Eket people

Infobox City |official_name = Eket
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nickname=


image_caption = Location of Eket on a map of Nigeria
image_

mapsize = 250px
subdivision_type = State
subdivision_name = Akwa Ibom
leader_title = Governor
leader_name =Godswill Obot Akpabio
area_magnitude =
area_city_km2 = 86
area_metro_km2 = 214
area_water_km2 =
population_as_of = 2005
population_urban =
population_note = estimated
population_total = 263,000
population_metro = 803,242
area_metro_km2 =
population_density_km2 =
timezone = WAT
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST =
utc_offset_DST =
latd=5 |latm=3 |lats= |latNS=N
longd=7 |longm=56 |longs= |longEW=E
website =
footnotes =

Eket

Eket is a major city in the Niger Delta Region as it plays host to some of the major oil companies operating in the Nigerian territory. It is the second largest City in Akwa Ibom State after Uyo the State Capital. The City itself has a population of 263,342 residents while the Greater Eket Area Consisting of Eket Township, Ibeno, Qua Ibo and other small towns is over 800,000 in population. The greater Eket area is a Conurbation due to its indutrial potential.

Economy

An Oil Refinery is currently under Construction in the out skirts of the city along Oron road. The city has a stadium complex, an airstrip as well as other infrastuctures of immense importance. It also boast of some standard hotels such as Villa Marina, Royal Palace Hotel, and others.

Eket due to its industrial nature is an expensive city. The government has plans of upgradng the city by the provision of Infrastures such as dualisation of the major roads in the city and its environs, construction of housing estates and other necessary infrastructure.

In the 1990s western environmentalists were concerned over the activities of oil exploration companies in and around Eket, such as Shell and Mobil. The area is now newly "oil-rich" and Eket town is the thriving hub of a new oil and gas business, with more than 250 companies providing support services such as catering, flights, and exports. But this success has caused problems: in terms of a demand for brothels, a rise in the general cost of living in Eket town, and a reluctance by local young men to engage in traditional work such as fishing. There are vocal local campaigns to increase the percentage of oil revenue that is given to the local community.

Eket People

The Eket are a people who live in Akwa Ibom State, south-east Nigeria, Africa. They number around one million, and form a sub-group of the Annang people. Eket is also the name of the main sub-language that they speak, a Benue-Congo language. Eket is also the name of their main town.

The Eket have a form of caste or class society, with the "Amama" being the highest caste, and these are notable for undertaking traditional potlach-like feasts in which the poorer people are fed "en masse". In addition to the Amama, groups of "Ekpo Ndem Isong" class rule individual villages and towns, and their will is enforced by the "Ikan" class (traditional masked police) to which entry is by merit rather than birth.

The local religion is one of ancestor-worship, worship of Ala the "earth deity", and seasonal agricultural festivals. Water is abundant in the Niger delta, and the vegetation luxurious. However, over-farming and poor farming practices are depleting soil nutrients on many farms and plots. Some fishing is engaged in.

External links

* [http://wikimapia.org/#lat=4.6411031&lon=7.9540157&z=14&l=0&m=a&v=2]
* [http://www.hamillgallery.com/EKET/Eket.html Eket wood sculpture]
* [http://www.hamillgallery.com/EKET/EketMasks/EketMasks.html Eket masks]