By Ikpong Essien-Udom
On August 1, 1987, 12 patriotic Ibibio youths held a meeting at No.7 Bonny Street, Calabar to brainstorm on issues affecting the people of the Mainland part of then Cross River State. That meeting gave birth to one of Nigeria’s foremost socio cultural organizations and the largest in the southern part of the country – Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio. Today, Friday, 1st August 2025, the organization born out of the need to complement the efforts of the then very strong and vociferous Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio, but with a tilt towards the aims and objectives of the legendary Ibibio State Union formed 59 years earlier in 1928, is 38 years old.
With the choice of Oneness for Service as its motto, the Mboho, from the onset, aimed at mobilizing Ibibio youths and indigenes for service, development and protection of the rights of their area – the Mainland part of then Cross River State, which few weeks later became Akwa Ibom State, with its headquarters in Uyo. Incidentally, at our second meeting on Friday, August 14(five weeks before creation of Akwa Ibom), we decided that the headquarters of the organization shall be located in Uyo as was the office of Ibibio State Union.
Thirty-eight years after, and still counting, that seed sowed by the 12 has germinated and borne fruits as envisioned, planned and dreamt. Here are some of the fruits:
*The organization, which started with 12 members in a small office in Calabar now has its permanent Headquarters/Community Centre with over 30,000 members in 64 chapters in Akwa Ibom, other states and towns in Nigeria, Cameroun, United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada and Italy. Other chapters are being planned for Ado Ekiti, Esit Eket, (Nigeria), South Africa, Dublin(Republic of Ireland), Liverpool and Berlin(Germany).
*Following in the footsteps of its grand-father, Ibibio State Union, the organization started early in its life to sponsor indigent Ibibio(Akwa Ibom) youths to acquire education through the Nyong Essien Educational Foundation initiated in 1989 and other individual scholarship schemes such as those promoted by Late Obong Ukpong Dan Umoh and Late Obong Udo Mbosoh. At the 2021 presentation ceremony, 126 indigent sons and daughters of Akwa Ibom were awarded scholarships of N50,000 each. Note that beneficiaries are usually drawn from core and sub-bibios (Ibibio, Oron and Annang) as was done in 1938. In 2002, just like Ibibio Union which established Ibibio State College in Ikot Ekpene, the Mboho went into running of educational institution when the Mboho Unity School comprising pre-primary, primary and secondary sections took off at Idu Uruan. All early pupils and students of the school enjoyed full scholarship which perhaps, encouraged the administration of His Excellency Arc (Obong Victor Attah) to initiate the free education program in the State. Successive administrations of Governors Godswill Akpabio(2007 – 2015) and Udom Emmanuel (2015 – 2023) continued to sustain, in addition to making it compulsory. The current government of His Excellency Pst Umo Eno is continuing to key into the vision of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio to offer free education to Akwa Ibom children.
*In 1990, the organization also instituted the Obong Sampson Udo Etuk Lecture/Awards in memory of the first president of Ibibio State Union – Obong Sampson Udo Etuk, to recognize and honour Akwa Ibom indigenes particularly and Nigerians generally, who have distinguished themselves in their fields of endeavor. The awards cover such areas as Professionalism (Arts and Science), Innovation, Use of talents, Philanthropy and Patriotism among others. Through this programme, which now holds every two years, many professionals and talented Nigerians have been recognized. They include veteran journalist, Ray Ekpu; Late Rev Sister Dr Ann Ward for initiating the VVF Centre at Mbribit Itam; Mr Mayor Ubom who built a car called Hero 1; Lady Christy Essien-Igbokwe, late Nigerian Lady of Songs; Dr Godswill Akpabio and Late Dr Ime Umana. There are many more.
*Mboho’s achievements in its 38 – year history also cover the area of fighting for the collective and individual rights of our people, obviously guided by its aim as crafted in 1987 – for the preservation of Ibibio culture, traditions and dignity. Examples which readily come to mind include: the fight for the naming of Police Headquarters after the first indigenous Inspector General, Louis Edet –an Ibeno man; fighting for the inclusion of the image of Nigeria’s first Governor of the Central Bank, Late Dr Clement Isong, on the country’s currency; joining former Governor Victor Attah in the fight for resource control; fighting for the reinstatement of the former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency, Barr Mfon Usoro, among others.
*Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio has also helped to promote and stabilize the unity of Ibibio (the then Mainland part of old Cross River State) which today is known as Akwa Ibom State. This was done through the Unity Tour to all paramount rulers of the State. All leading youth groups in the component units of Akwa Ibom – Ati Annang, Afigh Iwad Ekid, Esu Nlap Oro and Ngbaliak Obolo – used to join with the Mboho to present a common position in matters affecting the unity and interests of the State.
