Meet Deborah Inyang | Author, chef, Cultural enthusiast and Dancer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Deborah Inyang and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Deborah, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
I would say the help that my businesses has offered the community and world at large is majorly create awareness and bring visibility to the Cross River people in Southern Nigeria. From day one, every idea has been birth from a place of need and scarcity as a lonely immigrant at a very tender age.
At the time, there barely any Efik people to give you a sense of community. So I started to reach the culture. It was my little way of clinging to something that didn’t feel strange. I quickly realized that living on poutine and burgers wouldn’t suffice. The
bland flavors were hard to bear, so I began
experimenting with various ingredients and slowly, the compliments I received fueled my passion for serving local dishes.

Along side cooking, I was researching the Efik tribe and documenting it. From culture, to music, to literature, to religion and beliefs, the passion kept on growing.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As of recent, I’m extremely excited about launching my first book in January 2026! “Colors of My Culture” – a lovely coloring book that will help children discover the rich and beautiful world of the people of Cross River State, Nigeria. With friendly, easy-to-color illustrations, little ones can explore Efik clothing, food, festivals, and everyday traditions while enjoying a calm, creative activity. It also comes with bright, colorful stickers that kids will absolutely love!

Projects like these sum up the essence of my craft and gives solutions to the one problem I’m trying to solve, Low Visibility within my Culture.

I must say that what sets me apart is how unique my branding is and the passion that fuels me. It’s like, they never saw it coming and they still don’t even see where I’m going because it’s always something new and interesting.

From being an actress fresh out of acting school, to cheffing it up, to becoming a cultural enthusiast that started a cultural ensemble to being a publish author for a cultural Children’s book, I have well immersed myself into the role of a creative director which has not been an easy path to toil.

I haven’t overcome the challenges, but I’m being recognized and most importantly the culture is being seen. More people are tasting authentic dishes from Calabar and engaging in our craft through dance classes.
And hopefully in no time, the world will get to know that the word minority is not the identity of the Efik people.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well a trip to Calabar sounds amazing and should be on any travelers bucket list.
I’ll suggest they go in December when the city is buzzing with festivities.
The Calabar carnival parade would be at the top of the list of things to do in the heart of the city.
For a spectacular sight within nature, Agbokim Waterfalls in Etung, Cross River State is a must see like wise the Kwa falls, the Calabar slave museum in marina resort and the Calabar museum to learn about the deep chilling history of the Calabar people.
While they are there, one must attend a traditional Efik wedding to experience the culture of the Efik people in all its glory and to take in the breathtaking beauty of the Ekombi dance by the maidens first hand.
Lastly, do not leave calabar without tasting Afang soup cooked by an Efik woman. That would be a disservice to self.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I can’t talk about the success of my craft without mentioning my Aunty Maobong of Kokoma Production in BC, Canada. She saw the potentials like a lot of other people did but what sets her apart is that she empowered it.
There’s still a running joke between us where I say, “ Aunty I booked my flight… I’m coming to top up” because a lot of times I’ll be so drained and burnt out from creating and she’s the one person that understands that kind of exhaustion because she lived it when she was actively in the cultural preservation business. So my shout out goes to her for laying the foundation and giving me all the necessary encouragements I needed.

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Youtube: https://youtube.com/@theefikclass?si=J1dfkQ0WsejLWJAS

Image Credits
Charles Awelewa
Bernard Okulaja
The Efik Class Cultivated Ensemble