CoURD

ORU
DIDI UFOR
AEDIN

Introducing

Rtubem Boco Eney Cobham

The Obong-Elect of Calabar

And

Paramount Ruler-Elect of the Efiks

Etubom Traditional Council Document,

Calabar, 11th December, 1989
 .
ETUBOM BOCO ENEYO COBHAM
The Oboag Elect Of Calabar
 BIOGRAPHY OF ETUBOM BOCO ENEYO
COBHAM ON THE OCCASION OF HIS PRO-
CLAMATION AS EDDEM ELECT BOCO
ENE MKPANG COBHAM v, OBONG-ELECT
OF CALABAR AND PARAMOUNT RULER.
ELECT OF,THE EFIKS, ON 11TH
DECEMBER, 1989.
BIRTH, PARENTAGE, GENEALOGY AND ROYAL DYNASTIC
ANTECEDENTS:
ETUBOM BOCO ENEYO COBHAM was born in Cobham Town or
Ekoretonko Clan, an Efik dynastic clan of the Obongship of Calabar
rotation, in Calabar Municipality, on 3rd August 1924. His father'ss
name was Obong Eneyo Ene Mkpang, of the said Cobham Town
whilst his mother was late Princess Ekei Ekei Ephraim Adam of Etim
Efiom House in Atakpa clan. Right from childhood, young Boco
showed signs of greatness, and, a Christ African Church Bishop, pro-
phetically named him "David the Child King" during his baptism at the
age of 3 years, in 1927.

Etubom Boco's parents, both paternal and maternal arose out of

the two royal primary lineages of ATAI IBOKU and EFIOM EKPO. His
primary ancestor here in Calabar, was the great Edidem Eyo Ema, the
Efik Emperor Priest, and the first Obong of Calabar when the Efiks ar-
rived here in their last and largest wave of migrations in 1400, having
arrived in previous waves consistently from 500 BC - 1400 AD; dowm
to 1650 AD, by which time (500 BC 1650 AD) the 7-Nuclear
Dynastic clans of NSIDUNG, ATAKPA, EKORETONKO, OBUTONG
(all in the present Calabar Municipality), and ADIABO, CREEK
TOWN, and IKONETO (all in Western Calabar of Odukpani Local
Government Area) had been well established.

Of the last primary wave of arrival of the Efiks led by Etubom Boco's
Patrilineal ancestor, Edidem Eyo Ema, the Efik people have a bard
which stetes: (Mrs Archibong, 1950); thus:-

Eyo Ema Ade Nyin Edi": Eyo Ema brought us

here.
 That is why all people
"Enye Esin Enyin Owo Okutde Nyin Ama ":
love Us.
Onyung Anemde Inua Owo Odoho Nyin
Nkpo": Also people blame us
when we fall from Eyo
Ema's standards.

And of the approximate date of Edidem Eyo Ema's arrival and reign,
as the first Edidem of Calabar, and first Obong of Calabar in Etubom
Boco's paternal line, there is another bard which says (Ndesien
Ukorebi or Dick Ebrero, Antera 1785 - 88) in the Halley's Comet
(Akpan Ntaoffiong) chronology, for the date, 1454, thus:
-

"Akpan Ntaoffiong Akade Eyo Eme Ndem": Halley's Comet trans

lated the mystic Eyo
Ema, Emperor.
"Edidem Efik Adade Efik Onyong Ufok: The Efik Emperor who
brought Efiks home.
Indeed, to write Etubom Boco's biography, even an introduction
of it, is to dwell a little on his famous first Calabar Imperial ancestor,
Edidem Eyo Ema, Obong of Calabar (Rex Maximus Calabaris/, Chief
Priest of Calabar (Pontifex Maximus Calebaris/, Founder of Ekpe Efik

