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Capital |
Calabar |
Land Area & Rank |
23,075 sq. km (19) |
Year Created |
Feb. 3, 1976 |
Governor |
Prof. Ben Ayade, PDP |
Deputy Gov |
Ivara Esu |
L.G.A |
18 |
House of Assembly |
25 |
Major Areas/Towns |
Calabar (capital), Ogoja, Ugep, Obudu, Ikom |
Local Dialects |
Efik, Bekwarra, Ejagham |
Motto |
“The People's Paradise” |
Population |
2006 Census:
Rank & Sex: 2,888,966 (27)
Male: 1,492,465
Female: 1,396,501
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Contact Phone |
Gov. Office: 234-87-232786,
SSG: 234-87-235879
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Liason Office |
Abuja Liaison Office:
Plot 71, Jose Marti Crescent
Asokoro, Abuja.
Tel: 09-3147053
Lagos Liaison Office:
42, Bishop Oluwole Street,
Victoria Island, Lagos .
Tel/Fax: 01-2610005
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Government |
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Local Government Areas |
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LGA |
Headquarter |
Abi |
Itigidi |
Akamkpa |
Akamkpa |
Akpabuyo |
Ikot Nakanda |
Biase |
Akpet Central |
Bakassi |
Abana |
Bekwarra |
Abochiche |
Boki |
Boje |
Calabar Municipality |
Calabar |
Calabar South |
Anantigha |
Etung |
Efraya |
Ikom |
Ikom |
Obubra |
Obubra |
Obudu |
Obudu |
Odukpani |
Odukpani |
Ogoja |
Ogoja |
Obanliku |
Sankwala |
Yala |
Okpoma |
Yakurr |
Ugep |
Hotels & Tourism |
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Important places: Obudu Cattle Ranch, old
residence museum and monument, Agbokim waterfalls,
kwa-falls, carved monoliths, Etankpini cave, National park,
Mary Slessor's tomb, Obubra Lake, Ebom Lake, and
Ejagham Lake.
Important
Events: various festivals,
traditional marriages and chieftaincy coronations.
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Hotels |
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Cytaro Hotel
20, Bishop Moynagh Avenue
State Housing Estate
P. O. Box 1060, Calabar
Tel: 234-87-232401, 234677, 237811
Mobile: 0803 7213847, 0805 5809440
Email: cytaro@skannet.com.ng, cytaro33@yahoo.com
Channel View Hotels
14 Mcc Road
Calabar
Tel: 234-87-230596, 239071-4
Fax: 234-87-231006
Doris O Hotel
1, Unical Hotel Road
Off IBB Road
By CUDA Office
Tel: 087 233463
Mobile: 0803 6744273
Fax: 087 233463
Government Guest House
1, Marian Road
Calabar
Le Chateau Hotel
56 Mcc Road
Calabar
Tel: 234-802-3523854
Metropolitan Hotel
1, Murtala Mohammed Way
P.M.B 1071, Calabar
Tel: 234-87-220911
Paradise City Hotels Ltd
86/88, Atekong Drive Housing Estate
P.M.B 1336, Calabar
Tel: 234-87-221224, 22134
Mobile: 0803 8015358
Pikk Master Hotels Limited
2, Asari Eso Lane
Off Asari Eso Street
By Effio-Ette Junction
Calabar
Tel: 243-808 8442705, 0703 8839348
Hotline: 0802 8384900
Website: WWW.pikkmaster.com
Email: pikkmaster@yahoo.com
Protea Hotel
Obudu Ranch Resort
P. M. B. 1037, Obudu
Tel: 234-87- 236885, 235991
Pyramid Hotel
Along Muritala Mohammed high Way
after the City Gate
Calabar
Lisatex Hotels
5 Ekpo Archibong (Former Parlimentary Road)
Calabar
Tel: 234-87-235477
Mobile: 0803-6755697
The Mirage Hotel
MCC Road
Calabar
Tel: 234-87-236293-4
Fax: 234-87-236295
The Noble Place
2nd Gate, old Parliamentary Village
Off Ndidem Usang Iso Road
Calabar
Tel: 234-87-238958, 238959
Mobile: 0802-3809375
Email: the_noble_place@yahoo.com
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At the collapse of slave trade by 1830s; legitimate trade
grew in the zone. Calabar began exporting palm oil to the
western world where the need was in high demand for their
industries and lubricating of the railways. Calabar became
famous and an international business relationship was
established with the West. In the Colonial era, the area was
under Calabar/Ogoja province. The Richard Constitution
of 1947 placed the zone under the Eastern region. At the
turn of the century; Calabar had attained political
prominence serving as the administrative capital of
Nigeria.
