

Interesting Things about Uyo
In recent times some indigenes have gone into transportation business, establishment of cottage industries for the fabrication and production of some household utensils and farm tools. On the whole they are very enterprising, innovative and adventurous in nature.
Besides, Uyo people are property developers, craftsmen. They are also very enterprising, focused and proactive

The city can be accessed by road via the A342 highway, as well as the Abak Road, Nwaniba Road, Itu Road, and Aka Road. Nearby airports include the Uyo Airport, also known as the Akwa Ibom International Airport.
Uyo is a fast growing city, as the city has shown massive infrastructural growth in the past nine years. It has an intensive network of divided highways, such as the Nsikak Eduok Avenue, an eight-lane superhighway which is currently the widest road in the Uyo metropolis. Currently, flyovers are being constructed to ease traffic.
Uyo is home to the University of Uyo, formerly known as the University of Cross River State. Its name was changed when, in 1991, the government of Nigeria established it as a federal university.
Uyo is also home to a campus of the National Open University of Nigeria and the Uyo City Polytechnic.
As a fast growing city, Uyo is home to many notable housing districts such as the Ewet Housing Estate, Shelter Afrique, and other estates located in various parts of the city as well as private estates and other residential districts. The city has two major industrial estates including the Itam Industrial Estate. The city of Uyo is notably neat and hospitable to foreigners and its aborigines. Highbrow residential areas in Uyo include the prestigious Ewet Housing Estate, Shelter Afrique, and a host of other choice areas in the city and its environs. The state government plans to construct newer residential districts as well as a central business district within the metropolis.
The city boasts public recreational areas such as the Ibom Connection and the prestigious Le Meridien Ibom Hotel & Golf Resort which is still under construction and, when completed, will be the largest hotel in the West African region. The State has other recreational projects under construction, such as the Ibom Tropicana Resort, which will include a 16-story 5-star hotel, a dome, a cinema, a shopping area, water parks, and other recreational facilities. It and similar projects are expected to boost the tourism potential of the state. The city also has a museum.