From Umo Isua-Ikoh, Blue Community PPDF – Peace Point Development Foundation, Nigeria:
JOURNEY TO ITU BEACH.
Itu Beach, otherwise called Queen’s Beach is located in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State – Nigeria.
The history of Itu beach is deeply rooted in colonial and missionary journey.
The Beach was a leading pre- colonial commercial hub even before being the landing site for Queen Elizabeth 11 when she visited the Mary Slessor gravesite in 1956.
It acted as a vital coastal trade and migration hub for both Cross River and present Akwa Ibom States.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Itu became a base for Scottish missionary Mary Slessor. She used the riverways to spread Christianity and famously fought against the killing of twins.
Today, the beach should have been preserved as a prominent heritage and eco-tourism site. It forms part of the broader Itu legacy tour, which includes Mary Slessor’s Lodge, the historic Leper Colony, and a panoramic view of the rolling hills that look toward Arochukwu.
The well known Essien Ukpabio Theological College is also sited within the area by the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria.
In spite of these significant potentials, the needed attention has not been given to Itu Beach by the Akwa Ibom State Government nor the Nigerian Government.
Itu Beach should have been a major tourist site in the history of Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria as a whole, acting as a huge revenue generating point to the Government.