Iboku Spiritus Maximus and Ifa

Calabaris), The Emperor of CalabarConstitu-
fImperetor Meximus Calabaris et Bafae Regnae), The first
tional Monarch of Calabar (Primus Legitimus Rex Calabaris), The first
great administrator of Calabar (Primus Administrio Principis
Calabaris), King of Kings, Captain of Captains of Calabar fRex Rexis,
Praefectus praefectii Calabaris). Indeed the great and learned scribes
of Old Calabar (Ephraim Henshaw, 1690; Henshaw Ephraim, 1790;
Adam Duke, 1820; Ephraim Adam Duke, 1845; Magnus Ephraim
Adam Duke (1867), 1870, 1878, 1881, 1890) have written the chronicle
ofOld Calabar Ndidem from 1400- 1890, and they have indicated
something in Bardic form about Etubom Boco's great ancestor, Eyo
Ema, stating thus:-
"Edidem Eyo Ema, Oduk Ndem Eburutu" Eyo Ema the Calabar
Enoch
"Edidem Eyo Ema, Akpa Uyok Iboku": Eyo Ema the Calabar
Methuselah
"Edidem Eyo Ema, Anansa Ikang, Obo
Utong lbom": Eyo Ema Saint and
deified King
Edidem Eyo Eme, Musang Abasi lyawe": Eyo Ema King, the
Angel of Yaweh
(Sacred God)
"Edidem Eyo Ema, lyawe
lyamba": Eyo Ema King, lyamba
"Edidem Eyo Ema, Edidi Ndem lyaweh lyamkpe.
ke Eburutu": Eyo Ema King, the
Semi Divine King of
"Edidem Eyo Ema, Eburutu.
Ada Ilyawe Nkot
Nyamkpe: Eyo Ema King, who
called Yaweh as Nya-
mkpe.
That was the manfrom whom Etubom Boco took his "Davidic
genes", the first King and all, pure, semi-Divine, Priest, King,
Methuselaic, Saint, deified King, angel of lyawe whom
Nyamkpe, a name and system of theocracy which he took he called
from his
Pan African roots
amongst the proto-semitic Negroes of orient Africa
and the proto semi-Bantus of
the Megalith Kushitic, a man who lived
So long, and ruled for
so long and well, he became translated like
Enoch of old and became a canonised
patriarch of the Efik, second,
only to our original Iboku patriarch himself who lived some 60 genera-
tons agoo.

The genealogy of Etubom Boco,

may be given even from lboku in
bom Aro of which there were several earlier
Ibom Ambo, Iboku of tbom Obutong of Basanga generations: Iboku of
bom Ebom Eburutu, Iboku of Ibomanyi of EknkokEburutu, boku of
(Okrika, Delta),
Iboku of lbom Aro, this last Iboku from which the
clearest, thus: genealogy is

See Next Page

3
 (E) Edidem Ibom
BOKU

ATAI E) Edidem Ibom

Edidem Old Efik

EMA E)

(E) Edidem Old Efik

ATAI

d Efik- Ekei (F) Ema E) Adim(E) AtailE)

Calabar -Efiom Ekpo Eyo (E) Eso (E) Oku (E)

(E)
E) Ekpo Ibitam Nsa Anwatim
Okoho Ene

Eyo Eyo (King Oyo Barboc 1698)

Eiom Akabom E) EyoC) Eyo

Etim Ene (E) Okoho Bxpo Asama

(Egbo-) Sam Cobham)
(Cobham)

Nkesel F) Mkpang (E) Nsa (Eyo VI)

Edak (F) Ene Etinyin

Edem E) Eneyo Etinyin

Efiom

Ekei Eyo Etinyin

Btei (F) Ene Etinyin

Etubom Boco Edidem Boco Ene Mkpang Cobham V

n e above genealogy and royal dynastic antecedents of young
Boco may be
given in words as follows:
1. Descendant of Edidem Iboku at lbom
2. Descendant of Edidem Atai lboku at lbom
3. Descendant of Edidem Ema Atai lIboku at lkpa Ene or Old-
Efik. (Akani
4.
Obio Efik)
Descendant of Edidem Atai Ema Atai Iboku at Ikpa Ene (Old
Efik.)
. Descendant of Edidem Ema Atai Ema Atai lboku at Ikpa
Ene or Old Efik.
6
Descendant of Edidem Eyo Ema: Creek Town: 1400.
7. Descendant of Edidem Ene Eyo Ema at Creek Town, Obong
of Calabar in 1650.
8. Descendant of Edidem Akabom Ene Eyo founder of
Cobham Town. Edidem at Creek town, who died and was
buried there in 1680.
9 Descendant of Edidem Mkpang Akabom Ene Ema; ruled
and died in Creek Town in 1690.
10. Descendant of Cousin of King Oyo (Eyo Nsa Eyo Ema) of
Barbot 1698 Obong of Calabar 1698-1701
11. Descendant of Etinyin Ene Mkpang Akabom: King Egbo
Cobham Etc, Etc, Etc.

