Oron (state)

Oron was one of the major states in the Akwa Akpa Kingdom of present-day Nigeria. Oron people share a close ancestral lineage to the Efik people in Cross River State; Ibono, Uruan, Eastern Obolo in Akwa Ibom State and the Andoni (Obolo) people in Rivers State. The Oron people (Örö) are a major ethnic group in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

The Oron Nation is an ethnic nationality which is said to have migrated from the east through Central Eastern Africa (around the Congos) and through the Southern regions of the Camerouns to present-day area of South-Southern Nigeria. The Oro land and its people consist of 9 Clans called Afaha. These are; Afaha Okpo, Afaha Ukwong, Ebughu, Afaha Ibighi, Effiat, Afaha Ubodung, Etta, Afaha Oki-uso, and Afaha Idua (Ilue).

The geopolitical restructuring of the State and Local Government creation has seen the Oron Nation become politically fragmented into two states in Nigeria, namely Cross River and Akwa Ibom State. As a result, Oron is made up of 5 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Akwa Ibom State and one LGA in Cross River State. These include: Mbo LGA, Oron LGA, Okobo LGA, Urue-offong Oruko LGA and Udung Uko LGA of Akwa Ibom state; and Bakassi LGA of Cross River State.

Traditionally, the Oron people have a King known as the Ahta Örö. The Ahta has all the Ofong (also known as Ivong or Ifong) Afha and Paramount rulers as members of his traditional Ruling Council. There are high chiefs such as the Ikpoto, Akpha and Okete Okete which are also recognized by the Ahta's council.

Today, the President General of the Oron Union worldwide is usually regarded as the administrative head of the Oron Nation and second-in-command at the Ahta's traditional's Ruling Council.

The Oron people speak a dialect known as "Örö" by the Oronians, but widely called "Oron", an anglicized spelling and pronunciation. Many Oron people are also fluent in the Efik dialect. Örö has many dialectical similarities with the Ibibio and Annang people, hence many Oronians can communicate proficiently in Ibibio and Annang languages.

The phonemes of Oron comprise seven oral vowels í, ε, e, a, o, σ, u, five plosive consonants b, kp, d, t, k, three nasal consonants m, ŋ, n, three fricative consonants f, s, h, two semi-vowel consonants w, y and one lateral consonant l. The lateral consonant is an unusual feature of Oro and it is not found in most neighbouring varieties.

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