Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Sir Charles Udoh, has said the 1914 Amalgamation relics are in Ikot Abasi in the state and not in Zungeru in Niger State, proving that the amalgamation of Nigeria took place in Akwa Ibom and not Niger State.
The Commissioner expressed the need to rewrite all contentious tourism stories about Akwa Ibom State towards placing the state in its rightful position as the tourism capital of Nigeria.
He said the state government was drumming home the tourism story that the 1914 amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates of Nigeria by Frederick Lord Lugard took place in Ikot Abasi Local Council of the state and not in Zungeru, Niger State, as documented by non‐state actors.
Udoh said his claim was based on the fact that the relics of the history, such as the old Amalgamation House, old typewriter, archaic telephone, and other surviving materials are all seen in Ikot Abasi close to the sea, which Lord Lugard ferried through to Akwa Ibom.
The commissioner made the state’s position known yesterday in Uyo while welcoming the newly posted Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Grace Akpan, to his ministry.
Udoh, who introduced the new Permanent Secretary to key staff members of the ministry, said another narrative that must be changed is the 1929 Women’s War, which took place in Ikot Abasi but has been erroneously captured in history books over the years as the “Aba Women Riot.”
Regretting that the “false tourism stories” had been widely accepted for decades now across the globe, the commissioner said it was time to correct the narratives about the state and called on all hands to be on deck in this regard.
Udoh emphasised that it was only Akwa Ibom people who could best tell their own stories and called on all indigenes to join the government to change the tourism narratives of the state positively for posterity and generations yet unborn.
He expressed optimism that the new Permanent Secretary would bring her wealth of experience and expertise to bear on the attainment of the envisaged goal of changing the tourism narratives of the state, adding that her posting to the ministry was apt and timely.
Emphasising that he could attest to the passion, dedication, and hard work of Mrs. Grace Akpan, having worked with her previously as the then Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Sir Charles Udoh called on all staff to give the new Permanent Secretary the needed cooperation, support, and assistance to enable her to discharge the functions of her new office creditably.
In her response, Mrs. Akpan expressed appreciation to the Commissioner for taking out time to welcome her to the Ministry and pledged to work assiduously with him and the entire staff to push ahead the factual and true tourism narratives of the State.
Present at the occasion were Heads of Directorates and Units of the Ministry, including the Director of Administration, Mr. Mfon Udokang, and the Director of Marketing/Logistics, Mr. Mfon Essang, among others.
