Bakassi is a peninsula on the Gulf of Guinea. It lies between the Cross River estuary, near the city of Calabar and the Rio del Ray estuary on the east. It is governed by Cameroon, following the transfer of sovereignty from neighbouring Nigeria as a result of a judgment by the International Court of Justice. On 22 November 2007, the Nigerian Senate rejected the transfer, since the Greentree Agreement ceding the area to Cameroon was contrary to Section 12(1) of the 1999 Constitution. Regardless, the territory was completely ceded to Cameroon on 14 August 2008, exactly two years after the first part of it was transferred.
The history of Nigeria can be traced to the earliest inhabitants whose remains date from at least 13,000 BC through early civilizations such as the Nok culture which began around 1500 BC. Numerous ancient African civilizations settled in the region that is known today as Nigeria, such as the Kingdom of Nri, the Benin Empire, and the Oyo Empire. Islam reached Nigeria through the Bornu Empire between and Hausa Kingdom during the 11th century, while Christianity came to Nigeria in the 15th century through Augustinian and Capuchin monks from Portugal to the Kingdom of Warri. The Songhai Empire also occupied part of the region. Through contact with Europeans, early harbour towns such as Calabar, Badagry and Bonny emerged along the coast after 1480, which did business in the transatlantic slave trade, among other things. Conflicts in the hinterland, such as the civil war in the Oyo Empire, meant that new enslaved people were constantly being "supplied".
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.
Delta State is a state in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Named after the Niger Delta—a large part of which is in the state—the state was formed from the former Bendel State in August 27, 1991. Bordered on the north by Edo State, the east by Anambra and Rivers states, and that south by Bayelsa State while to the west is the Bight of Benin which covers about 160 kilometres of the state's coastline. The state was initially created with 12 local government areas in 1991 which was later extended to 19 and now has 25 local government areas. Asaba as its state capital located along the River Niger on the northeastern end of the state, while the state's economic center is Warri on the southwestern coastline.
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.
The Niger Delta is the delta of the Niger River sitting directly on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean in Nigeria. It is located within nine coastal southern Nigerian states, which include: all six states from the South South geopolitical zone, one state (Ondo) from South West geopolitical zone and two states from South East geopolitical zone.
Rivers State, also known as Rivers, is a state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria. Formed in 1967, when it was split from the former Eastern Region, Rivers State borders include Imo and Anambra to the north, Abia and Akwa Ibom to the east, and Bayelsa and Delta to the west.The State capital, Port Harcourt, is a metropolis that is considered to be the commercial center of the Nigerian oil industry.
Bayelsa is a state in the South South region of Nigeria, located in the core of the Niger Delta. Bayelsa State was created in 1996 and was carved out from Rivers State, making it one of the newest states in the federation. The capital, Yenagoa, is susceptible to high risk of annual flooding. It shares a boundary with Rivers State to the east and Delta State to the north across the Niger River for 17 km and the Forçados River for 198 km, with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean dominating its southern borders. It has a total area of 10,773 square kilometres (4,159 sq mi). The state comprises eight local government areas: Ekeremor, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Yenagoa, Nembe, Ogbia, Sagbama, Brass and Southern Ijaw. The state is the smallest in Nigeria by population as of the 2006 census. Being in the Niger Delta, Bayelsa State has a riverine and estuarine setting, with bodies of water within the state preventing the development of significant road infrastructure.
Environmental issues in the Niger Delta are caused by its petroleum industry. The delta covers 20,000 km2 (7,700 sq mi) within wetlands of 70,000 km2 (27,000 sq mi) formed primarily by sediment deposition. Home to 20 million people and 40 different ethnic groups, this floodplain makes up 7.5% of Nigeria's total land mass. It is the largest wetland and maintains the third-largest drainage basin in Africa. The Delta's environment can be broken down into four ecological zones: coastal barrier islands, mangrove swamp forests, freshwater swamps, and lowland rainforests. Fishing and farming are the main sources of livelihoods for majority of her residents.
The Kalabari are a sub-group of the Ijaw people living in the eastern Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Originally, they were known as the Awome. The name Kalabari was derived from their ancestor Perebo Kalabari who was a son of Mein Owei. Their original settlement was spelt as Calabar by the Portuguese which was pronounced Kalabari. This settlement (town) was abandoned as the people moved to other fishing settlements. Portuguese settlers continued to maintain the name Calabari which became surrounded by the Efik people of Duke town. When the British came the word Calabari was pronounced as Calabar (Kalaba) instead of Kalabari. At this time the original Ijoid Kalabaris had moved to a new location which became the new Calabar territory since the old Calabar is occupied by different people. Old Calabar became an Efik town with time which has the name Calabar.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is a federal government agency that governs and operates the ports of Nigeria. The major ports controlled by the NPA include: the Lagos Port Complex and Tin Can Island Port in Lagos; Calabar Port, Delta Port, Rivers Port at Port Harcourt, and Onne Port. Operations of the NPA are carried out in affiliation with the Presidency of (Nigeria) and the Nigerian Shippers' Council. The Head office of the Nigerian Ports Authority is located in Marina, Lagos.
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.
The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria is a church in Nigeria and subscribes to the Westminster Confession of Faith.
Odigha Odigha is a Nigerian educator, environmentalist and activist. He is the founder of Nigeria NGO Coalition for the Environment. He was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2003, for his efforts on protection of the rainforests of Cross River State from industrial logging. According to Grist News, he said, "If you fight and run away, you'll live to fight another day. If you die in this struggle, your struggle may not continue." Odigha's focus was on the protection of the Cross River rainforest and on sustainable development for rainforest communities which began since 1994.
The Calabar River in Cross River State, Nigeria flows from the north past the city of Calabar, joining the larger Cross River about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) to the south. The river at Calabar forms a natural harbor deep enough for vessels with a draft of 6 metres (20 ft).
Ivara Ejemot Esu OFR, is a Nigerian politician, academic administrator and professor and is the former Deputy Governor of Cross River State. He hails from Agwagune in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. He holds the Nigerian National Honours Award in the rank of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) conferred on him by President Obasanjo in 2005 and the Cross River State Honours Merit Award conferred on him by Governor Donald Duke in 2004 for carrying out excellent management reforms at the University of Calabar. Esu has held many positions of responsibility such as Vice Chancellor, University of Calabar (2000–2005); Honourable Minister of State for Tourism, Culture and National Orientation ; Member, Technical Committee on Privatization and Commercialization (TCPC), Presidency, Lagos (1990–1992); Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development Cross River State (1992–1993); Chairman Federal Medical Centre Board, Owerri (2009–2011) and chairman, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi (2012–2015) and was an Elder Statesman Delegate at the 2014 National Conference of Nigeria. Esu is a Soil Scientist (Pedologist) who has taught in various tertiary institutions, some of which include; the Kaduna Polytechnic; Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, University of Calabar, University of Uyo and the University of Ghana, Legon, Accra.
Cross River South senatorial district is in Cross River State, Nigeria. It covers seven local governments areas of the state which include Calabar Municipality, Calabar South, Akpabuyo, Bakassi, Odukpani, Biase and Akampka. Asuquo Ekpenyong of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is the current senator representing the Cross River South senatorial district at the Nigerian senate. On 24 May 2020, the Nigerian Navy arrested 42 suspected cultists during initiation at Akpabuyo LGA in Cross River South senatorial district.
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.
Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar is a federal government of Nigeria speciality hospital located in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. The chief medical director is Bassey Edet.
