Discover Uyo Uyo is a city in south-eastern Nigeria and is the capital of Akwa Ibom State, a major oil producing

state of Nigeria. The city became a capital of Akwa Ibom State on September 23, 1987 following the creation of the state from Cross River State. Dr. Chris Nyong is the current Chairman of Uyo Local Government Area. Born in June 1956 at Aka Offot, Uyo, Dr Nyong started his primary education at St. George`s Primary School, Aka Offot between 1962 and 1968. He had his secondary education at the famous Lutheran High School, Obot Idim from 1970 to 1974. In 1979, he proceeded to the University of Calabar to study Medicine and graduated with MBB Ch, in 1985. By 1992, he added the Certificate in Voluntary Surgical Contraception to his academic and professional kitty. Manpower development and indeed Human development had been given adequate attention in the area and the people are very responsive to it. This is evident in the cream of professors, doctors both Academic and Medical and other professional on various disciplines who are indigenes serving within and outside the states and the country at large. The Local authority has also helped in empowering some indigenes within the Local Government Area in the establishment of smell scale industries and trade and entrepreneurial training to boast self employment and sufficiency with increased productivity within the area. Be this as it may, and whatever view that Historymay have deemed certain on this issue, it could be said affirmatively here that, though the different groups and tribe within the state ma have migrated to their present places of abode at different times, the bulk of the Akwa Ibom people came from the same geographical area. This is also applicable to Uyo people as having tosettle here from Edik in search of the wild apple fruit Uyo since this was commonly found here in the area. It is worthy to mention here that wild apple fruit that is Uyo an indigenous fruit with multifunction. It edible, medicinal and the fruit is used in preparing a famous delicacy in the area called Efere Mbukpap Uyo. History 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 yearningto 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 thecolonial 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 tracedto central of Benue valley (Talbot) while anothersource 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 thecore 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. People

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 field 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. 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. Theyare 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 kings 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, westill have the practice of Traditional worshippingwith their unique shrines for their various deitieslike Idiong, Ndem, Ibok etc. some of such deities associated with each of the four clans that makeup Uyo Local Government Area are Etefia of Ikono Clan, The Afia Etoi of Etoi Clan Udu Okuof 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. Natural Resorces 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. Commerce The people of Uyo Local Government Area are predominantly farmers and traders. Their area of trade is mostly on food items like palm oil andother 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. 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 Transportation

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. Housing 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. Recreation The city boasts public recreational areas suchas the Ibom Connection and the prestigious Le Meridien Ibom Hotel & Golf Resort which is still under construction and, when completed, will bethe 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. Education 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. Population Males Females TOTAL: 153,113 156,460 309,573 * Source: 2006 National Census