*Equally, apart from contributing to the beautification of the landscape of the State through the construction, completion and commissioning of its ultra-modern international headquarters, the Udo Udoma House which has a hotel wing, Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio has engaged in such economic ventures as agricultural farms, micro-credit schemes etc and is today promoting a successful cooperative society – Mboho Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society. Following a near zero interest rate, many needy citizens of the State have benefitted from loans running to millions of naira. The organization is equally pursuing the construction of Ibibio House – a high rise commercial building in Sulurele area of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital. It has also acquired land in Calabar, Etinan, Nsit Atai, etc for the construction of secretariats/commercial buildings.
*In Akwa Ibom State today, out of the various socio cultural groups which names include the word ‘Ibibio’, it is Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio which stands out and tall to give push and backing to Ifim Ibom Ibibio and its leader, the Oku Ibom Ibibio in the drive and struggle to maintain the dignity of Ibibio nation particularly and Akwa Ibom State generally.
Today, 38 years after, the 12 founding fathers – Mkparawa Anietie Ekong (Late), Ikpong Essien-Udom, Ntieyong Inyangmme(Late), Amah T. Amah(Late), Ubong Ndah(Late), Udo Sam Umoatan, Idongesit Udokpoh(Late), Ntiense Mboso, Udo Toby Udobot, Itoro Umoh, Akpan Micah Umoh and Emmanuel Umoh – deserve to be saluted for their vision. Tribute also goes to the past presidents – Anietie Ekong(Late), Valantine Attah (Late), Okon Imerh, Udo Sam Umoatan, Okon Ema, Godwin Udeh, Sylvester Akpan, Nse Ubeh, Monday Etokakpan (Late) and Patrick Udofia – for their pioneering and consolidating leadership.
The current president, Akparawa James Edet NPOM, who had gone through the rungs of leadership in the organization, having held such positions as Chief of Staff to the President, General Secretary, Vice President 2, and Vice President 1, has done very well. He should be supported and encouraged to maintain the distinct mark of performance and achievements which he has created for his presidency and executive. I want to advise Akparawa Edet to use the about 358 days he will remain as President and re-strategize: to make Mboho be heard louder and clearer; to work for financial independence of the organization through strengthening economic ventures such as the hotel wing; to return Mboho’s age-long tenets of discipline and; to ensure he bequeaths to humanity a truly united group.
Let me also commend our members – dead or alive, active or inactive – whose followership over the years has so far helped to stabilize and strengthen this leading socio cultural group. Mention must also be made of all Akwa Ibom people and other Nigerians whose support, contributions, advice and encouragement have given the organization the courage to operate, stabilize, grow and bear fruits. Akwa Ibom government, led by His Excellency, Akparawa(Pst) Umo Bassey Eno and all other past governors deserve special recognition and appreciation for the unquantifiable support over the years.
This year’s anniversary is coming with a unique event – the installation of Usonyin (Dr) Solomon Etuk, paramount ruler of Nsit Ubium local government area, the Oku Ibom Ibibio (supreme Ibibio traditional head)/President of Ifim Ibom Ibibio, Chancellor of Akwa Ibom State University, and the President General of the Supreme Council of Akwa Ibom Traditional Rulers, as the fourth grand patron of the organization. I can proudly say that few years after Mboho’s birth, the leadership thought of getting a high worth Ibibio son as its Grand Patron. Late Sir (Justice) Egbert Udo Udoma, retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Chief Justice of Uganda and Acting President of the country, met our criteria. He was appointed the first. At his demise, Late Dr Clement Isong, renowned international economist, first Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and first civilian governor of former Cross River State (Akwa Ibom/Cross River) was spotted and appointed the second.
The third was Late Air Marshall Nsikak Eduok rtd – first four-star general from former Eastern Nigeria, one time best pilot in the country’s armed forces, former Aviation Minister, and the only Nigerian to be appointed twice as Chief of Air Staff. Now, the lot has fallen on Usonyin Etuk. I wish our revered leader and father a long, successful and rewarding tenure.
In conclusion, as Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio marks its 38 years of existence, all members, Akwa Ibom traditional rulers, other socio cultural groups, corporate bodies and the State government are enjoined to continue to support the current international executive led by Akparawa James Edet MPON, as it winds down, in the task of providing the needed leadership for the continuous unity of Akwa Ibom State which, in 1928, was known and accepted by the people as Ibibio. When this is done, late founding fathers of Ibibio such as Obong Sampson Udo Etuk, Obong Sampson Udo Idiong, Chief Ntuen Ibok, Chief Umo Inyang, Sir Egbert Udo Udoma, etc, would be proud of the legacy they left for past, present and future generations.
Happy birthday, Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio!
***Picture shows the remaining seven… FROM LEFT: Itoro Umoh, Akpan Micah Umoh, Ntiense Mbosoh, Ikpong Essien-Udom, Udo Sam Umoatan, Emmanuel Umoh and Udo Toby Udobot… still keeping faith and hope after 38 years. May God continue to preserve their lives.
