​The supreme sociocultural organization of the Ibibio ethnic group, Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio, has thrown its weight behind the President of the Ekid People’s Union, Dr. Samuel Udonsak, while strongly condemning recent attacks launched against him by Oron groups over his remarks on the proposed Oro-Obolo State creation.
The socio-political landscape of Akwa Ibom State has witnessed heightened tension following a press statement issued on Friday, August 7, 2026, by Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio. The apex group criticized the backlash directed at Dr. Samuel Udonsak after he exposed what he described as strategic maneuvers by the Oro Nation to annex parts of Ibibio ancestral land to gain access to the Atlantic shoreline and create the proposed Oro-Obolo State.
Speaking at the inauguration of the 12th International President and Executive Council of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio International in Uyo on Friday, July 24, 2026, Dr. Udonsak asserted that historical records and official maps do not support claims that Oron is a littoral community with direct shoreline access.
Udonsak argued that the renewed agitation for an Oro-Obolo State is a calculated effort to annex Southern Ibibio territory to establish land contiguity between Oron LGAs and the Obolo people in Eastern Obolo LGA.
Enraged by Udonsak’s speech, the Oro Union and affiliated groups launched verbal attacks against the Ekid People’s Union leader, prompting the intervention of the Ibibio leadership.
​In a press statement jointly signed by Obong P.J. Okon (Ntisong Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio) and Obong Tony Okpon (Secretary-General), the organization fully endorsed Dr. Udonsak’s submission, describing it as factual and historically grounded.
​”Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio knows that the core essence of the scheme is for Oro Nation to gain land contiguity with the Obolo people in Eastern Obolo LGA for the purpose of creating the proposed Oro-Obolo State on parts of Ibibio land.” according Obong P.J. Okon & Obong Tony.
​The statement emphasized that while the Ibibio people respect the constitutional right of all ethnic groups including the Oro, Obolo, and Ibeno to seek self-determination and state creation:
No village, section, or inch of any of the 16 Ibibio-dominated Local Government Areas will be conceded or ceded to form part of the proposed Oro-Obolo State or any other entity. The leadership warned that personal attacks on Dr. Udonsak are unwarranted and demanded an immediate end to further hostility.
