The History of the Annang Nation
The Annang people like their Ibibio brothers, are Jews from the Northern Kingdom of Israel who migrated to Egypt during the travail preceding the Babylonian captivity and further migrated to Ethiopia, Sudan and Cameroun to settle in Usak Edet near the Cameroon Maintain before spreading to the present places in Southern Nigeria and Cameroon in Africa.
The Annang people are blood relations of the Ibibio, Oron and Efik Races of Akwa Ibom State and Bakassi people of Cross River State in Nigeria and Cameroon. Annang people are also found as native people in the countries of Cameroon, Ghana, Sudan, Equatorial Guinea, etc. The Annang people are comprised of Eight Local Governments of Akwa Ibom State.
Traditional history has it that their ancestors were Israelis (Jews) who left Israel for Egypt intermarried with the Egyptians and were pushed through various wars and conquests southward into the Sahara Desert. They moved across the desert and some of them settled in the upper West African Region in 7500 BC.
Remnants of their language according to Waddel can be found amongst the Middle East. Migration brought groups of the Annangs to live amongst the Twi people of Ghana where the name Annang means the fourth son. From Ghana, the group moved eastward into present-day Cameroon. It was in Cameroon highlands that some of the Annangs broke off but later arrived at the same territory in Coastal Southern Nigeria.
TRADITIONAL SOCIETY SYSTEM IN ANNANG LAND
The Annang Race/Nation is the 2nd Largest Ethnic group in Akwa Ibom State comprising Eight (8) Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State. The Annang Traditional Society is made up of a nuclear family of a man and his wife or wives and the children known as the “ufok” who combine with other “ufoks” with blood affinity to form the extended family or hamlet which are known as “ekpuk”. Various Ekpuks with blood relationships combine to form a Village known as “Idung”.
Several Idungs combined to form a clan which is called “Obio”. Several Obios make up a Local Government Area. Several Obios (clans) of the Ibibio with close blood affinity (iman) joined to become the various “Essien Annang” the Houses of the Tribes of Annang which cuts across all 8 Local Governments of Annang land. These Essien Annang include Eka Abiakpo, Afaha, Ika, Ukana, and Nto Edino amongst others.
TRADITIONAL SYSTEM OF ADMINISTRATION AND RULERSHIP
The Annang Society is Patriarchal. The individuals locate their place in the social world from the Idip which means womb. Thus a brother or sister from the same Idip means that they can trace their origin to the same mother or father. Leadership at the family, lineage, village and clan levels remained the prerogative of the men and lineage ties extended to the women even after marriage.
The Traditional System of Administration and Rulership in Annang, like their Ibibio brothers comprised of the ancient system, the present statutory system and the reformed traditional system. In the Traditional Annang society, the autonomous Communities of the Annang Land were ruled by an Obong or Obong Ichong “Ruler or Ruler of the Land” which was also known as Nkuku.
The Obong or Obong Ichong stool/throne in Annang land is the combination of the sacred Office of Priest and Kingship. The Obong Ichong or Nkuku is a Priest-King and performed both functions in the autonomous communities of the Ibibio Land within the Obios of his jurisdiction.
The Obong or Nkuku ruled with the Mbong Idung (village heads) and the Mbong Ekpuks (family Heads) together with the Leaders/mbongs of the various traditional societies such as Obon, Ekpe, Ekpo, Nnabo, Agatha, Anyamkpe, Ekoong, etc which constituted the Afe Isong. The various autonomous communities of the Annang collaborated and joined together with other Annang brothers known as Iman to protect their common interests and defeat common enemies.
In the reformed Traditional Administration of Annang Land, all the Paramount Rulers of Annang Land united under one umbrella known as Afe Annang to constitute the Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers in Annang Land with a Supreme Traditional and Priestly Monarchy Throne or Stool called “Nkuku Annang” which means “the Priestly Traditional and Spiritual Ruler of Annang”. The Nkuku Annang is the Supreme Traditional/Priestly monarch of the Annang race/nation in Akwa Ibom State.
In the modern statutory traditional system of Ibibio Nation in Akwa Ibom State, the Annang Traditional System of Administration comprised a Paramount Ruler for every local Government who ruled with Clan Heads, village heads and Family Heads. The Family Heads are known as Mbong Ekpuk, the Village Heads are known as Ete-Idung and the Clan Heads are known by the Traditional Titles and Offices in which their stools and thrones were known from ancient times. The paramount Rulers are also known by the Traditional Titles and Offices in which their Offices were known from ancient times.
CULTURAL SYSTEMS:
The Annang people have a unique cultural system. The Ekpe, Obon, Ekpo and Anyamkpe Societies were used throughout Oron land as an authority of traditional law enforcement. There are other traditional societies in Annang land which include the Abang, Agata, Ekid, Nnabo and many others. The Annang people have a very colourful mode of traditional dressing which includes a white designer lace material worn with a wrapper which could be Georges, Hollandise, etc to match.
Written by Oboh Promise, (Obinwannem News Correspondent Akwa-Ibom State),
Date: March 17, 2024
Ubochi Orie Mmiri
Date: May 05, 2024
Published by Ugwu Okechukwu (CEO Obinwannem Foundation)
