The Cross River State Library is a public library in central Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. [1] The library's collection contains over 4,000 texts. [2]
The site on which Cross River State Library was built previously housed the Bricksfield Prison, the first maximum security prison in Nigeria, built in 1890. The building was destroyed during the Nigerian Civil War in the late 1960s, and the prison was relocated; the only remnant of the prison, the Bricksfield Prison Wall, still stands today and is part of the library's enclosure. [2] [3]
Construction of Cross River State Library began under the supervision of Udokaha Esuene, Military Governor of South-Eastern State. The library was completed under Paul Omu, Esuene's successor, but its inauguration was delayed until the governance of Babatunde Elegbede, and the library was not actually used until the tenure of Clement Ebri. [3] The library opened on April 17, 1989. [1] [3]
Cross River State Library faces numerous challenges, the most serious being the building's extremely poor infrastructure and lack of available services, such as electricity, water, and working toilets. [2] The library is extremely dilapidated and has significant unrepaired damage, including shattered windows and leaking roofs, made worse by an explosion and fire at the nearby Central Bank of Nigeria Calabar branch in 2016. [1] The library also suffers from outdated texts, rodent and reptile infestations, and frequent misuse of the library's facilities for unrelated purposes such as weddings. [1] [2] [3]
According to The Guardian Nigeria, several letters have been written to the state government to inform them of the library's condition, but nothing has been done, as the government is reportedly only interested in projects that attract money to the region. [2]
Nigeria’s transport network has expanded in recent years to accommodate a growing population. The transport and storage sector was valued at N2.6trn ($6.9bn) in current basic prices in 2020, down from N3trn ($8bn) in 2019, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). This was reflected in a lower contribution to GDP, at 1.8% in the fourth quarter of 2020, down from 2.1% during the same period the previous year but higher than the 0.8% recorded in the third quarter of 2020. One of the most significant challenges facing the sector is meeting the needs of both large coastal cities and rural inland communities in order to fully unlock the country’s economic potential. This is especially the case with mining and agriculture, both of which are expected to benefit from two large-scale projects: the Lekki Port in Lagos and the Kano-Maradi rail line in the north of the country.
Akwa Ibom State is a state in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered on the east by Cross River State, on the west by Rivers State and Abia State, and on the south by the Atlantic Ocean. The state takes its name from the Qua Iboe River which bisects the state before flowing into the Bight of Bonny. Akwa Ibom was split from Cross River State in 1987 with her capital Uyo and with 31 local government areas.
Cross River State is a state in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Named for the Cross River, the state was formed from the eastern part of the Eastern Region on 27 May 1967. Its capital is Calabar, it borders to the north through Benue state, to the west through Ebonyi state and Abia state, and to the southwest through Akwa Ibom state, while its eastern border forms part of the national border with Cameroon. Originally known as the South-Eastern State before being renamed in 1976, Cross River state formerly included the area that is now Akwa Ibom state, which became a distinct state in 1987.
Calabar is the capital city of Cross River State, Nigeria. It was originally named Akwa Akpa, in the Efik language, as the Efik people dominated this area. The city is adjacent to the Calabar and Great Kwa rivers, and the creeks of the Cross River.
Lagos Island is the principal and central Local Government Area (LGA) in Lagos, Nigeria. It was the capital of Lagos State until 1957. It is part of the Lagos Division. As of the preliminary 2006 Nigerian census, the LGA had a population of 209,437 in an area of 8.7 km2. The LGA only covers the western half of Lagos Island; the eastern half is simply referred to as Lagos Island East LCDA.
The University of Calabar is a federal university situated in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. It is one of Nigeria's second-generation federal universities. The University of Calabar was a campus of the University of Nigeria until 1975. The present Vice Chancellor is Dr. Florence B. Obi (Professor). The post of the DVC (Academic) is held by Dr. Angela Oyo Ita (Professor), while Dr. Grace Eno Nta (Professor) is the current DVC (Administration).
Eket is one of the 31 local government areas in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The name Eket or Ekid also refers to the indigenous ethnic group of the region and to their language. The Eket people use the endonym Ekid for themselves and their language, but Europeans spell and pronounce the name as "Eket".
