King Eyo Honesty II: The African King Who First Ended Twin Killings in Calabar

For generations, Calabar’s history has been viewed in a limited way. We are often told that Mary Slessor, a Scottish missionary, ended the killing of twins. Her work was important. However, this story misses a key fact. African leaders, especially King Eyo Honesty II, started this change before she arrived in Calabar. This article aims to tell the full story. It will show how King Eyo Honesty II was key in stopping twin killings.

A Timeline of Transformation

To truly understand Calabar’s history, we must look at the dates. Mary Slessor came to Nigeria in 1876. But, the law to stop the killing of twins was made much earlier.

In 1851, Mary Slessor was only three years old in Scotland. At that time, a strong order was made in Old Calabar. This change was not from Europe. It came from an African leader.

The Visionary Leadership of King Eyo Honesty II

King Eyo Honesty II of Creek Town truly started this social change. He was a man of great courage and vision. King Eyo fought against old, strong customs.

• The 1851 Decree: Years before missionaries had much power, King Eyo Honesty II made it illegal to kill twin babies in his area.
• Moral Courage: He stood up against old ways to protect human rights and life.
• Diplomatic Strategy: He used his power as a trade leader and king to make these changes happen. This showed that progress was already happening in African society.

Why the True Story Is Often Erased

If the law was changed in 1851, why do people mostly talk about Mary Slessor? The answer is in how history was written during colonial times.

• Eurocentric Bias: Historians from the colonial era often talked about European “saviors.” They did not give enough credit to local leaders.
• Documentary Monopoly: Much of the written history came from missionary writings. These writings focused on their own work.
• The Erasure of Agency: Saying that all progress came from outside makes it seem like African societies could not improve themselves.

“To tell the story of Calabar without King Eyo Honesty II is to tell only half the truth. It erases the intellect and conscience of the African leaders who shaped their own destiny.”

Reclaiming the Narrative

Giving credit to King Eyo Honesty II does not take away from Mary Slessor’s work. She gave safe places for mothers and children. Instead, it gives a full and fair history. It is time to honor the King who took the first, most dangerous step. By seeing King Eyo’s importance, we honor the truth. The light of progress in Calabar was first lit by someone from there.

Other Examples of Ending Twin Killings in Africa

King Eyo Honesty II’s work in Calabar is important. However, he was not the only African leader to deal with this issue. For example, Nana Osei Bonsu I stopped the killing of twins in the Techiman Traditional Area. This shows a larger effort in Africa to end this practice. You can learn more about the killing of twins in Ghana from this GhanaWeb article. The cultural beliefs about twins are in The Abominable Twins.