Etinyin (Asanaya) Öyö Ita (1814-1895)

There is a saying by a universally acclaimed writer that ‘some people are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness bestowed upon them’. Etinyin Oyo-Ita (Asanaya, as he was known throughout Efikland in his life time) was born great and also achieved greatness through his well known brave exploits.

Etinyin Oyo-Ita was the great grandson of Esu Ekpe Asibong and Ekpa Efiom Okoho Efiom Ekpo of Otung in Creek Town and Duke Town in Calabar respectively. He was born in or about 1814 and died on August 12, 1895.

On the death of Etinyin Oyo-Ita’s father in Otung, Creek Town, the young Oyo-Ita was brought to Duke Town by his uterine senior relations Ma Adiaha Umo Edem Ekpo and Etinyin Tete (Efioededem) all of Duke Town where he grew into manhood and played honorable roles in the affairs of Efikland, side by side with other great kings and etinyins of his era.

During his days, Etinyin Oyo-Ita was known throughout Efikland as “ASANAYA”, a name which epitomized his bravery as the undisputed warlord of his people. Of him, it was said “Kpukpru Owo Ekama Owo Okpo Ifum, Asanaya Akama Ndisi”. This saying, put into song, persists till today. Etinyin Oyo-Ita had his singular war play, which he called “Beka Oyono” commonly known today as “Ukwa” and his other masquerade he named “Idem Aman Ama Edu”.

In 1834, Etinyin Oyo-Ita fought and won the last stretch of the Ebefa Imperial Wars of 1650-1834. That was nearly two centuries of intermittent wars between the Efiks of Old Calabar and Balundu of the Cameroon to wrest Akpabuyo from the Balundu tribe. Apart from this, he also actively participated in “Ekong Nsidung ye Atakpa” of 1875 and Ekong Andem Eno of 1890 among others.

It can easily be inferred that Etinyin Oyo-Ita was a man of great physical strength, sharp intellect and balanced emotion. A man of peace, who saw war as a means of maintaining the peace. He was a great Efik patriot.

Etinyin Oyo-Ita sat in the highest court of the Efik kings as evidenced by the historic photograph taken after the signing of one of several treaties in the year 1880 with King Duke (Obong Orok or Orok Iboto Nyin); Asibong Edem; Ekpo Eyo Asibong; Magnus Duke (Edet Nsa); Otu Mesembe; Ekpenyong Eyo; Ani Eniang Ofiong; Antiga Bassey Cobham; Ekpenyong Ekpe (Eyamba VI); Ekeng Ita, all household names of his time.

Etinyin Oyo-Ita’s dwindling prominence in Efik history may be as a result of his male children being minors at the time of his death in 1895 leading to his house being led by his first daughter, Ma Ofiong Oyo-Ita, whose mother was Inyang Edet Nsa, the first daughter of Obong Edet Nsa. Ma Ofiong Oyo-Ita went on to begat Utong Edem Efiom, who was the first daughter of Obong Edem Efiom (Adam Ephraim Duke X).

As a free born of the Efik community, Etinyin Oyo-Ita owned and lived on lands in Duke Town and Akpabuyo. His village in Akpabuyo is known as “Okoroba Oyo-Ita” meaning “Ama edi”.

Although Oyo-Ita teamed up with Etim Efiom and Eneyo from 1913 when Etim Efiom was adjudged a separate house, it did so as an equal partner, which partnership terminated amicably in 1989 leading to Oyo-Ita being elevated to a separate house in 1993.

We, the present generation of Oyo-Ita family, like the past ones, will continue to revere the stool of the Efik Kingdom just as we will continue to revere the memory of our great progenitor.

May the soul of the great Efik warlord rest in peace and may he continue to imbue us with his patriotic zeal as we contribute our quota toward the upliftment of the Efik stool. Amen.

Oyo-Ita’s genealogical name is Oyo-Ita Oyoyo Esu Ekpe, as seen in the genealogy chart.