So, Etubom Boco has had 5 Ndidem in his direct line before Calabar
and four of such from Eyo Ema in Calabar from 1400 to the present.
Also the Etinyins or Clan Heads in his line (5 in number) were titled
Kings.
Thus, from Edidem Eyo Ema and Edidem Efiom Ekpo who ruled
after one another on arrival in Calabar, the rather numerically pro-
iferating genealogical lines of Etim Efiom and Akabom Ene Eyo Ema,
Edidem Cobham V's line has made 10 generations in Calabar, which,
taking our much studied and researched chronology into considera-
tion which has a generation span of 50 years and generation mean life
span of 70 years, we are dealing with so0 years since our final wave of
arrival, here, thus putting the date of arrival at 1989- 500 = 1489
AD. Edidem Cobham V's classical genealogy above given agrees with
Halley's Comet bard date of 1454 also given above. Thus Edidem
Cobham V's genealogy clarifies Efik chronology and confirms in many
ways that the last major wave of Efiks were in Calabar in c1400. In-
deed "Litle Royal David" has grown to prove the prophetic Bishop
right, 62 years after the divinely inspired prophecy of his great baptism
in 1927.

5
 Let us comment briefly on his great great grand father, Obong Ere
Mkpang before completing this section. Obong Ene Mkpang Akabom
became the most famous Ekpe title holder of "Oku Akama" Ekpe
Grade: and the Efiks have come to referto this grade as "Oku Akama
Ene Mkpang". The same man, Obong Ene transferred the "Kingship
See" formerly called "Efe Abasi" or "Anwa Abasi" or ""Obot Abasi"
from Creek Town in Otung to Calabar in urban Calabar last century.
Yet again, Obong Ene Mkpang, is known to have, preserved the in-
tegrity of the "Ekpe senatorium" of Calabar. Finally, this ancestor of
Edidem-Elect, Cobham V, was the first one in a &-cornered rivalry for
the Kingship of Duke Town (not Edidem but Etinyin) in 1880/81 when
Obong Orok or Duke IX was to ascend that throne.

The account, as written by Prince Magnus Duke (1880/81) shows

hat when Queen Victoria conferred and set up a Royal Commission
into this Etinyinship dispute, it was Obong Ene Mkpang who settled
the problems by bringing all combatants to order. He then arranged a
ceremony of relay crowning by persuading the others to join him in
placing the 'Ntinya' on their heads in a circle, and passing same on un-
til he, Obong Ene Mkpang, finally placed it on, Obong Orok Edem's
(Duke IX's) head. This, it is said is responsible for King Duke wearing
a double crown in one of his pictures.
Clearly then, Edidem-Elect Cobham V, numbering from Eyo Ema
then Ene EyoEma ll, Akabom Ene Eyo Ema l, Mkpang Ene Eyo Ema
V and now Boco Ene Mkpang Cobham V, excluding,
as has been
done, those Ndidem before Calabar, and those in other collateral lines
of Eyo Ema, like King Oyo (Eyo Nsa Eyo Ema) of Barbot of 1698.

EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SERVICE

It has already been said that the Edidem started school at the very
early age of three years in the Duke Town Primary School in 1927,
entering the West African Peoples' Institute (WAPI) later and passing
his Cambridge Examination at the very early age of fifteen years in
1939.

in the same year he became

a pivotal teacher in Duke Town Primary
School, and in 1940 he resigned from teaching and joined Nursing.
Later in that 1940, at the young age of 16 years he enlisted in the
Allied Army of the Second World War, at about the same
time as his late peer and colleague, late Edidem Otu Ekpenyong and
age
Effa
DX who also joined the Army.
Together they undewent Military
Train-in
ing in Northern Nigeria. He was later taken to India and Japan
1941/42 where he engaged in Military combat in Durbar. In 1943 he

6
sevea tor one
year inMilitary Sick Bay in an Ocean Liner in the
a
acitic OOcean. Later, he went back to land combat in India where he
ws given military commendation in marksmanship. He remained in
BCUve military service till the end of the war in 1945 and returned to
Lagos in 1946, where he was demobilised. He assumed duty in
General
ne
Hospital on 6th November, 1946 and on 6th November, Lagos
1949,
was Confirmed as a nurse in Federal Gazette No. 16/51.

