Waja

Archaeological Reconnaissance of Ikot Abiyak and Ikot Esia Old Settlement Sites,

Itu Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

Otobong Enefiok Akpan

Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies,
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
E-mail: [email protected]

Introduction
Ikot Abiyak and Ikot Esia are villages located in the present-day Oku Iboku clan in Itu
Local Government of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Ikot Abiyak and Ikot Esia are two
(2)villages among the eight (8) villages (Ikot Abiyak, Ikot Esia, Ikot Essien, Ikot
Adakpan, Ikot Anteun, Ikot Ekaiko, Ikot Oku and Ikot Ntu Oku) that make up Oku
Iboku clan. Research on these sites was informed through oral information derived
from an indigene by name Ekong (Akpan, 2015 pers. comm), who spoke of the
existence of old settlement site sakan obio within Oku Iboku vicinity that needed to be
salvage and documented. Consequently, interest in the choice of the sites was geared
based on the oral information derived from Effiong (Akpan 2017, pers. comm) stating
that the area was economically relevant in the history of Akwa Ibom State during the
slave trade and the colonial period because Itu river and Oku Iboku beach were
strategic location which served as an entre port.