By: Our reporters
In the aftermath of the 36th state creation anniversary, the Akwa Ibom traditional institution has witnessed a baptism of tribal fire, protests and rancour in its existence.
Straightnews gathered that in the previous years, the state governor, during the state creation anniversary, swore in a Paramount ruler as Chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council from one of the three senatorial districts in the state to occupy the position for one year.
However, on the 36th State Creation anniversary, Governor Umo Eno performed the installation of President-General of Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers for a lifetime in place of the rotational Chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council.
Also read: Politics must not sever ties of our brotherhood, ancestry- Gov Eno
The Law permanently cedes the position of the President-General of the newly created Akwa Ibom State Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers to the Oku Ibom Ibibio, while the first Vice President shall be the Afe Akuku Annang and the Ahta Oro takes the place of second Vice President.
The new law completely excludes the Ekid, Obollo and Ibeno among others from recognition.
Govt sends executive bill to House
Governor Umo Eno had sent an executive bill to the House of Assembly for amendment of the relevant sections of the traditional rulers’ law to give new status akin to the Northern Emirs, Obas and Oonis of the South – West, Obi of the Southeast and the Obong of Calabar.
The purpose, according to government sponsors, was to arrest the declining dignity, honour and respect for traditional rulers in Akwa Ibom State.
Entitled: Bill for a Law to amend the Traditional Rulers Law, Cap. 155, Laws Of Akwa Ibom State,2022, the law received positive responses but jeers from different critical stakeholders.
The state commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon Frank Archibong, who confirmed this, said it is a major decision that will dignify and elevate the state traditional rulers.
Archibong, who noted that the traditional institution has over the years played significant role in the development of the state, stated this while presenting the position of the ministry during the ongoing public hearing organised by the House Committee for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, chaired by the member representing Ika/Etim Ekpo State Constituency, Hon Mfon Idung.
The commissioner, who gave vent to the proposed amendment bill, said, “It is of huge importance for the State Assembly to give accelerated process for the bill to be passed into law in order to redefine the status of the traditional rulers in order to accord them the respect deserving of their positions as custodians of our cultural heritage.”
He noted that “for instance, the Oni of Ife, Obi of Onitsha, Obong of Calabar and Emir of Kano, are given absolute respect, which is not the case in Akwa Ibom State.
‘‘This bill, if passed into law, will place our traditional rulers on equal pedestal with others. It will help reduce conflict, guarantee peace and accord them royal prominence and deserving respect as it is practised in other societies.”
In his remarks, Hon Idung, said that “the traditional Institution is the bedrock of the society, serving as custodians of our heritage and traditions.” He explained that “it is an executive bill transmitted to the legislature aimed at seeking legal framework to accord proper recognition to the traditional institution in the state.”
Afe Annang’s legal suit
Dissatisfied with the proposed amended law, three prominent members of Afe Annang in a Suit No. HU/321/2023 dragged the House of Assembly and the state government before Akwa Ibom State High Court in Uyo Judicial Division under His Lordship, Justice Ntong F. Ntong.
The applicants were His Majesty, Obong Blaise Udofia Awaka-Ama (Itai Afe Annang), (Abom) Obong Prof. Alphonsus Udo and (Abom) E.E.P. Umanah for Afe Annang and Annang tribe.
They joined Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Speaker, Akwa Ibom House of Assembly and Attorney-General of Akwa Ibom State as respondents.
The applicants in the enrolment Order declared ‘‘Upon the motion ex parte filed on September 22, 2023 and brought pursuant to Section 42(1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) Sections 43-45 of Akwa Ibom State Traditional Rulers Law Cap 155, Laws of the state, 2022, Order 39(1) and (3) of the state High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2009 and under inherence jurisdiction of the court.’’
Jumbo Udom, Emmanuel Efiakedoho and Anthony Udofia were counsels to the applicants.
The High Court of Akwa Ibom State, through a ruling by Justice Ntong Ntong, restrained the AKHA, its Speaker and the Attorney-General of Akwa Ibom State from passing the amendment of the Traditional Rulers Law which has created different classes of citizens in the State based on ethnic groupings.
In spite of the restraining court order, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly on Friday, September 22, passed the amended Traditional Rulers Law empowering the President-General of the institution to hold the office for a lifetime.
Later, Governor Eno signed the Bill into law that aided him in swearing in the President-General, Ntenyin Solomon Daniel Etuk, who is also the Oku Ibom Ibibio and Paramount Ruler of Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.
Groundswell of opposition
In a position by the Annang nation by HRM Akuku Cosmas Akpan (Akwa Akuku Annang), Paramount Ruler of Essien Udim Local Government Area in the state and seven other paramount rulers of Annang ethnic nationality, the monarchs described the bill as discriminatory, conflicting with the Nigerian constitutional and won’t see light of the day.
Annang monarchs said: “We have observed the discriminatory provisions in the bill. Section 47 (1) of the proposed law reads, ‘‘The President-General shall be the Oku Ibom Ibibio representing the largest ethnic group in the state.
“Section 48 reads, The Vice President (I) shall be the Akuku Annang, representing the second largest ethnic group in the state. The Vice President (II) shall be the Ahta Oro, representing Oron nation, the third largest ethnic group in the state.
“The cited provisions of the proposed law are not only derisory, condemnable, discriminatory, provocative, insulting but also inconsistency with section 42 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“It is in our firm view that Sections 47 and 48 of the proposed law/bill cannot pass the litmus test of Section 42 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“We insist that the Office of the President-General, The Vice President (I), and Vice President (II) be rotational and base on the three senatorial districts that make up Akwa lbom State as usual.”
“With all sense of honesty, the proposed law is hereby rejected in its entirety by the Annang extraction of Akwa lbom State, for not only being inconsistent with the ground norm but also repugnant to equity and good conscience.”
In another opposition, the Afe Annang under the heading: THE UNWAVERING POSITION OF THE ANNANG NATION ON THE BILL opposed the law.
‘‘We insist that the office of the President-General, The Vice President 1, and The Vice President 11 be rotational and base on the three senatorial districts that make up Akwa lbom State as usual.
‘‘It is with all sense of honesty, that the proposed law/Bill is hereby rejected in Its entirety by the Annang extraction of Akwa lbom State, for not only being inconsistent with the grundnorm but also repugnant to equity and good conscience.’’
CSOs call on AKHA for speedy passage of the law
A coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Akwa Ibom State has called on the House of Assembly to quicken the passage of the bill for the amendment of the Traditional Rulers’ Law Cap 155 of the State 2022 without further delay.
The bill sponsored by the executive was subjected to a public hearing on Friday.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Uyo after the public hearing of the bill on Friday, the coalition comprising, Center For Human Rights and Accountability Network, led by Otuekong Franklyn Isong; People’s Rights to Life Development Foundation by, Ifot N. Ifot and Vital Partners for Development led by Dr Victor David, explained that the bill when passed into law would upgrade the status of the Traditional institutions of Akwa Ibom State.
According to the CSOs, the bill when passed into law would enable the Oku Ibom Ibibio- which is the highest traditional stool in Akwa Ibom to be on a par with other traditional stools in other states such as the Sultan of Sokoto. Obong of Calabar, Olu of Warri, Emir of Kano, Oba of Benin, and Obi of Onitsha among others.
While stressing that the law would give room for the royal fathers in the state not to be treated as second fellows before their counterparts, the leaders of the civil society organizations called on the state governor Pst Umo Éno, to immediately assent to the bill when passed into law
“CSOs are saying that this bill should be passed into law without further delay so that our royal fathers should be accorded the same respect as their counterparts in other states, we cannot continue like this.
“The bill has already upgraded the status of the principal law we have and when assented to, it will now be Akwa Ibom State Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers and no longer Traditional Rulers Council this is in section 43 of the principal law as amended. If this had been done before now, it would have put the state in a different light, it is long overdue.”
The group also called on the political class and government at all levels to ensure full implementation of the law when passed, by according maximum respect to the royal fathers as done in other states regretting the minimal respect given to them in the past.
Protests and pouring of libation greeted the formal installation of the President General of the Supreme Traditional Rulers Council.
Youths numbering in hundreds besieged the frontage of Akwa Ibom Traditional Rulers Council’s office along Wellington Bassey Way End, Uyo on Saturday.
