Origin of the Annang tribe (Oral)

The Annangs, a group with a rich oral tradition, originated in Egypt and settled in Ghana before arriving in present-day Akwa-Ibom. The name “Annang” in Twi means “fourth son”, and they began their migration around 7500 BC. They were followed by the Abiakpo, Ukana, Utu, Ekpu, Ebom, Nyama, and other Annang clans, which eventually merged to form the Otoro clan.

According to oral tradition, the Annangs and the Akwa Cross people of Nigeria inhabited the coastal South-South region for thousands of years before Christ’s birth. Their ancestors arebelieved to be Israelites who left Israel for Egypt before the Babylonian captivity. It is said that the Annangs and other tribes in the region are descendants of marriages between Israelites and Egyptians who migrated from Egypt to Nigeria via Ethiopia and Sudan.

It originated in ancient Egypt and was later displaced south into the Sahara Desert due to wars and conquests. Around 7500 BC, some settled in the upper West African region. Waddell suggests that traces of their language can be found among the Egyptians.

The ancestors of the Annang people from Ghana are believed to have originated from Egypt. Their migration took them from Ghana to present-day Cameroon, breaking off in the Cameroon highlands before settling in Coastal South-South Nigeria, where the name Annang means ‘fourth son.’ This journey is evidence of their Egyptian origins, as shown in their burial customs and veneration of the dead.

Upon arrival in southeastern Nigeria, groups swore solidarity and bonded to fight common enemies. They recognised lineages and organised into clans called Iman, similar to their northern neighbours, the Igbo. 

The Iman Annangs have various food taboos, such as the Eka Abiakpo clans not eating turtles and the Afaha people forbidding squirrels. Other clan groups include Adiasim and Ukana, the python (Asabo) and (Ibom), Ekpenyong, Ikpe–Uruk-Ikot, Utu, Midim, and NtoOsung. Other clans choose vegetables as their food taboos, such as Ika having sweet yam (anem) and Nto Edino having the river reed (Nyama). These food taboos are essential to the Annang, serving as a distinguishing characteristic and separating individuals from one another.

Written History

Wilhelm Koelle’s 1854 account of formerly enslaved people in Sierra Leone mentions an enslaved person named Ebengo, who was captured and sold to the Portuguese but later freed by a British warship and settled in Waterloo, Sierra Leone. This was the first mention of the Annang. The British soldiers documented the languages spoken by enslaved people on a captured ship, listing “Annang” as one of them. This language reappeared in the context of the Ikot Udo Obong Wars, where the British intervened in the conflict between the Annangsand King Jaja of Opobo. The Annangs had defied King Jaja by trading palm oil directly with British merchants, bypassing him as a middleman. The British collaboration with the Annangs led to the capture and exile of King Jaja, followed by the establishment of a military presence at Ikot Ekpene in 1904 and later in Abak.

Colonised by the British, the Annang experienced increased attacks by wild animals, which were attributed to “the barbarism of the Africans” and a secret society called Ekpeowo. This led to the labelling of leopard attacks as murders by the British among the Annang. Between 1945 and 1948, 196 individuals died in the Ikot Okoro community, now part of the OrukAnam LGA. The Ikot Okoro Police Station was established to investigate the British’s persecution of 96 innocent people, including the ban on the Idiong religion, arrests of priests, and burning of worship materials. The Annangs, known for their fearlessness and collective fighting, thrived near the Aro Confederacy’s centre, Arochukwu, with its famous Ibini Ukpabioracle. The Oko-warriors, a highly functional war group in the 1950s, were considered invulnerable to knives, spears, and arrows and were often tested with sharp machetes on their body parts. The Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970) resulted in the genocide of the Annangs, who lost a significant number of their people. The war’s aftermath and neglect of the Annangs have led to political unrest. The current state structure in Nigeria, which shares oil wealth, has overlooked the Annangs, leading to repeated demands for a state. Despite this, the Annangs continue to fight for their rights despite the neglect of their history and culture.

Location

The Annang, a cultural and ethnic group in Coastal South-South Nigeria, currently has eight local government areas out of thirty-one in Akwa Ibom State. They were once located in the former Abak and Ikot Ekpene Divisions of the Annang Province in the former Eastern Region of Nigeria.

