From slave trading depot to Nigerian tourism capital
In short: Once a notorious hub for the Atlantic slave trade, Calabar has undergone a profound transformation. From the 15th-century Portuguese explorers to the 19th-century expansion of the palm oil economy, the history of this Nigerian port is a complex tapestry of trade, colonial shifts, and social reform.
Originally known as Akwa Akpa by the Efik people, Calabar's identity was shaped by its role as a vital maritime gateway. In the 15th century, Portuguese navigators applied the name 'Calabar' to the local tribes, likely due to the region's production of the poisonous Calabar bean. By the 17th century, the Efik branch of the Ibibio people had settled the area, establishing a trade network that connected the African interior with European coasts.
The city's economic history is marked by dark transitions. During the Atlantic slave trade, Calabar became a major depot; between 1725 and 1750, approximately 17,000 enslaved Africans were sold from the port, a figure that surged to over 62,000 between 1772 and 1775. Following the British abolition of the slave trade in 1807, the economy shifted toward the export of palm oil and kernels, alongside timber, ivory, and beeswax.
Social and political structures also evolved through external influence. The Ekpe secret society once unified Efik settlements like Duke Town and Creek Town into the state of Old Calabar. In the mid-19th century, Scottish missionaries like Hope Waddell and Mary Slessor worked to abolish practices such as human sacrifice and the 'Judgment of God' poisoning ritual. While the British administrative headquarters moved to Lagos in 1906, Calabar remains a significant educational and industrial center, housing the University of Calabar and processing plants for rubber and oil-palm.
Today, the city's administrative landscape includes Calabar Municipal and Calabar South. Under the governorship of Donald Duke from 1999 to 2007, the city gained recognition as a clean, environmentally friendly destination, often referred to as Nigeria's tourism capital.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Calabar | Nigeria, Map, & Facts | Britannica
- Also: Calabar
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