The History of Our Jurisidiction

The Church of God in Christ started in the South South Region about Forty Six years ago at Oboyo Ikot Ita in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.In the spring of 1966, during the Biafran Revolution in Nigeria West Africa, Brother S. A. Udo Akpan, and his group of ministers, sent Bishop Benbow a letter as a Macedonian Call ("come over and help us"). The letter read: Dear Brother Benbow; I and a group of ministers began seeking the Lord in his fullness according to the Holy Bible. We began receiving much criticism and persecution from our religious constituents.

We started asking the Lord; "what shall we do?" While asleep one night, your name and location appeared to me in a dream. So we are following through; we are sending you a Macedonian Call, please come help us, and received us into your faith".

In 1967, after much prayer, Bishop Benbow, and his wife, Rachel L Benbow, answered the call. They received into the Church of God in Christ, seventeen churches in Nigeria, West Africa. After returning home from that mission, he was appointed Bishop of Nigeria, West Africa, by the late Bishop O. T. Jones, Sr., at the time, Senior Bishop of Church of God in Christ. Mother Benbow was appointed Supervisor of Women for Nigeria, by the late Mother A. Bailey.

The Nigeria work expanded rapidly with missions, churches, an elementary school, and a Bennie Roberts Benbow Bible College. Each quarter, Sunday School literature of the church was sent to Nigeria.
But the growth of COGIC was soon stagnated due to poor leadership and support from the International Church mainly due to poor comunication between the International Headquaters and Nigeria.
However events took a different turn when in the September 1999 Bishop Mishael Itoro Akpan was appointed the Bishop of Nigeria having brought over 40 churches into COGIC by Bishop Chandler David Owens during the Bishop's Conference at Alanta - Georgia in the United States of America.
Since then COGIC Nigeria has experienced a tremendous growth but numerically and Spiritually.
Bishop Mishael Akpan was born on the 26th November 1964 to Pastor Asuquo and Mrs. Bella Akpan in the Village of Afaha Ikot Ede in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria. He had his primary education at Afaha Nsit Primary School and his secondary education at Etinan Institute , Etinan. He went futher to study French and earned a diploma in French. Having worked for about a year he answered the call to ministry after more than two angelic visitations. He went to a Bible College and erned his Masters degree in Theology and a Doctorate degree in Christian Counselling /Psychology from Victory Fellowship International Bible College, Brighton, Iowa USA. Last year he was awarded a doctorate degree in Theology.
His ministry is that which all and sundry knows to be extraordinary, power packed with great miracles signs and wonders.
His unusual ministry has taken him to more dreaded missions fields like United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain in the Arabian Penisular where he also oversee several Churches.His passion for the Arabs is unusual and persistent with the gaol of winning more Arabs to Jesus than ever recorded in the history of evangelism in the Arab Nations.
We pray that God will lead you to support this great Man of God to fulfill the work our Good Lord has given him.

All you need to know about Akwa Ibom State where the Church of God in Christ started in Nigeria

Capital: Uyo
Area: 8412.00 sq kilometres
Population: 6,000,000 (1993 est.)
Language: Ibibio

Location

Akwa Ibom State is located in the South-east corner of Nigeria, lying between latitudes 4o321 and 5o331 North, and longitudes 7o251 and 8o251 East. To the east, the State is bordered by Cross River State and on the west by Rivers State and Abia State and to the South by the Atlantic Ocean.

The Ethnologue of Akwa Ibom People

IBIBIO [IBB] 3,186,000 or 3.6% of the population (1991 SIL). Akwa Ibom State, Itu, Uyo, Etinan, Ikot Abasi, Ikono, Ekpe-Atai, Uruan, Onna, Nsit-Ubium, and Mkpat Enin LGA's. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, East. Dialects: ENYONG, NKARI. Closely related to Efik. Efik is decreasing in use as literary language. It is the main trade language of Akwa Ibom State. Christian.

]ANAANG (ANANG, ANNANG) [ANW] 1,000,000 (1990). Akwa Ibom State, Ikot Ekpene, Essien Udim, Abak, Ukanafun, and Oruk-Anam LGA's. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, East. Related to Efik. Used as a medium of instruction in the schools.

EFAI (EFFIAT) [EFA] 5,000 or more (1988). Akwa Ibom State, Mbo LGA, and in Cameroon, Isangele Subdivision. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, East. May be a dialect of Efik. Listed separately in Crozier and Blench 1992.

