IBIBIO PATRIOTS
LATE CHIEF J.S.B. IKPE ( M. B.E )
Born in Ikot Akpanya. Asuna, in Iman Clan of Etinan Division in 1898 as Ekpo Akpan Ikpe. Chief J.S.B.Ikpe attended government school, Ikot Ekan where his name was changed by the headmaster from Ekpo to Blankson. Upon the completion of his studies at the government school he became the interpreter for Rev. Bennington in Mission House Mbioto 11 in southern Iman untill he was admitted into the Qua Iboe Mission Institute, Etinan. Rev. Bennington bestowed on his young interpreter the name of John Stanely Blankson Ikpe.
When Mr. Ikpe completed his course at Etinan, he taught for some time as a pupil-teacher before he was admitted into the Bonny Normal college in 1926, where he was trained as a teacher .
On his return from Bonny in 1926, he worked as a government school teacher in various places, including Ikot Ekan and Abak before he was transfered to to the T.T.C. Uyo in 1939.
His stay in Uyo T.T.C. was not long because in 1940 he left the Centre on a course at the Agricultural Education Centre, Umuahia. After his course, he worked briefly outside before being returned to his home station at the government school Ikot Ekan in 1942. This promising and energetic teacher continued in the dual capacity of teacher and bandmaster of the then very popular brass band of the government school Ikot Ekan until early in 1945 when he was transfered again back to the T.T.C. Uyo. All these time Mr. Ikpe, as at then was combining his teaching assignments with working hard and tirelessly for the Ibibio State Union of which he was one of the life wires and one of the foundational members as well as being its first National Secretary General.
To cut him away from his people and thereby stifle the activities of the Ibibio State Union, Mr. Ikpe was transfered from Uyo to Victoria in the Cameroons where he headed the government School in Victoria. He was in Victoria until the end of 1948 when he was transfered to Afikpo as the headmaster government Primary School there.
In december 1949 he was awarded Teacher’s Senior Certificate and was promoted to Teacher Grade 1 in 1951. In september 1952 Mr. Ikpe was promoted Visiting Teacher and posted to Ogoja to be in charge Ogoja and Obudu Division.
Mr. Ikpe was in that capacity from 1952 when he was promoted Education Officer and transfered to Onitsha. From Onitsha he moved to Enugu in 1960.
In 1961 he was serving as the Education Officer in Uyo and in June that year his life time of service to Education was recognised by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, in appointing him to be a member of The Most Exellent Order of the British Empire(M.B.E). In December of that same year, his home village of Ikot Akpanya, Asuna, gathered and honoured him with the Traditinal title of “OBONG EKONG” at a very colourful and Ancestoral ceremony. Early in 1962, Obong Ikpe retired from the civil service and took up active private life amongst his people of Iman Ibom Group.
As a reward for his services, purposeful and inspired leadership of his people, Obong Ikpe was honoured with an investiture in April 1963 to a Chief and Village head of Ikot Akpanya. Following that, his group of Nung Asuna put him forward to contest the Clanheadship of Iman. He was unanimously accepted by the Iman Ibom people and in July that year he was installed the Clan Head of Iman and was recognised as a Second-class Chief by the government of the then Eastern Nigeria. Ever since then, Chief Ikpe worked assiduously and determinedly in leading his people and did this with great success.
Chief Ikpe was president of Iman County Development Council and a member of South Eastern State Scouts Council, member of board of governors of several secondary schools in Etinan Division and served for a very brief period as Principal, Nsit people’s grammar school, Afaha-Offiong after his retirement.
As one of the very outstanding traditional rulers in this State and in the country, he represented his Division and the South- Eastern State many times on occations that required Chiefs and traditional rulers thus he was one of the few traditional rulers who recieved His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia in Kaduna when he last visited Nigeria.
In 1971 his first son Ernest Blankson Ikpe who was residing in the United States of America at that time, invited him for a visit. The New York Chapter of South- Eastern State Students association in Americas gave him a rousing reception and when he toured the country he was well received by the Nigerian and American communities.
In Michigan he spoke to the Apostolic Lutheran Convention on the progress of it’s sponsored Church in Nigeria with headquarters in Iman.
Chief Ikpe was a renowned athlete in his days. His continued interest in sports was manifested by his gesture on his return from the United States when he donated two beautiful football and net ball cups for matches in secondary schools in Etinan Division.
Handsome, tall and elegant, liberal, Christian, public spirited and unassuming, Chief Ikpe was a loving father and devoted husband.
Source:
Courtesy
Mr. Slicksurge Okodiikpe
Chief Ikpe’s son
Picture Credit :
Shared with kind permission
Courtesy, Mr. Slicksurge Okodiipke
Of Chief Ikpe’s Family
Akwa Ibom State
IBIBIO HISTORY
Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio
