Sunday October 26, 2025
By TheNewsDESK |
By David UDO
In a development hailed as a triumph of truth, justice, and history, newly uncovered official records have finally confirmed the Ibeno people as the ancestral owners of the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve; a sprawling 31,000 hectare stretch of coastal rainforest that has been the subject of a century-old ownership dispute in Akwa Ibom State.
The revelation, drawn from colonial era maps, administrative documents, and state government reviews, has put an end to decades of controversy surrounding the rightful custodians of the resource-rich forest reserve, which lies between the Ibeno and Esit Eket Local Government Areas.
For the Ibeno people, the findings represent long-awaited vindication, and the restoration of a heritage they have fought to defend for generations.
According to the authenticated documents by Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Lands and Housing, the Stubbs Creek area, known locally as Esuk Ibeno Udua Inyang was formally recognized in colonial records as part of Ibeno ancestral lands prior to the establishment of the forest reserve in 1930 under the then Eastern Provinces Forest Ordinance (EPFO).
The ministry’s report, which followed months of review by historians, surveyors, and legal experts, traced the origins of the reserve to a land acquisition process that demarcated “Ibeno communal land” for conservation purposes.
However, the report notes that over time, administrative boundaries and political restructuring blurred these historical facts, fueling decades of dispute between neighboring communities.
“These records conclusively affirm that the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve was carved out of Ibeno ancestral territory,” the report stated.
“Historical maps from 1913, 1927, and 1930, as well as the colonial survey plans deposited in the National Archives, all indicate Ibeno as the original custodians of the area.”
For Ibeno elders, the confirmation merely echoes what oral tradition and lived experience have long established.
Chief Okon Udofia, the secretary of the Ibeno Council of Chiefs, on Sunday at Upenekang described the decision as “the triumph of history over distortion.”
“Our forefathers settled by the creek long before the arrival of the British. The forest, the rivers, and the mangroves are part of our identity,” he told The Nation’s Watch.
“We hunted, fished, and held festivals there. To us, Stubbs Creek is not just a forest, it is the womb of Ibeno civilization.”
Elders recall stories of early Ibeno fishermen and traders who navigated the creek’s waterways to barter salt and fish with inland communities. Archaeological remnants including ancient fishing tools, pottery, and shrines reportedly found in parts of the reserve further corroborate Ibeno’s deep cultural connection to the land.
The Stubbs Creek controversy dates back to the 1970s, when oil exploration intensified in the area. The forest reserve, rich in biodiversity and oil-bearing strata, became a strategic asset. Competing claims by neighboring communities, notably from Esit Eket and Eket, led to recurring tensions, administrative confusion, and legal tussles.
In 1993, the Akwa Ibom State government reaffirmed the forest’s protected status but failed to resolve the question of traditional ownership.
That ambiguity allowed multiple interest groups including oil companies and government agencies to operate in the area without clear community consent, leaving the Ibeno people feeling marginalized from the proceeds of development on their ancestral soil.
For decades, Ibeno community leaders and youth organizations pressed for a review of the colonial documents to settle the matter once and for all. Their persistence, according to Ibeno stakeholders is what ultimately led to the current breakthrough.
Government Confirmation and Implications:
In a statement signed by the then Commissioner of Lands and Town Planning Mr. Ime Ekpo, Akwa Ibom State Government welcomed the clarification as an opportunity to promote peace, fairness, and sustainable management of the forest reserve.
According to Mr Ekpo, “The verification process was thorough and evidence-based.
“We now have a clear historical record that identifies Ibeno as the ancestral owners of the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve. The government will engage all stakeholders to ensure this recognition translates into equitable benefit-sharing and effective conservation.”
He added that the state would initiate consultations with traditional rulers and local councils in both Ibeno and Esit Eket to prevent further conflict and to outline joint environmental management plans for the reserve.
This cherry news of vindication threw Ibeno town into frenzy as youths took to the streets waving banners reading “Truth Has Prevailed” and “Stubbs Creek Is Ibeno Heritage.”
Traditional and community leaders held a thanksgiving service at the palace of Ibeno monarch, His Royal Majesty Owong (Prof.) Effiong Archibong Achianga.
“This is not just a legal victory; it is spiritual restoration. Our ancestors have spoken through the truth of history. We have always known who we are and where we come from. Today, the world knows it too.”
The Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve is one of Nigeria’s last remaining coastal rainforests, home to endangered species such as; the African grey parrot, red colobus monkey, and several mangrove-dependent species. It also serves as a natural buffer against coastal erosion and oil pollution in the Niger Delta.
Environmentalist at the University of Uyo, Dr. Grace Udo said, the confirmation of traditional ownership could strengthen conservation efforts if local communities are given a stronger role in managing the forest’s resources.
“Community-based conservation works best when ownership and identity are recognized.
“Now that records have validated Ibeno’s ancestral claim, the government should empower them as true custodians of the land to ensure sustainable use and protection of the ecosystem.”
On the economic front, the forest’s proximity to oil fields operated by multinational companies raises questions about compensation, land-use rights, and revenue sharing. Legal experts have predicted that the government may need to renegotiate certain agreements to reflect the new reality of traditional ownership.
Many observers see Ibeno’s vindication as a symbol of the importance of preserving historical records and respecting indigenous heritage in national development.
“For too long, communities have been dispossessed of their ancestral lands because of administrative oversights or political expediency.
“What happened with Ibeno shows that truth, no matter how delayed, eventually finds its way through the archives” said, Dr. Inyang Ekpene.
Indeed, for the people of Ibeno, the confirmation is more than a correction of maps; it is a moral victory, a validation of memory, and a testament to perseverance through decades of neglect and doubt.
The Ibeno community is continually looking ahead, turning its focus to the future and reclaiming their role as stewards of the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve towards ensuring that, both development and conservation proceed hand in hand.
The Ibeno, as a geographical entity holds no grudges against it’s neighbours just as the traditional council always expressed its commitment to peace and collaboration with neighboring communities.
“We hold no grudges against our neighbours, let the truth unite us in protecting our shared environment and heritage for generations to come.”
With official records now setting the historical record straight, the story of Stubbs Creek has come full circle from dispute to discovery, and from silence to vindication.
For the Ibeno people, it is the beginning of a new chapter: one written not in conflict, but in recognition, resilience, and rightful pride.
*David Udo, is a journalist and public affairs analyst in Uyo.
Historic Records Vindicate Ibeno as Ancestral Stewards of Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve
