During the colonial era with Britain ruling over Nigeria, Queen Elizabeth made her first visit to Nigeria where she spent 20 days from 28th January 1956 to 16th February 1956. Her visit was received at the Ikeja Airport, Lagos, with a military parade and by dignitaries such as the then Governor-General, Sir James Robertson, his wife, the Minister of Labour, Festus Okotie-Eboh and the Oba of Benin, Oba Akenzua II with lots of fanfare and royal services. The Queen was picked from the airport in a Rolls Royce. She spent a lot of her stay in the northern part of the country with the Sultan.

​ Before the Queen left on the 16th of February, 1956, she visited other parts of Nigeria such as Port Harcourt and Kaduna where she graced the Dubar festival.
As part of her schedule for the visit to Nigeria, she asked to see where the faremost Mary slessor that stopped the killing of twins in Nigeria was buried. The Queen Elizabeth II then embarked on a visit to itu which was under Calabar in 1956 and laid a wreath on the grave of Mary Slessor.

Mary slessor was initially buried in Itu in the present Akwa Ibom State but it was generally agreed that she should be exhumed and re- buried in Calabar. So her actual grave is now sited in Calabar.
Today in the present itu local government area, we have the Queens beach, this is the beach Queen Elizabeth landed when she stepped her foot in itu local, the beach was named after her to remember that historic day, there is also the Queens lobby where she sat while waiting to be transported to the grave side.
We also have the first quay system in south eastern Nigeria, built to ease the queens movement from the boat to land, another notable feature there is the rail system, this was built so that the boat can be pulled out of the water with the help of the rail.
This are all significant tourism attractions that reminisces the queens visit to Itu Local Government in Akwa Ibom state.

Next time you visit Akwa Ibom, take a trip to the Queens Beach