Winifred Akoda

Preface

On commencing research into Eniong Abatim history in August 2019, there was no indication that materials for the work would be available for a well-researched study bearing in mind the lax attitude of some groups towards preserving historical documents and the tight-fistedness of those few who preserved some of these documents. The task before us seemed insurmountable, but we remained undeterred. For several months, we sought the assistance of Eniong families, visited several communities within and outside Eniong and Calabar, conducted virtual and non-virtual interviews and reached out to the various archives, libraries and institutions around the world that kept records on Eniong. Gradually, our fears and anxiety were assuaged as our efforts began to bear fruit, despite numerous hurdles, and finally led to the publication of this book.

The book, Groundwork of Eniong Abatim History (16702020) relays the history of the Eniong Abatim people, an Efikspeaking group situated in the lower Cross River region and the Eniong Creek. Ironically, while the Eniong are among the least documented groups in the historiography of the lower Cross River region, they set the pace for many Efik-speaking communities in terms of occupying enviable positions in the fields of hospitality, banking, government, medicine, education and entrepreneurship. Accordingly, this book is a compendium of the rich history of Eniong Abatim. The work unravels the history and evolution of Eniong society, documenting its origin, migration, settlements and families, intergroup relations, and economic, social and political activities through the centuries, as well as certain developments that affected the Eniong such as Christianity, Western education, the Nigerian Civil War and more recent developments.

Maternally from Eniong, the authors have toiled endlessly to ensure that the Eniong people, for generations to come, will confidently be able to assert the existence of their history, have a reference point to support this claim, and by learning from history, will unite towards the realisation of a greater future. Finally, we hope that researchers of Eniong history will build upon this work to expand the frontiers of knowledge.

Contents

Acknowledgements
Preface
List of Figures
List of Tables
List of Charts
Abbreviations
Notes on Orthography
Glossary
Introduction
Chapter 1: Background
Chapter 2: Early Settlements in Eniong
Chapter 3: Later Settlements at Eniong
Chapter 4: Eniong Ancestral Families
Chapter 5: Early Political Life
Chapter 6: Economic Foundations of the Eniong Society
Chapter 7: Eniong and Her Neighbours
Chapter 8: Social Conditions
Chapter 9: The Church and Formal Education
Chapter 10: Political Organisation from 1890 to 1999
Chapter 11: Eniong Abatim in the Civil War
Chapter 12: Eniong Abatim from 1970-2020
Conclusion

Appendices
Appendix 1: An Intelligence report on Usahadet, 1933
Appendix 2: The War between Old Calabar and Eniong – The Belfast News-letter, Saturday, May 31, 1890
Appendix 3: Letter by the Chiefs of Eniong (1914)
Appendix 4: Mnemonic Aids: Notes on the 1910 Ballad
Bibliography