In 1951, he became so knowledgeable in

Medical/Surgical Ap
pliances that he was transferred to the Medical
Store-Keeper's sec
Don and was posted to Port Harcourt where he took over the surgical
wing of the Medical stores, as one of the first three nurses who were
pioneers in Medical stores job. He was later posted to Aba, then lkot
Ekpene, and finally Calabar. While he was in Aba and lkot Ekpene he
was specifically assigned to identify and take custody of dental
equipments. Finally, in 1982 he retired as a Principal Medical Stores
Officer here in Calabar.

TRADITIONAL ACTTVITIES AND STATUS

Like most Efik boys, the boy, Boco Eneyo, was initiated- (by his
maternal grand-father, late Obong Ekei Ephraim Adam), into the Ekpe
Erik Iboku lodge of Atakpa, (with the permission of his own father,
late Obong Eneyo Ene Mkpang) in 1927, that is, at the age of three
years.

In 1980, he became an Ekpe Title-Holder of the title /SU DIBO, or

ISU NYAMKPE of the Ekpe Efik lboku lodge of Ekoretonko clan in
Calabar Municipality, also called "Ekpe Eyo Ema", the premier Ekpe
lodge in Calabar which originally had its roots in Creek Town alias
Old Calabar Cradle in Western Calabar of Odukpani L.G.A. In 1986
he became a proper "Obong Ekpe" (called "King Egbo" in Antera
Duke's Diary of 1785-88) of the order of "OBONG EBONKO" in the
KORETONKO LODGE of Calabar Municipality.

This progressive traditional man became a Traditional Ruler in 1970

in which year he was made a Chief and Council Adviser in the
Obong's Council to Etubom Ankot, and, when this Etubom died he
became Adviser to Etubom Asuquo Okon Ekpo in 1973. After Etubom
Asuquo Okon Ekpo died in 1973, he himself became an Etubom of Ene
Mkpang house of Ekoretonko in the same year.

In 1982 the stool of the Obongship of Calabar became vacant

following the demise of late Edidem Esien Ekpe Oku V of CREEK
TOWN CLAN, in the Calabar Western Rotation Unit. It was the

7
 turn of Calabar Urban (or Calabar Central), according
to the
rotatory
1970 Creek Town Accord on Obongship rotation, to fill the vacancy
from any of the Calabar Municipal Efik dynastic clans of ATAKPA
DUKE TOWN), (0BUTONG (OLD TOWN) or EKORETONKO
COBHAM TOWN), since NSIDUNG (HENSHAW TOWN) CLAN had
1970-73. Etubom Boco
already taken its turn in Henshaw V from
enclave with
Etubom
Eneyo of Cobham Clan entered the selection
as candidates for the
Bassey Eyo Ephraim Adam, of Duke Town Clan, later central
Obongship. The Etuboms of both central Calabar, and,
and western Calabar in the selection enclave, known as Etuboms'
TRADITIONAL COUNCIL Enclave, wished the younger, Etubom
Boco Eneyo a little more experience and better luck next time. In the
true spirit of a collateral king-designate Etubom Boco accepted the
verdict of the king-makers and went straight to serve with great
patriotism and humility in Edidem Bassey Eyo Ephraim Adam ll1's
court, great king
and that made him one of his team of visita ion to
the University of Nigeria Nsukka. When Adam ill went to his
ancestors in the Halley's comet year of 1986 the Obongship passed on
to the Dynastic Clan of Adiabo in Calabar Western, according to the
1970 Rotation accord and Effa IX became the Obong of Calabar; and,
once again, Etubom Boco, once Obong-designate, served in the court
of Effa IX in various capacities including chairmanship of Obong's
Council Arbitration Committee, Occasional member/chairman of the
Obong's Council Ways and Means Committee as well as standing in
for late Obong Effa IX on several official occasions.