The Capital was only moved from Calabar to
Lagos in 1904 and, as such, the importance of Calabar
could be gleaned from the fact that as early as 1891, six out
of the twenty eight practicing lawyers in Nigeria were
resident in Calabar. In 1967 states creation exercise by
Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s administration the zone was made
an integral part of South Eastern state.
Cross River as a
state was created on February 3, 1976 from the defunct
South Eastern State by then Gen. Murtala Mohammed
regime. The state derived its name from River Cross. The
state has a relative ethnic homogeneity- the Efik; rich in
tradition having a common ancestral and linguistic root
which is traceable to the Bantus in East Africa. In 1895 the
first secondary school in the entire Eastern region of
Nigeria Hope Waddell Training Institute was established in
Calabar with Dr. Akanu Ibiam (1st Governor of defunct
Eastern Nigeria) as the 1st African/Nigerian principal. On
September 23, 1987 Akwa Ibom state was carved out of
the State. Calabar the state capital ranks as the neatest city
in the country.
October 10, 2002 the international court of
justice (ICJ) in Netherlands ceded the disputed oil rich
Bakassi peninsula between Nigeria and Cameroun in the
state to Cameroun. August 15 2006, Nigeria handed over
bakassi Peninsula to Cameroun republic. 
Boundaries/Neighbours:
The state share international
border with Republic of Cameroun to the East. In the
North is Benue State; in the South is Akwa Ibom state and
Atlantic Ocean. In the west are Ebonyi and Abia states.
Topography:
A low lying flat surface, the vegetation is
green foliage of trees and shrubs and oil palm. There are
also marshy soils around the various river banks and
creeks. Much of the area consists of salt-water swamp
which can grow nothing but mangroves. The Obudu
Plateau with an altitude of 1575.76 meters above sea level
is a principal feature and enjoys a temperate climate like
other temperate regions of the world.
Climate:
Two main seasons (wet and dry) are experienced
in the state. The wet season lasts from April to October;
while the dry season is between November and March.
November to early February is cold and dry due to the
harmattan dry wind. Average temperature is 28 degree.
Education:
The state has 240 pre-primary schools, 648
primary schools, 150 secondary schools, one polytechnic,
one college of agriculture, two colleges of education and
two Universities; University of Calabar and Cross River
State University of Technology both in Calabar.
Economy:
The economy is agarian and service based. The
state is rich in petroleum. The present government is
developing the tourism sector of the state. The state is well
positioned for industrialisation. The state has an Airport;
Margaret Ekpo International Airport, and a sea port. The
state has the following Industries; Cross-River Limestone
Industries Ltd, Calabar Cement Company Ltd, Niger mills
Ltd, Calabar Wood Ltd and Eastern match Industries Ltd.
Agriculture:
The following are the Agricultural produce
in the state: Livestock; Cattle, Goats, Sheep, Poultry
products, Pigs, Rabbits and Turkeys. Crops; Cassava,
Maize, Yams, Plantain, Rice, Banana, Cocoyam, Palm
produce and groundnuts. Fisheries; Various forms of
fishes. Forestry; a total of 24 percent of the land area of the
state is thick forest with various wood species, among them
are; Obeche, Ebony, Opepe, Cedar, Gmelina, Iroko,
Mamea etc
Mineral/Natural Resources:
Crude Oil and gas,
limestone, salt, tin ore, quart-free iron, gravel, clay,
granite, and uranium.
Famous Natives:
Eyo Ita, Statesman. Okoi Arikpo,
Lawyer, I. I. Murphy, Politician. Clement David Ebiri,
Politician. Nella Andem-Ewa (Mrs) Judge. Michael Ani,
chartered accountant/administrator. Solomon Unoh,
academician. Charles Effiong, academician. Fidelis Nnang,
Justice. Sunny Neji, musician. Edward Inyang (Blakky),
musician. Joseph Wayas, Politician. Eddie Momah,
administrator. Patrick Etta, administrator. Okoi Obuli,
Lawyer. Samuel Imoke, Physician. Mathew Mbu,
diplomat. Eyo Okon Ekpo, army gen rtd/2nd citizen (1966-
1975). Emmanuel Ndoma-Egba, Justice. Kanu Agabi,
lawyer. Kevin Etta, academician. Eval Samuel Nkanu,
Monarch. George Ogar, administrator. Margaret Ekpo,
activist/women leader/politican. Cecilia Ekpenyong,
administrator. Affy Ekong, Sculptor. Edom Tawo,
businessman. Ukandi Damachi, businessman. Philo Owan,
educationist. Grace Nyambi, business tycoon. Monica
Okon, women leader. Benedette Ebin, educationist.
Nchjeno Owan, administrator. Josephine Ogar,
administrator. Ekpo Young, activist. Florence Ita- Giwa,
politician. Donald Etiebet, Lawyer/Politician. Orok Oyo,
sport administrator. Shan George, actress.
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