When you talk of raw beauty....Northern Crossriver is second to non.

Good observation though, you forgot to mention the politeness with which visitors are accorded, a solid platform for tourism to flourish.

JaypeeAnics:
Its a PDP state...and APC can never rule dem...
I was expecting dat from u.....but it seems dat u didn't learn anything meaningful.... lol....

Oga I no wan spoil this thread with politics biko. But I started getting free beer and peppersoup when some politicians in my village saw that I was a GEJite. They were surprised to see a Yoruba supporting Jonathan. From the news and social media, the impression was that all Yorubas were for APC and Buhari. The thing is if a dog should contest under PDP with Odey Ochicha the APC governorship candidate, he would win. The hate APC with passion and till I left the wound of the last election was yet to heal. Even Odey who contested under APC decamped after losing the PDP primaries to Ben Ayade.

I really need to applaud you for this write-up about Calabar esp. Northern part of Cross River where I once worked .
I worked in Bekwara, Yala and Ogoja and I must say my stay was memorable and interesting
However, you made mention of Ishibori girls being so beautiful ,for me it's a big blunder.
1. Yala Girls are more educated ,beautiful and fun to be with besides Ishibori girls.
2. Ishibori girls prefers the Locals and Hausa to sleep with them for money.(hope you've heard of Hausa/Ishibori)
3. You got it right when u made mention of Afrike palmwine, esp. Ukpah market palmy
4. Bekwara is a small town without an Upstair. Quote me anywhere.
5. If you never see witch or chop witch before , go to bekwara.

It would have made sense if we knew each other when I was still working there.
I know you tasted all the good good living things on Mission Road in Igoli. esp. Ishibori
To serve in Bekwara and come back is not easy, not for the witch thing but because the place is 6 hours away from Civilization.

Well done. Best of Luck in your future Endeavours.

Hmmm! U lyk travellin nd seein places? I smell Buhari in d making...

About education, we all know the western part of this country embraced education early so also the core south south of which cross river is also a state therein.
peeps here take education seriously, just take away the south west who as far as d nation Nigeria is concerned lead in education. Cross river state is far ahead of most states in d south east, north central, not to even talk of the core northern states. Although, as always there's still room for improvement, hence we strive for more academically

whitecloth:

abeg, tell me more about the witch thing.

That one hard o. I dey come

Bekwarra:
That one hard o. I dey come

Am waiting ooooooo

NO . 9 is all but wot I m presently missing here in ZARIA CITY. chai

@Op, it's nice to know that you really enjoyed your stay to the extent of adopting the name of the LGA you served as your moniker! Well, calabar was where I was born and I still have fond memories of the place. Canaan city is a beautiful city anytime, any day!

Nice one, Op. Hope to visit Cross River someday soon. You're on point about their tribes and cuisine. I have friends from Yala, and gosh, they sure can cook! I also have friends from Ogoja/Obubra. Nigeria is a beautiful place.

@ op, let me put it to you that you wrote all this based on your observations in NORTHERN Cross River and a few visits to calabar because you mentioned less about d south and central.
I would like to differ on your numbers 3 & 6, in all this your research how long have you ever spent in a place called Ugep in Yakkur?

lol bt ndi agbor, delta state, kai dose pple rank burial over xmas

served in Abi local govt and to be candid they are accommodating and nice.

@Bekwarra: Are you saying the prevalence,of 'witchcraft' is high?

OP you nailed it! Everything you said is soo true.

benefitzte:
@ op, let me put it to you that you wrote all this based on your observations in NORTHERN Cross River and a few visits to calabar because you mentioned less about d south and central.
I would like to differ on your numbers 3 & 6, in all this your research how long have you ever spent in a place called Ugep in Yakkur?

