Ikot Ekpene, known throughout Nigeria as " The Raffia City", or locally simply as "IK," is a historic town in the Niger Delta of Nigeria, and is in the densely populated state of Akwa Ibom. It is the political and cultural capital of the Annang ethnic group in Nigeria (Nair, 1972). The town is located on the A342 highway that parallels the coast, between Calabar to the south east and Aba to the west, with the state capital, Uyo, on this road just to the east. Umuahia is the next major town to the north.