Armed with different inscriptions, their spokespersons kicked against the law and called on the state governor to rescind the law in the interest of peaceful existence and harmonious relationship among the various dialectal groups in the state.
In a viral video, some chiefs were seen in the premises of Afe Annang Secretariat in Ebebit Afaha Obong pouring libation and invoking gods to deal with the Annang sons who supported the passage of the bill into law.
At the end of their incantations, the mammoth crowd chorused ‘‘Amen’’ before walked into the expansive hall of the socio-cultural organization.
Gov Umo Eno reacts
in different WhatsApp’s groups, Governor Eno is said to have reacted thus, “There are several insinuations and misunderstanding that is being created in the minds of the people by those who failed at the elections and they think they can turn around and divide the state by whipping up ethnic sentiments. That is not going to be possible under this administration.
‘‘Before I came into office, the paramount rulers had met in a meeting amongst themselves. I was just a witness in that meeting. The 31 paramount rulers in the state, apart from those that were sick or deceased met and agreed that to enable Akwa Ibom to play a role in the national traditional rulers council, there was a need to elevate the traditional rulers council to now be called the Supreme Traditional Rulers Council headed by the President-General that they had for 4 years. I didn’t appoint him.
‘‘And incidentally, the President-General is the Oku Ibom Ibibio. Along with him, they had a Vice President General 1 to be the Nkuku Annang, the chose Vice President General II to be the Ahta Oro.
‘‘They said that would represent the Supreme Council of the Traditional Rulers for the purposes of playing at the national level. They now decided to rotate the chairmanship of the Traditional Rulers Council as it has always been. They did this without my interference.
‘‘I’ll like any traditional ruler from any part of this state to stand up boldly and say he was not at that meeting. There was only one suggestion from the Paramount Ruler of Itu who said there should be a slight modification and that slight modification was well taken, creating the two other offices (VPG 1 and VPII).
‘‘To make that possible, we needed to back it up by law. So when I came into office, we had to consult; the bill was sent to the House of Assembly to make it a law. The bill went to the House of Assembly and I understand there was a public hearing.
‘‘The bill was passed and I came back yesterday and signed it to law. Doing that was just honouring the wishes of our traditional fathers. And I had expected them to call me and thank me for honouring what they wanted. I did not originate the bill. I did not have a part in that bill.
‘‘So, the issue of people who should have stood election and won coming through the back door to try and confuse Akwa Ibom people is completely not acceptable. I ran for election for the office of the governor of Akwa Ibom State for the Ibibios, for the Annangs, for the Oros, for everyone and I will respect that until the day I leave office.
‘‘I’ll like our brothers to go back and ask their paramount rulers if they were there in the meeting, what did you say at that meeting, did you make objections at that meeting? Was Pastor Umo Eno at that meeting? So why are we trying to whip up ethnic sentiments that are not necessary? I want Akwa Ibom people to discountenance all what has been said.
‘‘There is no Ibibio, there is no Annang, there is no Oro, there is only one Akwa Ibom and I am the Governor of Akwa Ibom. And I must have courage as the governor to do what is right. And that is what I have done. We need to respect the wishes of our fathers.
”We must thank the House of Assembly for respecting the wishes of our royal fathers. I was told earlier this morning that some people led a protest. We know them. We know who they are, we know what they want to do but we will not allow them to do it.
”The time has passed where any group of persons think they will concentrate power in their hands and detect to a sitting governor what should happen in the state. I will be on the side of the people. Enough of allow politicians to hijack our traditional institution and mess it.
”I like to request that our traditional fathers should maintain the sanctity of their offices with their dignity. They should not allow politicians to take them for granted.
”The truth is that today, they are on your side, tomorrow they will ask that I remove you from office. That is what is beginning now, and if you accept this today, tomorrow when I remove you from office on the recommendation of politicians, please accept it also. My main concern is to allow your office to be magnified and dignified,’’ the governor stated.
Despite the protests and muscle flexing by some groups and individuals, Eno swore in Ntinyin Solomon Etuk as the President-General of Akwa Ibom Supreme Council on Saturday, September 23.
