After mounting pressures due to the amended Akwa Ibom Traditional Rulers Act, the state Government has waded in and waved Olive branch to the troubled ethnic nationalities in the state.
Since September 23, 2023, the traditional rulers’ institution has been in turmoil smacks by suspicion and fear of marginalsiation due to the enactment of the controversial Akwa Ibom Traditional Rulers Act.
Straightnews had reported that the 36th State Creation anniversary, Governor Umo Eno installed Etinyin Solomon Etuk as lifetime President-General of Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers Council.
Consequently, the Act 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.
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Angered by the Law, 13 Paramount Rulers jointly sued Governor Umo Eno over the amended State Traditional Rulers Law, 2022.
As a soft landing, Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno hosted Paramount Rulers drawn from 29 of the 31 local government areas of the state, to find lasting solutions to the lingering issue arising from the amended Akwa Ibom State Traditional Rulers’ Law, at the State Executive Council Chambers.
The Paramount Rulers of Ibeno and Ini Local Government Areas respectively were absent on health grounds.
In an atmosphere of peace and unity, the Governor thanked the Paramount Rulers and assured them of his government’s readiness to work with them to find a lasting solution to the matter.
“I thank you most sincerely for heeding my call. It is through your support and the support of all Akwa Ibomites that I was elected to this office.
“I always pray that God will help me to always do my best to satisfy the majority of Akwa Ibom people.
“I have gone to Ibibio, Annang and Oro lands to sue for peace on this issue and let me thank Barrister Ekpenyong Ntekim for accepting to cooperate with us to resolve this matter out of court.
“The position of everyone from your submissions, is that you have all agreed on the principle of rotation for the position of the President-General of Akwa Ibom State Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers.
“We won’t want to meddle into this issue involving our revered traditional fathers. That is why we are setting up a 7- man Committee drawn from this revered body to make recommendations concerning the mode or structure of the rotation and submit the conclusions to us, in two weeks.
“We will thereafter, send the recommendations to the State House of Assembly for further considerations,” the Governor said.
The Paramount Rulers: Edidem (Prof.) Amanam Udo, Paramount Ruler of Etim Ekpo and Owong Okon Abang, Paramount Ruler of Mbo as well as Edidem Clement Francis Ekpenyong of Ibesikpo Asutan, spoke in total support of the setting up of the committee, on behalf of their colleagues.
In his speech, the Chairman of the State Traditional Rulers Council, Odidem Bassey Etim Edet, thanked the Governor for the excellent manner he has handled the matter and supported the idea of a committee to look into the issue as proposed by the Governor.
The Oku Ibom Ibibio and President-General of Akwa Ibom State Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, Ntenyin Solomon Etuk, CFR, also sued for peace, noting that, “we are all bound by the same cords of unity. It is not about me, it is about the unity and peace of our dear State.
“I am an in-law in Annang land, and my son marries in Udung Uko Local Government Area- Oro land. We are all one and we must embrace peace for our state to progress,” he said, expressing support for the committee.
Barr. Ekpenyong Ntekim, a Counsel to the 13 royal fathers initially instituted a court action on the issue, described Governor Umo Eno as a man of peace.
Ntekim thanked the Governor for his ingenuity in setting up the committee, and expressed his support, stating that it represents the best way to resolve the lingering issue.
This position was also echoed by the State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Mr Uko Udom, SAN.
The members of the constituted 7-Man Committee are:
- HRM Edidem Etim Charles Daniel Abia,FCA, Paramount Ruler of Eket – Chairman
2. HRM Edidem (Dr.) Edet Akpan Inyang, Paramount Ruler of Itu- Member
3. Edidem(Prof.) Amanam Akpanudo Uko, Paramount Ruler of Etim Ekpo, Member
4. HRM Akuku Okon Udo Ukut, Paramount Ruler of Ikot Ekpene LGA, Member
5. HRM Owong Okon Asukwo Abang, Paramount Ruler of Mbo LGA, Member
6. HRM Edidem Ita Edet Okokon, Paramount Ruler of Okobo LGA, Member
7. HRM Okuku (Dr.) Ime Udousoro Inyang,JP, Paramount Ruler of Ibiono Ibom LGA, Member; while Dr. Emmanuel Umontuen, Secretary, Akwa Ibom Traditional Rulers Council, will function as the Committee Secretary.
