[1] He was a political agent during the early years of the colonial era and was instrumental in the establishment of the Catholic Church at Old Calabar.
[1] According to Oku, "Like his contemporaries, he was a very wealthy man who owned vast estates and a large fleet of trading canoes which plied the calabar waters.
[6] His knowledge of the upper Cross River district was useful to Chief Coco Otu Bassey, another political agent.
"[1] An example of his attitude and commitment to work was when he was appointed to oversee an enquiry aimed at investigating an allegation of an obstruction of the river by Chief Coco Bassey.
According to Nair, "...Chief Coco-Bassey hindered the trade of the river by requiring those who used it (at Itu) to pay a toll applied equally to all traders-Efik, Umon or Akunakuna".
Due to his inability to enforce government orders, in 1902, Offiong wrote a letter to James Watt the district commissioner requesting that he be relieved of his role.
For instance, in 1898 he rented out a portion of land situated at Henshaw town beach to Ulrick Peterson of Berlin who was doing business in Calabar.
In his new settlement- which was a virgin and unspoilt bushland, Etinyin grew on almost all fronts; Family, business, connections, possessions etc.
From a wealthy young man living peacefully among his kith and kin back in Eyamba, he had now become a possessor of a city and arguably one of the wealthiest men of his generation, what with his numerous assets, his large family, a host of slaves and several other royal accoutrements.
He designed the early landscape of Essien Town and breathed life into the dead jungle hitherto inhabited by snakes and bush animals.
He marked out where he wanted the city centre to be including the community farming area, estates for his slaves and the one for his blood children and even another large portion to be reserved for his unborn Grandchildren and Great-grandchildren.
In no time, he had built his own storey building at "Akwa Esit Ebiet", his residence in Essien Town.
Offiong's distant travels led him to observe the evangelical work of the Roman Catholic mission in Sierra Leone, Fernando Po in Equatorial Guinea and other countries he had visited.
[3] Thus, Etinyin Essien Etim Offiong III holds the honour of solely facilitating the establishment of the Catholic Church in Calabar.
His quest for social influence also led to his membership of several masonic societies including Foresters, Noble Order of Odd Fellows and the World Fellowship of Free Masonry 197 I.C.