A’Ibom to unveil slave boat September 27
Ini Billie, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State Government has started the restoration of historical relics left to decay.
The slave boat used by slave masters to transport slaves during the slave trade era is one of the historical relics restored and awaiting unveiling on September 27, 2024, World Tourism Day.
Other historical relics within the state include the Amalgamation site that houses the administrative and residential quarters of Lord Lugard, 1929 Women’s War Memorial site and Mary Slessor residential premises, among others.
Speaking on Thursday in Uyo about the historical relics, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Charles Udoh said the slave boat would be unveiled at the Marina Beach in Nwaniba, one of the major slave routes in Nigeria.
Udoh explained that the unveiling of the fully restored slave boat symbolizes a painful yet significant chapter in the history of the region as one of the major slave routes during the transatlantic slave trade.
He noted that the 2024 WTD would also be used to host its first-ever boat regatta and fishing festival to showcase the state’s rich maritime heritage and promote tourism to open up job opportunities for the people.
“Come September 27, which is World Tourism Day, we’re going to have a boat regatta and fishing festival, the first of this kind. We will also officially unveil the slave boat. And then, of course, get Governor Umo Eno to also inaugurate the slave memorial park because we think that we can drive traffic to that area,” he said.
Udoh stated that the boat’s restoration was funded by the Ibom National Association of Akwa Ibom USA Incorporated. He added that a newly established Slave Memorial Park, initiated by a local philanthropist, will also be officially inaugurated during the festival.
“This year World Tourism Day focuses on peace; so we decided to organize the event around the marina. The events have various objectives: one, we want to foster peace and unity amongst the community; we recall that the Ibom Hotels and Golf sit in a wide expanse of land belonging to three communities and those three communities to the best of my knowledge have been very cooperative in keeping that hotel peaceful and attractive to people.
“From there, it’s just 30 minutes to Tinapa. There’s a ferry service currently operating there, privately owned, even though the state government has plans to also put a ferry service along that route.
“The first one that we’ve ordered, which we hope should be delivered by December, the latest, will take off from Orun to Calabar. It’s going to be a luxury boat, fully air-conditioned, and with entertainment inside. So that it’s not just for passengers. People can also hire for boat cruises.
“In preparation for that, the government had also invested heavily in security by acquiring 14 gunboats, and in partnership with the Nigerian Navy, our waterways are safer, through my colleague in the Ministry of Internal Security on waterways,” he stated.