Culture

Annang society is patriarchal, with individuals tracing their ancestry to the same mother or father. Polygamy is practised, forming Ufoks (houses or compounds) and Ekpuks (extended families). Ekpuks form “Idung” (villages), while villages form “awio” (clans). Several ufoksform extended families, while “Idung” (villages) and “awio” (clans) are formed. Memberships in Nkas and achievements measure men and women. Governance is done by elderly males, who act as the legislative arm called Afe Isong, directed by the Obong or Obong Isong, who have limited authority beyond what the Afe Isong provides. Annang women are not entirely subordinate to men but partners and leaders in various aspects of the Annang tradition. They serve as female chief priests in the Idiong cult and healers in healing cults: the first-born female, Adiaha, commands respect in the family and lineage. Women organisations like “abi-de”, “Nyaama“, and “Isong Iban” give women a voice and status in society. Traditional and cultural barriers do not hinder women from achieving high offices or positions, and traditionally, Annang women enjoy significant economic independence from men. Annangs value good speaking and proverbs, particularly among leaders. Peter Farb, the American anthropologist, referred to the name “Annang” as ‘they who speak well’, and eloquent speech is often referred to as Akwo Annang.

Religion

The traditional religion of the people in the Annang region is based on the belief in a Supreme Being called Abasi Ibom, who lives beyond the clouds and is assisted by numerous divinities and spiritual beings. Abasi Ibom is the lord of the limitless universe and cannot be localised or spatialised. As a withdrawn God, he is assisted by other divinities and ancestral beings. The religion does not have a temple or shrine, as he transcends space and time continuum. Awasi Ibom is considered the creator of all divinities, humans, animals, and plants, ranking first in the hierarchy of existence.

The Annang worship two deities, ‘Awasi Anyong‘ (god of the sky) and ‘Awasi Isong‘ (god of the soil), based on their value. These deities are invoked in public functions, with AwasiAnyong overseeing spiritual concerns and Awasi Isong focused on earthly happenings. The actual number of these divinities is unknown, although research suggests that it is more than thirty. Enang (1979) thinks it is approximately twenty-three, as communities are more likely to embrace new gods if they believe the god is powerful. The most dreaded divinity is “Ekpoka Owo,” which prevents and punishes adultery.

In Annang, gods serve various purposes, including religious obligations, social roles, economic spheres, and political portfolios. Religious practitioners make contributions on behalf of the people, directing their prayers and intentions to the gods. Some gods promote fertility, health, longevity, and family protection. Economically, they contribute to crop growth and yield. Politically, they help the community, clan, or town run smoothly by assisting in war and supporting chiefs. Despite their invisibility, divinities are frequently addressed for personal and social needs, as their houses are porous and contain personal and non-personal elements.

The Annangs believe their patrilineage ancestors live in an invisible underworld after death. They serve as spiritual stewards for families and must be appeased regularly to ensure their protection. Ancestors are involved in the good and bad aspects of social groups’ lives. An invisible energy known as “odudu” pervades nature and can be transferred in various ways to do good or damage. It is impersonal, non-physical, and manifests as the Melanesian force known as “mana.” Evil magic workers employ “odudu” to cause harm or death, whilst good magic workers use it to benefit people who approach them. When invoked, “odudu” takes on the character of a personal power.

English Methodist Missionaries brought the Annang to Christianity in 1919, and since then, numerous Christian missions have been established. Today, the area is home to several denominations, making censusing difficult and nearly impossible due to the ever-changing church forms. The area is frequently referred to as having churches as its primary industry.

Fattening room

The academic community’s interest in the Annang fattening room has grown since Professor Brink’s fieldwork in 1989. The Annang Heritage Preservation Society and the Annang Minorities Association are documenting these practices to preserve and archive the Annang culture. The Annang culture values plump women as beautiful, indicating a well-to-do family background. Western social scientists have suggested that individuals from lean societies with frequent famines view fat as a desirable body structure and beautiful. The Annangs are unsurprised by these theories, as Western scientists have always seen Africa and Africans through Darwinian lenses based on evolutionary perspectives. The Annang fattening model, despite being considered primitive, was a period of education for young brides, teaching them housekeeping, childcare, history, and community citizenship, preparing them for marriage. The Annang society was semi-matriarchal before Christian missionaries destroyed it. Children bore their mothers’ names, leading to androgenisation and gender roles. Women were taught good citizenship during the fattening period, which aimed to educate and socialise the young into societal values. The practice of bearing fathers’ names became important for women’s rights.

Occupation

Annangs are renowned for their charms, trading prowess, and famous art, including mural paintings, raffia, masks, cement sculptures, and exceptional food.