Cross River State is located in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Named after the Cross River, it was formed from the eastern part of the Eastern Region on 27 May 1967. The capital is Calabar.
It is bordered by: - Benue State (North) - Ebonyi and Abia States (West) - Akwa Ibom State (Southwest) - Cameroon (East)
Originally known as South-Eastern State, it was renamed Cross River State in 1976. In 1987, Akwa Ibom State was carved out of it.
Overview
- Area Rank: 19th in Nigeria
- Population Rank: 27th (~3.8 million as of 2016)
Geography
Cross River State features: - Guinean forest–savanna mosaic (far north) - Cross–Sanaga–Bioko coastal forests (interior) - Central African mangroves (far south) - Cameroonian Highlands forests (extreme northeast)
Key Rivers:
- Cross River: Bisects the interior and forms the western border
- Calabar River and Great Kwa River: Flow from Oban Hills into the estuary
Protected Areas:
- Cross River National Park
- Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary
- Mbe Mountains Community Forest
Notable Wildlife:
- Preuss's red colobus
- African forest buffalo
- Bat hawk
- Tree pangolin
- Grey-necked rockfowl
- Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee
- Cross River gorilla
- African forest elephant
History
- 1967: Created as South-Eastern State under Gen. Yakubu Gowon
- 1976: Renamed Cross River State
- 1987: Akwa Ibom carved out
- Capital: Calabar
Colonial Era:
- Efik founded Akwa Akpa (Old Calabar)
- Became part of Oil Rivers Protectorate in 1884
- Incorporated into British Nigeria early 1900s
Post-independence:
- Part of Eastern Region until 1967
- Biafra Civil War: Cross River was a frontline; Calabar fought over in Operation Tiger Claw
Governors (Past & Present):
- Udoakaha J. Esuene
- Clement Isong
- Donald Duke
- Liyel Imoke
- Benedict Ayade
- Bassey Edet Otu (Current Governor, elected in 2023, APC)
Climate
- Tropical climate with high humidity
- Temperature Range: 15°C – 30°C
- Obudu Plateau: 4°C – 10°C (cooler due to altitude)
- Annual Rainfall: 3306 mm
Demographics
Major Ethnic Groups:
- Efik
- Ejagham (Ekoi)
- Yakurr
- Bahumono
- Bette
- Yala
- Igede
- Ukelle
- Bekwarra
Languages:
- English (official)
- Efik, Ejagham, Bekwarra
- Others: Eki, Ibibio, Ilue, Ito, Okobo
Distribution:
- Efik: Southern LGAs (Calabar South, Bakassi, Akpabuyo, etc.)
- Ejagham: Greater Calabar and interior LGAs
- Yala, Igede, Bekwarra: Northern LGAs (Ogoja, Obudu, Obanliku)
Local Government Areas (18)
- Calabar Municipal
- Calabar South
- Akamkpa
- Akpabuyo
- Biase
- Bakassi
- Odukpani
- Abi
- Obubra
- Yakurr
- Ikom
- Etung
- Boki
- Yala
- Ogoja
- Bekwarra
- Obudu
- Obanliku
Religion
- Christianity is dominant
- Traditional religions are also practiced
Major Christian Bodies:
- Catholic Church: Archdiocese of Calabar, Diocese of Ogoja
- Anglican Diocese of Calabar
Festivals
- Calabar Christmas Festival: 1st – 31st December
- Calabar Carnival Float: 26th–27th December
- Leboku Yam Festival (Yakurr): 28th August
- Calabar Boat Regatta
- Bahumono Festivals:
- Anong: Ikpobin, Ekoi, Obam, Emukei, Eta dances
- Ediba: Last Saturday of July
- New Yam Festivals (Bekwarra, Obudu, etc.): 1st Saturday of September
Tourism
Natural Attractions:
- Obudu Mountain Resort
- Afi Rainforest
- Kwa Falls
- Agbokim Waterfalls
- Cross River National Park
- Afi Mountain Canopy Walkway
Cultural & Historic Sites:
- Ikom Monoliths
- Mary Slessor Tomb
- Calabar Slave Park
- Calabar Residency Museum
Urban Attractions:
- Tinapa Business Resort
- Calabar Marina Resort
Transportation Access:
- Air: Margaret Ekpo International Airport (Calabar)
- Water: Calabar Port
- Road: Extensive highway network to Benue, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom, Cameroon
Cally Air (State-owned airline):
- Operated 2021–2022
- Suspended due to N900M debt to Aero Contractors
Education
Tertiary Institutions:
- University of Calabar
- University of Cross River State (UNICROSS)
- Arthur Jarvis University (Akpabuyo)
- Federal College of Education (Obudu)
- College of Health Technology (Calabar)
- College of Agriculture (Obubra)
- Polytechnic Ugep (Yakurr)
- University of Education and Entrepreneurial Studies (Akamkpa)
Transportation
Major Highways:
- A4: Calabar – Ikom – Ogoja – Benue
- A343/TAH8: Mbok – Ebonyi (part of Trans-African Highway)
- A4-1: Odukpani – Akwa Ibom
- Calabar-Ikom Road: Access to Cameroon
Other Roads:
- Oju-Alebo Road
- Ikum-Wula Road
- Ranch Road (to Obudu Cattle Ranch)
- Amachi-Ndeokpai Road
Airports:
- Margaret Ekpo International Airport (Calabar)
- Bebi Airstrip
Politics
Governance:
- Governor: Bassey Edet Otu (APC, elected 2023)
- Legislative Arm: State House of Assembly
Electoral System:
- Modified two-round system
- Winner must:
- Receive plurality
- Gain at least 25% of votes in two-thirds of LGAs
- Otherwise, a runoff is held between top two candidates
See Also
- Akwa Akpa(#)
- Cross River languages(#)
- Tinapa Resort(#)
References & External Links
- Cross River State Ministry of Health Strategic Plan(#)
- Cross River State Official Website(#)
- Wikimedia Commons: Cross River State(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:CrossRiverState)