Palace of King Eyo Honesty II, Creek Town

In Creek Town, Odukpani L.G.A., Cross River State, Nigeria, Miller interviews Chief Efiong Ekpenyong Eyo, Ekpenyong Eyo Iba, who gives details about the prefabricated iron house (made in England) of King Eyo Honesty II, of whom the speaker is a descendant. The house probably 200 years old and needs repair. The speaker reports that Eyo Honesty II brought the “Okpogho” grade into Efik Ekpe (i.e., he didn’t create it, he brought it from another source, likely Cameroon). Eyo Honesty II encouraged his community to become church members, even though he refused to be Christianized. The canons in front of the mansion display his high status, because he had gotten it from British trading partners in the “supercargo” ships of the 1800s. Because Eyo Honesty brought “Okpogho” into Efik Ekpe, any Etubom ('head') of the Honesty family must be a titleholder of “Okpogho” grade. He reports that the Nkanda grade comes to Efik Ekpe through Archibong’s family. In the 1800s, when an Obong died, slaves were killed to be placed in his grave, and Eyo Honesty is credited with stopping this practice in Calabar. Recorded December 2005.