Калабар: Столица штата Кросс-Ривер, Нигерия

Capital city of Cross River State, Nigeria

Calabar (also referred to as Callabar, Calabari, Calbari, Cali and Kalabar) 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 (from its inland delta). Calabar is often described as the tourism capital of Nigeria, especially due to several initiatives implemented during the administration of Donald Duke as the Governor of Cross River State (1999–2007). The city became the cleanest and most environmentally friendly city in Nigeria. Administratively, the city is divided into Calabar Municipal and Calabar South Local Government Areas. It has an area of and, as of the 2006 census, a population of 371,022. Both LGAs together had an estimated population of 571,500 in 2022.

Margaret Ekpo International Airport was inaugurated in 1983 by the then President Shagari. Lufthansa, British Airways and KLM/Air France fly to the airport from Calabar with a stopover in Lagos or Abuja (the last leg of the flight is operated by the regional airlines Air Peace, Ibom Air and Aero Contractors).

The Calabar Port Complex consists of the Old Port, the New Port and the Dockyard and is responsible for the petroleum terminals at Antan, Odudu, Yoho and QuaIboe as well as other jetties at NIWA, McIver, NNPC, ALSCON, Dozzy and Northwest. The three terminals at the Port of Calabar are operated by "world class terminal operators, namely: ECM Terminal Ltd, INTELS Nigeria Ltd and Shoreline Logistics Nigeria Limited", according to the port operating company NPA. The port of Calabar's profile in the oil and gas industry is fast gaining traction as the business is to capitalise on import and export opportunities by providing an efficient port service system that guarantees fast turnaround time of vessels and faster cargo clearance.

Calabar sees itself as the "tourism capital of Nigeria". This is supported by the state government.

One of the five main themes of the museum is the Esuk Mba slave market in Akpabuyo. The slave trade in Calabar was based on slave raiding and trading, which mainly took place in the hinterland, where the enslaved were mostly prisoners of war. The prisoners of war were collected at this market and sold as slaves to slave traders. Another exhibition shows objects from the slave trade, including chains and shackles. The traders used these to prevent resistance while transporting as many people as possible over long distances.

The National Museum of Calabar was built in 1884 (it is sometimes incorrectly stated to have been built in 1959). It was formerly the government building or the governor's residence during colonial rule, which was built in Britain and then shipped in parts to Calabar. The Calabar National Museum is made of old Scandinavian pine and has preserved centuries old relics, especially documents, furnishings and artefacts from the colonial era. The museum houses the relics of the slave trade, including the names of the people who supported the slave trade and the currency of the slave trade. The Calabar National Museum, designed and built by the colonisers in Glasgow, houses souvenirs from the slave trade. In 1959, the building became a national monument. The National Museum was once the home of a British governor. It is located in Calabar, Cross River State, and displays unique artefacts and historical heritage. On a tour of the museum, you can see the furnishings used by Europeans during the slave trade and colonial period. You can also see the constitutions in their original documents, which are kept in a large library. Calabar's most impressive monument is located in the park of the National Museum. It depicts two chained hands.

Mary Mitchell Slessor was a Scottish missionary sent to Nigeria by the United Presbyterian Church in the 19th century. Mary Slessor's House, built around 1880 in Akpap Village, Calabar, Cross River State, is one of the monuments dedicated to her memory. Originally, the house was a mud house with two bedrooms, a verandah, a shop and a parlour. She referred to it as a "trailer", but the locals called it a "good pass all". In 1889, Mr Owens, a carpenter at the mission, was hired to build a more permanent structure for her. The walls were made of iron plates with wooden doors and windows. When Southern Nigeria became a British protectorate, Miss Slessor acted as a female magistrate and skilful diplomatic ambassador. For her efforts in Okoyong, she was given the Efik name Obongawan Okoyong (Queen of Okoyong). Millennium Park, with its pretty and attractive garden and arcades, is a major destination for first time visitors. Tastefully decorated to artfully showcase and embellish the rich history and culture of Cross River, it provides an excellent backdrop for carefree moments. The Millennium Park is beautifully landscaped and managed and complements the beauty and tourism concept of Calabar town.

Located within the Calabar Marina Resort, Tortuga Island is an area with three popular plantation style bars. The colonial inspired themed bars are set in beautiful landscaped gardens and offer panoramic views of the river. The famous Tortuga Island is a seating area within the resort. The operators rave about a cocktail at sunset and a delicious grilled meat dinner. You can "order from a well stocked bar and enjoy expertly fried fish as well as some other delicacies."

The Tinapa Resort seems to have fallen into disrepair during the Covid epidemic. Pictures on a travel website show broken windows and various pioneer plants around the vacant building. The decay also affects the Calabar monorail located on the premises, which was once the first of its kind in Africa.

