By Innocent Anaba

At a time when many fear that the written and visual literature of the Efik people is fading into memory, Deborah Etim Inyang is deliberately reviving it gently, boldly, and beautifully. Through her Efik Colouring Book, launched today for global pre-order, she reintroduces Efik symbols, stories, attire, food, and philosophy to children and adults alike, using colour as a powerful gateway to cultural literacy and intergenerational learning.

Founder and Class Captain of The Efik Class, a cultural dance ensemble and storytelling collective, Deborah is proudly from Creek Town, Cross River State, the historic cradle of Efik civilisation. Raised in Calabar and now based in Canada, she has remained intentional about protecting and projecting Efik culture beyond its geographical borders. Her work aligns with the enduring legacy of Efik cultural intellectuals such as E. N. Amaku, whose contributions preserved Efik literature and worldview now finding new life through contemporary creative expression.

Beyond literature and performance, Deborah has executed three food exhibitions and hosted one landmark Efik Food and Cultural Exhibition, an event staged in Canada that successfully protected and projected Efik culture to an international audience and received global recognition. The exhibition showcased Efik cuisine, history, dance, and aesthetics, positioning food as a vital medium for cultural diplomacy and storytelling.

With today’s pre-order launch, Deborah Etim Inyang continues to build a living cultural archive one that ensures Efik identity is not lost to time but carried forward with intention, relevance, and pride. Her work affirms that Efik culture is alive, evolving, and confidently claiming its place on the global stage.