EKIT (EKET) [EKE] 200,000 (1989). Akwa Ibom State, Uquo Ibeno and Eket LGA's. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, East. Related to Efik.

ETEBI [ETB] 15,000 (1989). Akwa Ibom State, Uquo Ibeno LGA. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, East. 'Oron' and 'Ekit' are incorrect names. Listed separately in Crozier and Blench 1992. .

IBINO (IBENO, IBUNO) [IBN] 10,000 (1989). Akwa Ibom State, Uquo-Ibeno LGA. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, West.

IBUORO [IBR] 5,000 or more (1988). Akwa Ibom State, Itu and Ikono LGA's. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, East. Listed separately in Crozier and Blench 1992.

IDERE [IDE] 5,000 or more (1988). Akwa Ibom State, Itu LGA. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, Unclassified. Listed separately in Crozier and Blench 1992.

IKO [IKI] 5,000 or more (1988). Akwa Ibom State, Ikot Abasi LGA, 3 villages. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, West. Culturally they consider themselves Obolo, but they cannot use Obolo literature. Listed separately by Crozier and Blench 1992.

ILUE [ILE] 5,000 or less (1988). Akwa Ibom State, Oron LGA. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, Unclassified. Listed separately in Crozier and Blench 1992. Diminishing in size.

ITO [ITW] 5,000 or more (1988). Akwa Ibom State, Akamkpa LGA. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, Unclassified. Listed separately in Crozier and Blench 1992.

ITU MBON UZO (ITU MBUZO) [ITM] 5,000 or more (1988). Akwa Ibom State, Ikono LGA. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, East. Listed separately in Crozier and Blench 1992.

OBOLO (ANDONI, ANDONE, ANDONNI) [ANN] 100,000 (1990 Uche E. Aaron). Rivers State, Bonny LGA; Akwa Ibom State, Ikot Abasi LGA, islands off southern coast. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, West. Dialects: NGO, ATABA,

UNYEADA, OKOROETE, IBOT OBOLO. 'Obolo' is their own name, 'Andoni' is the government's name. Obolo is taught in all primary and junior secondary schools. There are church adult literacy classes all over the area. There is a quarterly magazine in Obolo. Primers are in use. Ngo is the prestige dialect. Ibibio and Ibo are the trade languages. English is learned in school. In the east there is a movement toward establishing a stronger Obolo ethnic identity and getting rid of borrowed words from Ibibio. Bounded on the east and northeast by the Ibibio, on the northwest by the Ogoni, on the west by the Kalabari, on the south by the Atlantic Ocean. 25% to 50% literate. Riverine. Fishermen, agriculturalists. NT 1991. Bible portions 1987-1988.

OKOBO [OKB] 50,000 (1991). Akwa Ibom State, Okobo LGA. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, West.

ORON (ORO) [ORX] 75,000 (1989). Akwa Ibom State, Oron LGA. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, West.

PIDGIN, NIGERIAN (NIGERIAN CREOLE ENGLISH, NIGERIAN PIDGIN ENGLISH) [PCM] Southern states and in Sabon Garis of the northern states, coastal and urban areas. Creole, English based, Atlantic, Krio. It is a creole with native speakers, as well as used as a pidgin between Africans and Europeans, and Africans from different languages. No unified standard or orthography. Used in novels, plays, radio, poetry, advertising. Increasing in importance and use. Partially intelligible with Krio of Sierra Leone and Cameroon Pidgin. Trade language. Bible portions 1957.

UDA [UDA] 10,000 or more (1988). Akwa Ibom State, Mbo LGA. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River, Delta Cross, Lower Cross, Unclassified. Listed separately in Crozier and Blench 1992.

History
Akwa Ibom State was created out of Cross River State on September 23, 1987. Akwa Ibom was created by combining the Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, Eket and Abak divisions of old Calabar province.

People

Akwa Ibom State is made up of a homogenous group of people believed to have originated from the single ancestral stock. The people are predominantly of the Christian faith although some native African religions are practised by some of the people.

Local Government Areas

Akwa lbom State has 21 Local Government Areas, namely: Abak, Eket, Etinan, Ekpo Atai, Essien-Udim, Ikono, Ikot Abasi, Ikot Ekpene, Itu, Mkpat-Enin, Mbo, Nsit-Ubium,Nsit Ibom, Oron, Okobo, Onna, Oruk-Anarn, Ukanafun, Uyo, Uquo-Ibeno and Uruan.