Tinapa is a business and leisure resort located North of Calabar municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria associated with the Calabar Free Trade Zone. It was developed in four phases under a Private Public Partnership (PPP) promoted by the Government of Cross River State. The resort is located by the Calabar River, contiguous with the Calabar Free Trade Zone.
Calabar Rovers FC are a Nigeria soccer team based in Calabar. They play their games at U. J. Esuene Stadium.
Victor Ndoma-Egba is a Nigerian politician and former Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). He was a three-term Senator, representing Cross River Central Senatorial District of Cross River State in the Nigerian Senate from 2003 to 2015.
Calabar Carnival is an annual carnival held in Cross River State, Nigeria. Also known as Africa's Biggest Street Party, the carnival holds every December and was declared by the then governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke as an activity to mark Christmas celebration yearly. He said his vision for creating the festival was to make Cross-River a home of tourism and hospitality in Nigeria and Africa. The quality of the festival has grown over the years making it Nigeria's biggest carnival and an internationally recognized festival. It used to be a month-long event that began on the 1st of December, until the former governor of the state, Benedict Ayade reduced it to two weeks after he was elected. During the 2017 carnival, Former governor Benedict Ayade said in his speech that the carnival is to showcase Africa as the richest continent and a blessed place where the young ones should be proud to belong. The carnival has always been entertaining and colourful as different competitions take place and huge cash prizes are won. Calabar which is also known by the name Canaan City, is a city in south-eastern Nigeria. Calabar is actually the capital city of Cross River State. Calabar sits adjacent to the Calabar and Great Kwa Rivers and Falls as well as the creeks of the Cross River.
Udokaha Jacob Esuene was a Nigerian air force officer who was Military Governor of South-Eastern State between May 1967 and July 1975 during the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon. He was the first governor after the state was formed in May 1967 when Eastern Region was split into East-Central State, Rivers State and South-Eastern states.
Clement Nyong Isong ; 20 April 1920 – 29 May 2000) was a Nigerian banker and politician who was governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria from 1967 to 1975 during the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon. He was later elected governor of Cross River State (1979–1983) in the Nigerian Second Republic.
The Calabar International Convention Centre is located in Calabar, Cross River, Nigeria. It opened in the third quarter of 2015. It was built by the state former governor Liyel Imoke. Liyel Imoke a Nigerian politician served as the governor of Cross River State Nigeria from 29 May 2007 till 29 May 2015. The governor obtained his B.A degree in International Relations and LLB degree from the University of Maryland (U.S.A) and Buckingham (England) .He was called to Nigerian Bar in 1988.
Ernest Ibok Etim-Bassey was a Nigerian socialist, journalist, public servant and politician who studied journalism at Moscow's Friendship University, in the former Soviet Union. He held the traditional title of Otu Ekong of Efikland. Born in Ikoneto, Odukpani LGA, Cross River State, Nigeria, in 1926. He died in Calabar on 6 August 1998 and was buried in Ikoneto on 25 October 1998.
Sandy Ojang Onor is a Nigerian politician who served as the senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District from 2019 to 2023. He was elected in 2019 to represent Cross River Central Senatorial District in the 9th Assembly of the Senate. He is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The 2023 Cross River State gubernatorial election took place on 18 March 2023, to elect the Governor of Cross River State, concurrent with elections to the Cross River State House of Assembly as well as twenty-seven other gubernatorial elections and elections to all other state houses of assembly. The election—which was postponed from its original 11 March date—will be held three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections. Incumbent APC Governor Benedict Ayade was term-limited and could not seek re-election to a third term.
The Calabar Monorail is a monorail system in Calabar, state capital of Cross River state, Nigeria. The single-track, 1.1 kilometres (0.68 mi) line runs from the Calabar International Convention Centre to the Tinapa Resort. The project was initiated by the former governor of Cross River state, Senator Liyel Imoke and completed by successor Benedict Ayade.
Marina Resort is a recreational and historical destination in Calabar, the capital city of Cross River State, Nigeria. It was built on May 26, 2007, by former governor Donald Duke, to promote tourism in the state. The resort features a variety of attractions, such as a slave history museum, a cinema, a restaurant, a bar, and a waterfront area.