Like I said earlier, I served in Bekwarra and I visited other places. Visiting is different from living there. I've been to Ugep before and I heard the village is the biggest in West Africa. Oops! They also eat people I was told.

benefitzte:
@ op, let me put it to you that you wrote all this based on your observations in NORTHERN Cross River and a few visits to calabar because you mentioned less about d south and central.
I would like to differ on your numbers 3 & 6, in all this your research how long have you ever spent in a place called Ugep in Yakkur?

What he said also applies to Ugep. How many banks are in Ugep? Is there any bank in Idomi the neighbouring village? Or even Mkpani

You took your time in studying their way of life, I am proud to be a Cross riverein(Boki rock)

Op no vex o. How many states in Nigeria have have u visited and how many of their foods and Palm wines have u tasted? Speak for ursef. Go taste nsukka palmy then come back and edit.
Also on qualifying cali chics, u talked about beauty instead of confirming the real 'hmm hmm' thing we use sabi them. Abi ur name na chop and clean mouth?

heybeemoney:
NO . 9 is all but wot I m presently missing here in ZARIA CITY. chai

Where in Zaria do u stay?

As someone who served in Akwa Ibom state, I think all the facts highlighted are true and applies too. The development is only concentrated in specific places in their states. Let's pick somewhere like Osun or Ondo for example, these states have much 'life' in the capital but other parts are not dead zones as it applies in the South South.
Their love for education is also alarming. I wonder how they think without education, anyone can make much headway in today's economy. When yoruba single ladies are doing masters and PhD, their ladies are more interested in marriage and beauty.
Their unenterprise is also baffling. I once entered a restaurant on Monday afternoon in the heart of Uyo and they only had garri (eba) on the menu but no meat/fish. I felt like cursing the woman. When mama put in Lagos can boast of 8-10 different foods on the menu before 7:30am. Don't you even think of getting recharge cards from street vendors at this time.
I wonder why they do not imbibe the enterprise spirit from their igbo neighbours.

whitecloth:

Am waiting ooooooo

When I was posted to Bekwarra, one of the girls selling things in camp advised me to be wary of Bekwarrans because "dem get winch for their o". I didn't take it serious because I used to believe there are witches everywhere in Nigeria and in my mind "who don see winch before". It was later when I got there and I was warned first by my students to stop moving at night. They said "corpo this place no be Lagos o, no dey move anyhow at night make dem no give u winch". I was jittery and I stopped going out to urinate at night, I got an Eva bottle to serve the purpose. It was later that an elderly woman told me they were no longer present in most parts of Bekwarra as Christianity has taken it from them. She said they are no longer in my own village but in some other places like Ebegang, anyikang, Obiarigidi, Okpeche etc. She explained their modus operandi to me, they are both males and females and people know some of them (they showed me a few) while they don't know others. I was also shown a cripple who has what Yorubas call edun ara, he's wicked and feared in the community. I once bought kai kai for him though. Most of them go out in the night fully naked from around 12am till 4am. When they see a person on the road, they stoop or hide beside a tree and when the person passes they "give am winch" slap the person and if the person is fast enough to pick a stone or even sand to throw back at the person before disappearing, that's back to sender but if not the person will continue to wither like a tree set on fire till the person eventually dies days later. In a few instances, the slap will make the person become part of them.

U can say that again...I was there some weeks back for 5nights...forgot abt Lagos completely


I will be back there

evegran:
Its a nice place for a holiday.



Clean, calm and the air smells fresh.

I mean Calabar.

Did you visit the Obudu cattle ranch? I expected to read much about that in your write up. What about the dog issue, and others Lol

matrixme:
As someone who served in Akwa Ibom state, I think all the facts highlighted are true and applies too. The development is only concentrated in specific places in their states. Let's pick somewhere like Osun or Ondo for example, these states have much 'life' in the capital but other parts are not dead zones as it applies in the South South.
Their love for education is also alarming. I wonder how they think without education, anyone can make much headway in today's economy. When yoruba single ladies are doing masters and PhD, their ladies are more interested in marriage and beauty.
Their unenterprise is also baffling. I once entered a restaurant on Monday afternoon in the heart of Uyo and they only had garri (eba) on the menu but no meat/fish. I felt like cursing the woman. When mama put in Lagos can boast of 8-10 different foods on the menu before 7:30am. Don't you even think of getting recharge cards from street vendors at this time.
I wonder why they do not imbibe the enterprise spirit from their igbo neighbours.

