National Museum: A Treasure On The Bank Of The Calabar River

The Old Residency Museum

Cross River State is known for its tourism potential and the state’s ability to pull crowds to its capital city of Calabar during its widely celebrated annual Carnival Calabar held during the yuletide and tagged “Africa’s Biggest Street Party”.
When visitors come to town, they go for sightseeing in some of the most beautiful tourist attractions the country has to offer in the state; from the Tinapa Business Resort, to the Marina Resort, Drill Ranch and the Calabar Old Residency Museum amongst others which is of particular interest due to its uniqueness.
The Old Residency Museum, which was originally known as the Government House is a prefabricated structure of Scandinavian red pine wood shipped from Britain in 1884 on the instruction of Consul Edward Hewett and erected in Old Calabar to accommodate the early British Administration.
The building, a stone throw from where the Nigerian Government had housed Liberian Warlord Charles Taylor, a walk from the presidential Lodge had itself housed the prison where Oba Ovonramwem of Benin was kept in 1897 after his kingdom was invaded. A tale, renowned Nollywood producer Lancelot Imasuen tried to tell in his film, “Invasion 1897”.
“It was here that the old British colonial administration operated from. The building was a Mecca of a sort (sic), as it was a wonder to behold and one of the only such building in British West Africa” says Mrs. Anna Effiom ,Curator of the Museum.

Mrs Anna Effiom, Curator ofthe Old Residency Museum

The building which served as both the residence and administrative headquarters of the colonial government is one of the only few history museums in Nigeria and hosts some of the most preserved artefacts and documents dating back to pre-colonial period.
“Because this is a history museum, different from the Slave Museum in Marina Resort, War Museum in Umuahia, the National Museum of Colonial history in Aba it has some of the best and most preserved historical collections in the country” says Mrs. Evelyn Osuagwu who works in the Museum and also serves as the Treasurer of the Calabar Museum Society, A Non-Governmental Organization made up of staffs of the Museum and lovers of Museum working to promote and preserve the museum.

“The Museum exhibition tells the story of old Calabar as a cluster of native settlements on the Calabar River, early cultural, economic and missionary centre and first headquarters of British colonial administration of the Niger Coast Protectorate, Oil River Protectorate and later Southern Nigeria protectorate”.
“The Museum has a collection of ritual terracotta and other materials excavated locally by Late Professor Ekpo Eyo and dated 400AD-1500AD” writes Emmanuel E. for UyoCalyaxis.com

Cross River Beauty Queen Calls For Vernacular Training

Magdalene Asuquo Ekpe 2016 Miss
The need for cross Riverians and Nigerians at large to speak and understand their native vernacular is important for the sustenance of the African culture says the beauty queen Asuquo Ekpe at her birthday bash last week.
Born, Magdalene Asuquo Ekpe, the 2016 Qua/Ejagham Nation beauty queen posited that communicating in borrowed languages has not really helped matters and called on all Qua and Ejagham nationals to learn how to communicate I their native vernacular.
Also, she called on the state government to bring back news in Ejagham and advised youths to humble themselves so they can accomplish their dreams.

Qua/Ejagham Nation

Cross River State Garment Factory Ltd About To Be Commissioned

By Eyo Nse, This is the about to be commissioned Cross River State Garment Factory Ltd., in a state that receives N700 million as allocation from the federal government. Few weeks ago, Brainnews NG revealed how Governor Ben Ayade signed an MOU with a UAE Firm for the building of a power plant in Cross River. Ben Ayade has been rated as one of the best governor Cross River State has ever voted into office. When infrastructural development is mention in Cross River, Former Gov. Donald Duke and Ben Ayade can’t never be forgotten. See photos from the factory below:

Cross River State Garment Factory Ltd About To Be Commissioned

Piles Of Refuse Littering Calabar Make National Headlines

Uncharacteristic of what used to be known of Calabar as the cleanest city in the country, the Cross River State capital is now in the news for the wrong reasons.

In this eye witness report by Channels Television, some residents say the capital may lose it’s status as Nigeria’s cleanest and greenest city.

Calabar – Lagos Rail Included In Budget Signed By Buhari – APC National Vice Chairman, South South, Hilliard Etta

Prince Hilliard Etta, APC National Vice Chairman, South South in a chartered private jet on his way from Abuja to the party’s retreat held in Calabar on Saturday

The National Vice Chairman South South of the APC, Hilliard Etta says the Calabar – Lagos rail line which led to an impasse between the Presidency and National Assembly is included in the budget signed by President Muhammadu Buhari Friday.
Etta disclosed this while fielding questions from newsmen shortly after his arrival at the Margaret Ekpo International airport for the first quarterly retreat of the Cross River State chapter of the APC which held at the Transcorp hotel Friday, in Calabar.
He said he had it on good authority that it was included in the budget with the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Prosecution, Okoi Obono-Obla concurring to his statement.

Cross River North Senator, Rose Oko, Loses Sister

Late Veronica Ojeka Eneje

Abuja; Senator Rose Oko who represents the northern senatorial district of Cross River State in the Red Chambers of the National Assembly has lost one of her siblings sources close to the family say.
The sibling, Veronica Ojeka-Eje, CrossRiverWatch gathered, died Wednesday in Abuja after a protracted battle with cancer.
Veronica, CrossRiverWatch also gathered from sources was until her death, a diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.