The Henshaw Town Families were represented at the enquiry by Chief Thomas Asuquo Efiom, who made both oral and written submissions, chief Efiom stated that “the true story or history of the founding of Duke Town will be found in the proceedings of a Supreme Court case of the 20th August, 1917; Chief Ntoi Eta and Edim Edim Ntoi versus Obong Adam Ephraim Duke and others.”

In this case Obong Adam Ephraim Duke, sworn, stated as follows:

  1. “I am the Obong of Calabar and member of Native Court. I was made Obong in 1908.
    I know the Quas, Efuts, Anwans and Iduas. We the Efiks lived originally in Ibibio.
    We then came to Duke Town.
    We were fishermen and farmers.
    We came from Creek Town to Calabar river and fished along the banks.

The fishermen came and reported that there was good land, so the big men came and inspected the land which is this Calabar. They liked the land . . . Ansa Efiom (Henshaw), Edem Efiom (Ntiero) and Okoho Efiom, a woman (Eyamba), came from Creek Town and had fishing huts. Subsequently, the three built one town which is the present Duke Town. Old Town came from Creek Town. We met them after we had settled on this side . . . when we left Creek Town, Creek Town was a big town.”

  1. Prince Bassey Duke one of the defendants in the case, sworn, contributed the following information regarding early Efik history:

“I know the history of Calabar from my father, King Duke IX who reigned as King from 1878-1896.
He succeeded Archibong III . .
There is no native history written. My father told me about Calabar after I came from England.
He told me as follow:

“The Efiks were originally Ibo descendants.
They came from Mbiak Creek in Ibibio country. There was a quarrel and they moved on.
Efik comes from Efik

Eburutu. From Isong Inyang they came to Creek Town.
There were different classes: Iboku, Obutong, Adiabo,, Anwan and Abayen. We were all fishermen, but we did little farming. Adiabo left first and came to what is now called Old Town . . . A quarrel arose in Creek Town between Iboku and Obutong and the latter cleared away and went to Esuk Utan. Shortly afterwards Iboku came and built where Duke Town is now. Our fishermen reported good land here and Ansa Efiom, Edem Efiom and Okoho Efiom and their families came and settled at what is now Duke Town . . . These three persons now form the present five houses of Calabar now known as Duke Town, Eyamba, Ntiero, Etim Efiom Archibong and Henshaw. The Cobhams came afterwards and established themselves as Cobham Town. The Anwans came with Ibokus. They built at Tete’s Street . . . The Anwans then went to Henshaw Town. Creek Town is now Iboku Edik, meaning Creek Town and we are Iboku Utan meaning Sand’.

Henshaw drove the Anwans, so we are left. Henshaw, Cobhams and the Dukes-Ntiero, Archibong, Eyamba and Etim Efiom- -all now occupy Duke Town.’”

EteteOnline Team

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