Akwa Akpa (2020) - Digital media
The Ancient Kingdom of Akwa Akpa: Merchants, Notables & Slavery
Akwa Akpa was an Efik city-state that flourished in the 19th century. Today, it is the modern city of Calabar in Cross River state, Nigeria.
Akwa Akpa was formed by the migration of African merchants from predominantly five ethnic groups, who settled in the coastal Akwa Akpa region in the 16th century. Initially, they lived in large, fortified villages, sustaining themselves through fishing and farming. They also had no paramount leader.
As the European demand for slaves, produce & provisions, increased, the people of Akwa Akpa created market infrastructures in order to capitalize. They developed inter-regional trade with transport provided by canoes and ships holding slaves. As trade expanded, villages along commercial routes developed into market centers. The arrival of European traders also prompted Cross River merchants to widen their commercial networks, requiring that European traders paid several port dues ("com- ey") to local Calabar businessmen to be allowed to trade. By the 18th century, Cross River merchants had created the infrastructure needed to annually export: 5-10 tons of ivory and dyewood, some palm oil, thousands of yams and 1,000-1,250 enslaved people.
The main ethnic group taken out of Calabar as slaves were the Igbo. Most slave ships that transported enslaved people from Calabar were British, around 85% of these being from Bristol and Liverpool.
Cited
Goldie, H., & Dean, J. T. (2008). Calabar and its mission. Oliphant, Anderson & Ferrier.