Others present at the meeting were the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Elder) Udeme Otong, the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, Director General of Government Business, Chief Assam Assam, SAN; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Frank Archibong, and the Political Adviser to the Governor, Prince ( Dr.) Godwin Ntukudeh.
Ifim Ibom Ibibio Backs Amendment Of TRC Law
In what looks like backtracking, Ifim Ibom Ibibio has backed the amendment of the Akwa Ibom State Traditional Rulers Law 2023.
In a press statement, Ifim Ibom Ibibio, the highest traditional institution in Ibibio land, said its decision to have the law amended without distorting its intended purpose to enhance the prestige of the state traditional institution, is to further strengthen certain areas that will engender goodwill among all traditional rulers.
Accordingly, it has raised a memorandum to the State government regarding some areas of the law which attracted contentions– with its views, interests and positions clearly stipulated, including the accommodation of the interests of other segments of the State.
The body, otherwise known as the Supreme Council of Ibibio Traditional Rulers, states “As royal fathers, we have to give thoughts to the fact that in all of these brouhaha ‘for and against” the law, the collective interest of Akwa Ibom State is uppermost, and that we must strive to maintain at all times. Therefore, in the pursuit of peace, unity, love and progress lies the demand of inclusivity of all.
“The fact remains incontrovertible that the AKWA IBOM STATE of TODAY remains that “VISION and DREAM” of our great forebears of IBIBIO UNION and later IBIBIO STATE UNION, which eventually materialised in September 23, 1987.
“We stand to uphold that template of oneness and togetherness as set by our great forebears. We see ourselves despite dialectal differences in our language as ONE PEOPLE of a COMMON DESTINY.
“We are therefore bound to accord utmost respect and cooperation to our State Governor, His Excellency, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno to govern Awa Ibom State in unity, peace and concord. We recall the Governor’s meeting of October 17, 2023 with the 31 Paramount Rulers of Akwa Ibom State at the State Executive Council Chambers, Uyo to seek ways of resolving the lingering issues on the Akwa Ibom State Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers.
“Furthermore, the Governor later paid a conciliatory visit to Ifim Ibom Ibibio to reemphasize his stance for the amicable resolution of the issue. As a great leader, a cleric and a man of peace, it demands that we accord His Excellency, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno due respect by following his laudable footsteps to ensure the maintenance of peace, unity and development in Akwa Ibom State.”
Ifim Ibom Ibibio further stated that following the conciliatory visit by the Governor, it inaugurated a committee to collate memoranda from groups, royal fathers and individuals on the TRC Law and the way forward.
“We have received the report and it is consequent upon it that we have forwarded our clearly outlined positions to the state government,” it added.
Ifim Ibom Ibibio therefore solicited the total cooperation of all towards the continued well-being and development of Akwa Ibom under the administration of Governor Umo Eno.
The statement was signed for Ifim Ibom Ibibio by His Eminence, Ntenyin (Dr.) Solomon D. Etuk, JP, CFR, Oku Ibom Ibibio and President General of Akwa Ibom State Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers; Okuku (Dr.) Ime Udousoro Inyang, Chairman of Ifim Ibom Ibibio Council and Paramount Ruler of Ibiono Ibom.
Others were Edidem Udo J. Ntukobom, Vice chairman of Ifim Ibom Ibibio Council and Paramount Ruler of Ikot Abasi LGA; and Edidem Etim Nnana Itang, Paramount Ruler of Ikono LGA.