THE MAN, BOCO ENEYO ENE MKPANG

Etubom Boco Eneyo Ene Mkpang, now to be His Royal Highness

Edidem Boco Ene Mkpang Cobham, Obong of Calabar is a man well
known in Efik community, the Calabar polity, the Cross River State
and in Nigeria as a result of his rich and varied background in tradition
and public service, in many parts of Nigeria and during World War II.

The Efik people have come to know "Etubom Boco" as he is

popularly called, very well. He is a christian and a traditionalist, impar-
tial, objective, fair-minded and just. An example often quoted to
lustrate his just nature is the one concerning his communal arbitra-
tion and judgment once, which was rejected by both parties, but was
upheld by a judge of the High Court. Circumspect and discrete, he is
not given to unnecessary sentiments, nor to prejudice and subjec
ovism. His love of God and the Church showed from his childhood
days in the choir of the Christ African Cathedral here in Calabar,
where, with his brother, Asuquo Ene Boco and his sister Nta Ene

8
5oco, he robed and sang melodiously in his school days. After World
var , he became a confirmed member of the Christ African Church,
alabar, and he is still a communicant member in that Church where
his tather was a
foundation member and trustee long ago.
The Obong to be proclaimed is a very systematic person and loves
tO work in well laid out plans. The Efik people expect him to bring all
these attributes to a pristine throne to which his entire Ema Atai
Oynasty in general and Eyo Ema Atai lboku dynasty in particular, have
Contributed so much and so. famously.
The Efik people expect him to take after his famous royal
antecedents like late Obong Ene Mkpang his great grand father, and
his anthropodeistic primogenitor, Edidem Eyo Ema, that Proverbial
"Oduk Ndem Edidem Eburutu." An Obong of Calabar is the traditional
eader and patriarch of, not only the Efik Eburutu people, but also the
great Eburutu pan tribe, and he must so act as to be the pivot of the
people in astute, benign, and good natured but firm and equity-based
behaviour.
"O AKWA ABASI IBOM BERE YE NYIN, KORO EFIK ISIBETKE
BET ETI NKPO NDINYENE ("O God Almighty be with us, for the
Efik people do deserve to have a very-good thing".)

Etubom Boco has 21 children and many relations, brothers, and

sisters. He is married and loves his "Cherub-like" children. He loves
all. Given to be meditative and not loud nor talkative, he promises to
be a reversion to the ancestral great Efik kings, his dynastic types in-
clusive. Neither self-opinionated nor docile, he is moderate and cir-
cumspect in all ways. Bless him, good Lord!
SELECTION AND PROCLAMATION
On 7th of October, 1989, it was again time to fill a vacant
Obongship stool back in Calabar municipakunit of selection, this time,
from the two remaining dynastic Clans of Cobham Town and Old
Town, since Henshaw Town amd Duke Town had taken their turns.

The Etuboms of Calabar Central went into selection enclave and

came out with a unanimous selection of Etubom Boco. Later, on 17th
October, 1989, the joint enclave of Etuboms of Calabar Central and
Calabar Western was held and a unanimous decision was returned in
respect of Etubom Boco and from that point in time, for the Etuboms
and nuclear Efik of the 7 Nuclear dynastic clans of the 1902 proclama-
tton and the 1970 Accord viz:

9
 NSIDUNG CLAN, ATAKPA CLAN, EKORETONKO CLAN,
OBUTONG CLAN, CREEK TOWN, ADIABo CLAN, AND
IKONETO CLAN, Etubom Boco transformed into Edidem-Elect
Boco Ene Mkpang Cobham V, Obong-Elect of Calabar, and Para-
mount Ruler-Elect of Efik lboku and Efik Eburutu, and Grand Patriarch
of EBURUTU PAN TRIBE.

ETIA KE IsONG O -AMASI

ITONG UWEM OSONG EDIDEM NNYIN

ABASI 1BOM ENYONG ODIONG ENYE

AKPA OKUNAM BIAHA BIAHA

ENYONG OKUNAM BURURU

cORO EYEN YAWE KEBE INYANG