Cross River State, Nigeria
Cross River State
— State —
Nickname(s): The People's Paradise
Location of Cross River State in Nigeria
Kwa Falls, a waterfall along the Kwa River
Coordinates: 5°45′N 8°30′E / 5.75°N 8.5°ECoordinates: 5°45′N 8°30′E / 5.75°N 8.5°E
Country: Nigeria
Date created :27 May 1967
Capital: Calabar
Government
- Governor
Ben Ayade.
Area
- Total
20,156 km2 (7,782.3 sq mi)
Area rank: 19th of 36
Population(2011):
- Total:3,337,517
- Rank 27th of 36
- Density 92.6/km2 (239.7/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)
- Year
2007
- Total $9.29 billion[1]
- Per capita $3,150[1]
Time zone WAT (UTC+01)
ISO 3166 code NG-CR
Cross River State is a coastal state in South-South Nigeria, bordering Cameroon to the east. Its capital is at Calabar, and it is named for the Cross River (Oyono), which passes through the state. Ejagham and Efik are major languages of this state, but the Igbo tribe and language are also present in its western land borders. Cross River State is a coastal state in South Eastern Nigeria, named after the Cross River, which passes through the state. Located in the Niger Delta, Cross River State occupies 20,156 square kilometers. It shares boundaries with Benue State to the north, Enugu and Abia States to the west, to the east by Cameroon Republic and to the south by Akwa-Ibom and the Atlantic Ocean.
History
Cross River State was created on May 27, 1967 from the former Eastern Region, Nigeria by the General Yakubu Gowon regime. Its name was changed to Cross River State in the 1976 state creation exercise by the then General Murtala Mohammed regime from South Eastern State. The present day Akwa Ibom State was excised from it in the state creation exercise of September 1987 by the then regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. Its capital is Calabar. Its major towns are Akamkpa, Biase, Calabar South, Ikom, Obubra, Odukpani, Ogoja, Ugep, Obudu, Obanliku and Akpabuyo.
The state has been governed by lots of previous Governors and Administrators which included Udoakaha.J.Esuene, Paul Omu, Tunde Elegbede, Clement Isong, Donald Etiebet, Daniel Archibong, Ibim Princewill, Ernest Atta, Clement Ebri, Ibrahim Kefas, Gregory Agboneni,Umar Faoruk Ahmed, Christopher Osondu and Donald Duke.The present governor Liyel Imoke has been the state governor since May 29, 2007-July 14, 2008 and from August 26, 2008 to date.
Demographics
The State is composed of three major ethnic groups-these are the Efik, the Ejagham and the Bekwarra. The Efik language is very widely spoken in Cross River State, even as far as Arochukwu in neighbouring Abia state.
The Efik speaking people live mainly in the Calabar Municipality and Calabar South LGAs,and also in Bakassi,Akpabuyo,Odukpani and in parts of Akamkpa LGAs. There is also the Qua community in Calabar, which speaks Ejagham.The main Ejagham group occupies mostly the northern sections of the State. The other groups north of Calabar are known as the Ekoi's. The Ekoi's are the peoole of Biase in Biase LGA,part of Akampka LGA (i.e. Oban) and the Bahumono in Abi LGA.
Ekpe culture
Tinapa resorts
There is also the Yakurr/Agoi ethnic group in Yakurr LGA, while the Mbembe are predominantly found in Obubra LGA. Further up the core northern part of the state are several sub-dialectical groups, among which are Etung, Olulumo, Ofutop, Nkim/Nkum, Abanajum, Nseke and Boki in both Ikom, Etung and Boki LGAs. Also, the Yala/Yache, Ukelle, Ekajuka, Mbube, Bette, Bekwarra and Utugwanga people are found in Ogoja, Yala, Obudu and Obanliku LGA's.
Ikom monolithCross River State epitomises the nation's linguistic and cultural plurality and it is important to note that, in spite of the diversity of dialects, all the ethnic groups in the state have a common linguistic root -Bantu.
Administrative divisions
Cross River State is divided into 18 Local Government Areas. They are:
Abi
Akamkpa
Akpabuyo
Bakassi
Bekwarra
Biase
Boki
Calabar Municipal
Calabar South
Etung.
Ikom.
Obanliku.
Obubra.
Obudu.
Odukpani.
Ogoja.
Yakurr.
Yala.
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