Grabbing an archaic telephone, he dialed zero and bellowed, “Operator, connect me to London immediately! I’ve got two vast protectorates to amalgamate into a single country, and I’m running out of ink!”
“Smith, where are you?”
Smith, his flustered assistant, rushed in. “Yes, my lord. What seems to be the trouble?”
“This confounded machine refuses to type ‘Nigeria’ properly!” Lugard growled. “It keeps spitting out ‘Naija’ and ‘Nigga River.’ Missy Flora will never let me hear the end of it if I don’t get this right!”
Evidently, Smith was more confused than ever. He was hearing the word “amalgamation” for first time. “Call Missy, Sir.” “What?” “Master, I said you should call Missy,” Smith said. Apparently, for him, Flora caused the problem by introducing the big word, ‘amalgamation’. Whatever it meant, she should proffer the solution solution also. In essence, Smith was not ready for Lugard’s frosty temper.
A moment ago, Lugard was in a hurry to get the job done, so as to rush back to Flora. This tme, she was no longer sure, particularly if he did not complete the amalgamation process!
The True Heart of Nigeria’s Amalgamation
At this instant, Lord Lugard sat in the cluttered Amalgamation House, his colonial attire rumpled and his patience frayed. This is Ikot Abasi, not the British empire. Nonetheless, this work must be done, by all means.
Outside, the cool sea breeze whisked past the ancient building. “Perhaps, my lord, the typewriter is staging a protest against the amalgamation itself. A silent rebellion, if you will.”
Lugard scowled. “Nonsense! If this old contraption could speak, it would regale us with tales of misplaced commas and jammed keys. But we must press on!” Although Lugard was feeling a bit frustrated, he was determined to do the job. After all, without result, Flora won’t kiss his moustache goodnight.
Nearby, at a lively bar, two friends, Uduak and Etim, sipped palm wine and chatted animatedly. Not only were they in a jolly mood, they also were a bit tipsy.
“Etim, have you heard? The state government is revamping our tourism narrative,” Uduak started. He was always the chatty one, by and large.
Etim raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What’s the new twist? Have we claimed the invention of jollof rice?”
History of Ikot Abasi and Nigeria’s Formation
Uduak chuckled. “You and your food! Actually, the big news is even better! It’s about the 1914 amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria by Lord Lugard. It didn’t happen in Zungeru, as the history books claim. No, it took place right here in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State!”
Startled, Etim nearly spilled his drink. At this point, he was all ears. “What? So, that long-nosed Lugard was actually here? How did he handle our colanut, alligator pepper, ‘mfi,’ and palm wine?” He laughed heartily. “And yet Abuja, which wasn’t part of our colonial history, has become the center of everything?”
Although it sounded like a joke, Etim basically had a point. At first, he wasn’t sure what to believe, considering the previously misleading history. However, as long as Akwa Ibom government was ready to correct the narrative, Etim help spread the gospel.
Celebrating Ikot Abasi’s Historical Legacy
Uduak also felt a surge of excitement. “And it doesn’t end there! The 1929 Women’s War, often mislabeled as the ‘Aba Women Riot,’ actually took place in Ikot Abasi. Our courageous grandmothers didn’t just make noise; they undoubtedly forged history right here. True revolutionaries!”
“I can almost see them now, sleeves rolled up, shouting: ‘This isn’t just an NLC riot; it’s a revolution!’” Etim added, chuckling. Comparatively, Etim far gone into the past than his friend.
Uduak nodded. “Exactly, bro! It’s high time the world knew the truth, as a matter of fact. By the same token, what about Mary Slessor? Her campaign against the killing of twins began in Itu, now part of Akwa Ibom State. That deserves recognition too. A national monument marking her initial burial place should be in Itu. Afterall, she was in Itu in the first place, before she moved to Duke Town, Cross River State.”
“Indeed, my lord, the modern historian,” Etim quipped with a smirk. “Maybe we should rename the ‘Rolling Hills of Itu’ in her honour. To that end, how about ‘Slessor’s Miracle Hill’?”
Why Ikot Abasi Deserves Recognition as Nigeria’s True Birthplace
Uduak chuckled. “That sounds fitting. After all, in this era of revisiting our past, as with the old national anthem, it’s only fair that Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, be recognized as the true birthplace of Nigeria.” To begin with, if there was no amalgamation on Akwa Ibom soil, there would have been no national anthem.
Suddenly, Etim raised an imaginary glass in a mock toast. He was undeniably in a very good mood. “Think of the tourism potential! All things considered, I believe people will flock here to see where Nigeria truly began. To Ikot Abasi, the heart of our nation’s history and the birthplace of our future!”
In this season of reflecting on our foundations, Abuja must not continue to bask in the capital’s spotlight. Ultimately, Nigeria must remember it was founded by an Akwa Ibom seaside.
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