Bro you nailed it. Provisions and groceries stores there are owned by Igbos. Many of my students will never think beyond secondary school and even that one na by force. Whenever I ask them for which university they'll like to attend, their response is always "no o me I no fit trouble myself, you know say una Yoruba una too like book." On the part of development being concentrated in a particular place, remove Calabar and Cross River won't even come close to Osun. Corpers in Boki, Ogoja, Yala, Obudu and Bekwarra bank with Diamond in Igoli. No banks in those local government except that of Ogoja. Ikom, Akamkpa, Ogoja, Obanliku and Calabar are fair.

Lol.
Op dun touch down my state. I have been to almost every region in Nigeria believe me never seen a place like cross rivers.
Everything you said is valid but for;

Rurality- did you cover the southern part?
Akampka,yakurr,Obubra,ikom etc. & even if there should be a heirachy of most developed(urban) LGA's in the state bekwarra will be amongst the last 3. However I do agree with your input that the government should focus evenly on all parts of the state asides from cali.

Education; Lai Lai.. Yu dun go east? What about north. Even some parts in the west.
Omoh for this level we pass many.
I schooled in Maryknoll and Fedsco and majority of students in school came from different states all across the country.

All in all you on point.
For that witch aspect,no juz go ther o. I laugh when I hear ppl say na benin juju don pass.

You no enter ranch?

IMO State has the best palm wine.
You never mentioned dogs. Why??
You were disappointed by the Calabar girls...maybe you weren't able to toast any and you decided to shift the blame to them!?!? Calabar girls are the best. The whole country knows that.
But a good write up nonetheless.

dimsonu:

Burial...
Is this not an epidemic in the Southern Nigeria?
I grew up hearing that burials in Yoruba land is like Seasonal movies.
Igbo people's Burial na Nollywood.
Here in Warri...Obito na road blocking things on...each family member with their own canopy and DJ...
It's a problem.
When I lost my dad in 2009 na only God know say the money wey we spend fit build upstair.
...it's all vanity after all.

Its a big shame! Many dnt knw the implications of celebrating the dead. I tell people, burial ceremony is evil with disastrous spiritual implications on the land and those who engage in it. Foods and drinks they eat is a sacrifice to the spirit of death. Come on Mr. Death com take more of our people!

I love Cross River too Op. I'll be there someday.

nextstep:
Thanks for this insightful post about Cross Rivers, also taking time to delve into details about economics, educational aspects, and general life. Your post shows one of the many reasons our NYSC is a positive thing: exposing Nigerians to diFferent parts of our wonderful country.
Makes me wish I could spend a year there too.

Nysc is very positive, I'm a living testimony.

I served in Obanliku LG, home of cattle Ranch, nice write up, Bayatou and Bayayam palmie are the best palmie in the whole of cross river, even more than kwale palmie in Delta state. Bayatou palmie is one cup nd leave if u don't want to disgrace urslf(down wine), up wine, don't even near it. Another place to get correct palmie is Boki East. I visited virtually all the local govt... Boki nd Ikom girls are the best not ogoja. Very accommidating. But cross river is the headquarter of corruption coupled with poverty ..

Vikings007:
fixed.

thanks

Bekwarra:
Most of them go out in the night fully naked from around 12am till 4am. When they see a person on the road, they stoop or hide beside a tree and when the person passes they "give am winch" slap the person and if the person is fast enough to pick a stone or even sand to throw back at the person before disappearing, that's back to sender but if not the person will continue to wither like a tree set on fire till the person eventually dies days later. In a few instances, the slap will make the person become part of them.

Omo, that's scary o.
he don do abeg.