The premier organization for the Ibibio people, Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio, has issued a strong rebuke against the Oron community following their hostile reaction toward Dr. Samuel Udonsak, the President of the Ekid People’s Union. The tension stems from remarks Dr. Udonsak delivered on July 24, 2026, during the inauguration of the Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio International executive council in Uyo.
During the event, Dr. Udonsak argued that the Oro nation is not a littoral region and lacks any natural connection to the Atlantic coastline. He suggested that the push for a new Oro-Obolo state is a strategic effort by the Oro ethnic group to annex ancestral Ibibio lands to gain maritime access. Udonsak warned that if this maneuver succeeds, the Ibibio and Annang regions could face economic isolation from the ocean.
The Ibibio leadership, represented by Ntisong Obong P.J. Okon and Secretary General Obong Tony Okpon, officially endorsed Dr. Udonsak’s stance. They declared that his comments reflect the collective position of the Ibibio people and cautioned that no part of Ibibio territory would be ceded for the proposed state creation. The group condemned the personal attacks against Dr. Udonsak as unfounded and insisted that the Oro people are not being marginalized, urging them to cease their hostile rhetoric immediately.
