BIOGRAPHY OF THE LATE KING OF CALABAR.
HIS EMINENCE EDIDEM EMERITUS PROFESSOR NTA ELIJAH HENSHAW VI, F.D.S.R.C.P.S; F.M.C.D.S; F.W.A.C.S; D.D.S; D.D.P; D.F NATURAL RULER, TREATY KING & GRAND PATRIARCH OF THE EFIK KINGDOM.
The Late King of Calabar, His Eminence (Prof) Nta Elijah Henshaw was born on 5th November 1928, to the Royal families of the Late Ansa Ekeng Itavel of the Royal House of Etinyin Ewa Ekeng of Henshaw Town and Late Chief (Mrs) Martha Antia of Duke Royal Family. He attended the famous Duke Town School and Hope Waddle Institution, both in Calabar, for his primary and secondary education.
For his University education, and training in Dental Surgery, he attended numerous Universities and Medical Institutions in the United Kingdom namely;
The Institute of Dental Surgery, University of London.
Royal College of Surgeons of England and Scotland.
Guy and Giles Hospital London.
Training at the Mount Vernon Hospital, Plastic Burns and maxillo-facial centre in London.
His Eminence Was:
1. A fellow in Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Edinburgh and Glasgow)
2. Fellow in Dental Surgery of the National post graduate Medical College of Nigeria.
3. Fellow of the West African College of Surgeon's and obtained a Doctorate in Dental Surgery from Brazil (Hons) DDS.
Between 1958 and 1961, he worked as a Dental Surgeon in numerous hospitals in the the Bedfordshire Executive Council, England. He also had a thriving dental practice in Luton and HeUnl Hampstead. He returned to Nigeria and rejoined the Federal Ministry of Health in June 1961, as Dental Surgeon and served in as post as pioneer several hospitals in Lagos Nigeria. He stayed with them until September 1964, before returning overseas for another two years to attend post graduate courses.
He returned in 1967 to a country about to plunge into a civil war, and resumed medical duties with the federal ministry of health as a Senior Clinical Dental Surgeon. In order to rapidly increase numbers of Dental Surgeon In Nigeria, he took up an appointment as a lecturer grade 1 and Consultant in prosthetic surgery in the Department of Dental Surgery, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, in the famous Lagos University Teaching Hospital, India Araba, Lagos in march 1968. It is on record that he used his skills and training in Maxillo-facial Surgery to restore the faces of hundreds of wounded federal troops, who were sent back from the war front. This he did side by side with his duties as lecturer grade 1. He was promoted to Senior Lecturer and Consultant in October 1970.
His Eminence was appointed an Associate Professor in 1974. He was later appointed the registrar of the Nigeria Medical Council in 1974, a post he held until 1979. In 1976 he became a full Professor and the Dean of the School of Dental Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos. That same year, he became the Duty provost of the same Institution and acted as the provost.
When the civilian government returned in 1979, His Eminence was appointed as the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Cross River State, and later as the Commissioner for Finance between 1981 and 1982. He held various other professional and corporate positions such as, cchairman- Bible Society of Nigeria (Duke Town Auxiliary), chairman Cross River State College of Education, External Examiner, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, External Examiner, West African college of Surgeon's, chairman Shaw Pharmaceutical Industries, visiting Professor to the University of Benin, Chairman Governing Council-polytechnique Calabar.
PROFESSIONAL AWARD & OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
His Eminence received several professional awards and was noted and recognised in the International Biological Centre Cambridge's "WHO IS WHO IN MEDICINE " in 1986 and also in the 6th Edition of the "WHO IS WHO IN THE WORLD" published by Margie who is who Inc in Chicago, Illinois in 1982 / 83.
His Eminence acted as secretary and chairman to several professional bodies at different times between 1968 and 1980. He was given two chieftaincy titles by the Oba of Lagos (King of Lagos), by His Royal Highness Oba Oyekan II, which were:
1.) The Bamigbimo Odua Lagos in 1968 and
2.) Chief Bajito of Lagos (Adviser to Oba of Lagos) in 1969.
He became Ada Idagha ke Ebrutu in 1975, Etubom (Head) of Royal House Ufok Ewa Ekeng House in 1986 and was given other traditional titles before he was traditionally crown King of Calabar in 1999 and given recognition and staff of office by the then Cross River State Government in 2001.
His Eminence has over 21 medical publication and 4 research projects to his credit and he rose to the apex of his career. He was a devout Christian and respected member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. He made Royal Peace Ambassador for the south south in 2004 and Ambassador Peace by the International Federation for World Peace in 2005.
The Late King, His Eminence Edidem (Prof) Nta Elijah Henshaw VI, was married to Mrs Felicia Nta Henshaw, Late Mrs Eme Nta Elijah Henshaw, and Elder (Mrs) Grace Bassey NSA Henshaw who had the fellowing children between them:
1.) H.R.H Pastor David Nta E.
Henshaw
2.) H.R.H Mrs Eyamba Theresa
Nzekwu
3.) H.R.H Mrs Effiom Banigo 4.) H.R.H Ekeng Nta Elijah Henshaw 5.) H.R.H Ita Nta Elijah Henshaw 6.) H.R.H Nta Nta Elijah Henshaw 7.) H.R.H Emmanuel Nta. Henshaw 8.) H.R.H Daniel Nta Henshaw 9.) H.R.H Martha Nta Henshaw