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"The Akwa Ibom Project involves attitudinal re-orientation;
cultivation of a positive mindset; instilling self-confidence through massive empowerment
of our people; and the inculcation of the moral values of hard work, courage, honesty,
service and pragmatic peaceful co-existence"
- Akpabio
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Akwa Ibom State is located in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. It has a population
of 3,920,208 and a land area of 6,900 sq Km. It is located between latitudes 4o
31’ and 5o 53’ north and longitudes 7o 25’ and 8o 25’ east. It comprises 31 kocal
government areas. Uyo is state capial. Major urban centres include Uyo, Eket, Ikot
Ekpene, Abak, Ikot Abasi and Oron.
major ethnic groups are Ibibio, Anang, Oron, Eket, and Mbo. The vegetation is characterised
by three easily distinguishable types namely the saline water swamp forest, the
fresh water swamp and the rain forest
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Edikang Ikong
This is a soup of sliced pumpkin and water leaves with a rich variety of seafood
and meat. Other important ingredients are smoked fish, crayfish, pepper, palm oil,
meat, salt and little water. The food is served with boiled yam, garri or foo-foo
(boiled cassava flour).
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Afang Soup
This is a delicacy made from shredded ‘afang’ and waterleaves, called mmong mmong
iking which is very rich in vitamins. Other ingredients are smoked fish, meat, crayfish,
salt, pepper, palm oil, and stockfish with little water. It could be served with
foo-foo, pounded yam, garri (toasted cassava flour) etc.
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Ekpang Nkukwo
Ekpang is a traditional luxury dish of the Akwa Ibomites. It is made from cocoyam,
grated into balls and wrapped in special cocoyam leaves. Other ingredients added
are pepper, salt, palm oil, crayfish, maggi, fish, periwinkle and other recipes.
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Ingredients
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USAGE
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Fish |
We love fish, smoked and dried, we have an abundance of that. And in any soup we
cook we put the crayfish, which are tiny blended dried shrimps
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Meat |
Meat is in fact the one ingredient that Akwa Ibomite cooking cannot do without. |
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Yam |
The yams, cousin to the sweet potato, especially, are vital in the West African
Fufu. You can boil it, roast it pound it and turn it into Fufu. Fufu is a starchy
derivative that few Africans seem to be able to live without.
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Palm Oil |
One of Akwa Ibom’s natural resources, is the olive oil of West Africa. it is used
to color the food and give it a good taste. it is also used it as a sauce
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Cassava |
Cassava, the poor man’s staple, grows in the most unlikely conditions and has saved
more African lives than peace treaties. Poems have been written about it. Pounded
into mush, it is the basis for two of the most popular dishes in Africa, Garri and
Fufu. These are both starchy dishes, compatible with practically everything.
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Plantain |
They are very important. They can be eaten ripe and unripe, if cooked in palm oil,
corn or peanut oil. Fried plantains, similar to bananas, are sold on the streets
in Africa, like crepes in France, and served with rice almost everywhere. It is
one of the tastes that visitors think about all the time until they get back.
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Rice |
African rice has been cultivated for 3500 years, and it all started in the Niger
River delta. Akwa Ibomites use it liberally, and most successfully with fried plantains
and fish.
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Abak Soup
This is prepared from oil palm fruit and leaves. This delicacy requires lots of
condiments like, smoked fish, meat, seafood like periwinkle, stockfish, crayfish,
pepper and salt. It could be served with boiled yam, plantain, foo-foo, pounded
yam, garri or rice.
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Afere Ikon
Made from melon seed, bitter leaf (etidot) and waterleaves with fish, meat, stockfish,
periwinkle and other soup ingredients.
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Otong Afere Atike
This is a delicacy made from okra fruit and vegetable with fish, meat, periwinkle
and other soup ingredient, served with Anyan ekpang, foo-foo, garri or pounded yam.
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Anyan Ekpang
Is a form of foo-foo produced from cocoyam or cassava, wrapped in plantain leaves.
It is served with Afere Abak. Among numerous others.
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Afia Efere Ebot
It is a combination of spices used for traditional ceremonies. Goat meat, smoked
fish and stockfish bring out the best of it.
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Cassava Porridge (Asa Iwa)
This is grated cassava, wrapped in tender Cocoyam leaves and cooked in palm oil
stew.
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Water Yam Porridge (Oto Ebre)
Grated water yam is prepared with fish, crayfish and pepper. For this particular
dish palm oil is not needed
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Corn Porridge (Asa Akpakpa)
Is a product of grated corn, vegetable, fish, palm oil and other soup ingredients.
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Cassava Snack (Edita Iwa)
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Peper Soup
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Coconut Rice (Edesi isip)
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Is an appetizer made from cassava tuber usually served with coconut, salted or fresh
fish and pear.
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One of the true delights in Akwa Ibomite cooking. It is peppered right
up to the
edge of being too spicy, but it never burns. It can be made with any type of meat,
especially goat.
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The rice is prepared with coconut milk and other ingredients like goat meat, smoked
fish, prawns, pepper, salt and crayfish.
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