The Drill Rehabilitation Centre nature reserve was founded in 1991 and is the first rehabilitation project for primates in the region. Drills orphaned by hunting are donated by local citizens or handed over after confiscation by the authorities; no animals are bought or taken from the wild. More than 75 drills have been rescued and reunited with conspecifics after a thorough medical examination. Drills have reproduced poorly in western zoos, but the DRBC has recorded over 250 births from rehabilitated wild born parents and their offspring, making the project the world's most successful captive breeding programme for an endangered primate. Today, 286 drills live in 6 family groups, each in their own natural habitat in an electrified enclosure of up to 9 hectares. There are plans to release the first group back into the wild. The Drill Ranch is also home to 28 orphaned chimpanzees. As the closest relatives of humans, the chimpanzees contribute greatly to the education of visitors by arousing interest and sympathy for the animal world. The project has two locations. The original site in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, is where it all began. Today, the "Drill Ranch Calabar" serves as the project's headquarters, office, quarantine centre for new animals and veterinary practice, as well as accommodation for the managers and rotating volunteer staff. One of the project's 6 drill breeding groups is also located here, so that anyone living in or visiting the state capital has the opportunity to see drills. This group now comprises 39 animals in 4 generations, including the first drill. Drill Ranch Calabar is also home to a chimpanzee nursery the project's youngest chimpanzees live here, where they receive round the clock care and supervision before moving to Afi Ranch at the age of 6 8 years.

Not far from Calabar you can visit the Kwa Waterfalls (approx. 15 km away), Ibeno Beach (30 km away) and the Cross River National Park. These three attractions are the most popular in Calabar on tourism websites.

The Kwa Falls is an impressive waterfall characterised by a narrow, steep gorge from top to bottom. The sparkling water plunges into the depths and forms a pool that is ideal for a variety of water sports. Anyone can go swimming here.

Ibeno Beach is one of the Atlantic Ocean beaches along the coastline of Ibeno in Akwa Ibom State. It is the longest sandy beach in West Africa. Ibeno Beach stretches for about 30 kilometres from Ibeno to James Town along the Atlantic coast of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. With its beautiful coastline, Ibeno offers endless natural opportunities for tourism, water sports, beach football and boating. Vlogger Tayo Aina speaks of the "best kept secret of Akwa Ibom".

Cross River National Park is located north east of Calabar and borders Cameroon. The Nigerian federal government is courting investors to develop the potential of ecotourism in this and other national parks. The park's motto is "The Pride Of Nigeria". The Kanyang Tourist Village, about an hour's drive from Calabar, will provide visitors with a base from which to visit the park and will have a lodge, restaurant and wildlife museum. Activities include game viewing, bird watching, gorilla tracking, mountain climbing or hiking, sport fishing, boat cruises and the Botanical Gardens and Herbarium at Butatong. Attractions include the Kwa Falls (see above). The Agbokim Falls on the Cross River plunge over a cliff into the tropical rainforest in about 7 steps. There is a small zoological garden with animal species that are rare in Nigeria, which has helped to save some rare species from extinction.

Among the best hospitals (according to various lists on the Internet) are the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and the Federal Psychiatric Hospital. The former took over the facilities of the former St Margaret's Hospital in 1979, which had been founded in 1897 as the first public hospital in Nigeria. The facilities of the maternity centre of St. Margaret's Hospital were also taken over by the hospital. The Nigerian Navy maintains a naval hospital in Calabar, the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital. The Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital claims to be "one of the best military health facilities in Nigeria. It emphasises the importance the Nigerian Navy places on providing excellent healthcare to members of the armed forces and society at large."

Calabar has three principal landlord kingdoms, namely the Qua Kingdom of Ejagham (Ekoi)/Bantu origin, the Efut and the Efik Kingdoms. The Qua Kingdom has the Ndidem of the Qua nation as the Grand Patriarch, the Efut have the Muri munene as the Grand Patriarch, and the Efik Kingdom patriarch is known as the Obong.

Before the colonial period, Calabar, originally known as Akwa Akpa, was a kingdom with the City of Calabar as the site of government. Calabar has three different monarchs, the Obong of Calabar as the ruler of the Efiks and the Ekpe secret society as the stool on which the Obong of Calabar sat. The Ndidem of Calabar is the ruler of the Quas and paramount ruler of Calabar Municipality which is the seat of government. The muri munene of the Efuts who is the ruler of the Efuts and paramount ruler of Calabar South.

Calabar people are mainly people from the old Calabar province – Calabar South, Calabar Municipality, Akpabuyo, Bakassi, Biase, Odukpani and Akamkpa, but as commonly used in Nigeria, the term "Calabar people" could also refer to the indigenes of Greater Calabar as well as the people of the original South Eastern State of Nigeria who are at present the people of Akwa Ibom State and Cross River State.