By Assam Abia
To me, there is nothing wrong when an organization or group of persons allow conflict take dominance over their sense of reason because from the beginning of time, conflict has always been the mathematical equation of puzzles and differences spanning all strata of God’s creation. But there is something wrong when the crusaders of such conflict allow themselves to be used by the unrefined bestial element of the animal in us, into destroying others either by gun, bomb or mere use of pernicious languages as recently done by some self-seeking egoists within the Afigh Iwaad Ekid.
The present ego-centric crisis coated with all manner of allegations that has for now almost destroyed the only leading socio-cultural youth organization of the Ekid nation, the Afigh Iwaad, is nothing new. What is new and distasteful is the puerile dimension the crisis has been manipulated as a glass door of insult and assault on some most highly respected elders and leaders of Eket Community. A development that has so vexed many right thinking people of Ekid nation including yours truly.
On Monday November 28, 2011 an advertorial captioned, “open letter to His Excellency, our Grand Patron, on the deliberate attempt by self-seeking political gladiators bent on hijacking the leadership of our body with intent to carry out a smear campaign on the Executive Governor ahead of 2015” was placed on page 14 & 15 of the pioneer Newspaper by some aggrieved members of Afigh Iwaad Ekid. The intention of this write-up is not to dabble into mattes concerning the crisis but succinctly, to point out and condemn in its totality the spurious and damaging allegations carried out in the said advertorial against the persons of Chief Nduese Essien, Brig. Gen. Anthony D. Etukudo (Rtd) Otuekong Akwa Ibom and Obong Iwaad Emman Mbong among others. These gentlemen are highly respected not only in Akwa Ibom State but across the nation because of their respective contributions to nation building. Chief Nduese Essien and Gen. Etukudo (Rtd) are founding Grand Patrons of Afigh Iwaad Ekid and have always been instrumental to conflict resolution within the apex youth body. But unfortunately, their attempt to broker peace this time around, has been misconstrued by myopic minds as an attempt to “hijack” the body of fight Governor Akpabio in 2015, when the Governor is by constitution leaving office by then. What a myopic way of thinking?
The signatories in the said advertorial attempted to paint their target black but only succeeded in reporting themselves to the Governor that they should not be trusted and believed. They insinuated that because the appointment of Hon. Aniekan Akpan as Transition Committee Chairman of Eket Local Government was opposed by Chief Nduese Essien and others, the alleged opposition, they claim amounts to rebellion against the Governor come 2015. They went further to ignite security alert that “the 2011 Ekid Cultural Festival has been slated to be used as an instrument to attack the person of the Executive Governor, as part of the grand plot leading to the 2015 Governorship race”. The advertorial literally castigated Chief Nduese Essien, Gen. Etukudo, Obong Emman Mbong as rebels, just to draw the attention of Governor Akpabio for selfish reason. Luckily, the Governor who is for now too busy to complete his second term is such an intelligent young man who knows the line between truth, blackmail and sycophancy. The people of Akwa Ibom has taught the Governor how not to dance to all drum beat no matter how melodious. He himself has been a victim of blackmail severally and can tell the voice of Jacob from the deceitful hand of Esau.
In a desperate move to crucify our leaders for a crime they never committed, the signatories to the said nauseating advertorial went to court in an attempt to illegalize the Obong Iwaad Nku led’s Caretaker Committee of the Afigh Iwaad from organizing the 2011 Ekid Cultural day festival which is billed for Saturday December 17, but the court saw no legal reason to grant them their request. The Court affirmed that the Ekid day must hold.
I know the parents of some of the aggrieved people, they are humble and will never take delight in insulting their leaders. These children needs some thinking. “Sons honour your parents and leaders so that your days on earth may be long”, so says the Holy Scriptures. We should not do things that will hunt for us tomorrow. Those who have insulted Chief Nduese Essien, Gen. Etukudo and Obong Emman Mbong have pointed their fingers at the wrong direction with four finger pointing back at them.
When the Niger Delta Region was boiling, Obongiwaad Emman Mbong was among the few selected youths of the region who gave Late president Ya’ Adua the road map to the Peace we now know today. He did not rebel against constituted authorities. He has over the years been instrumental to the peace enjoyed in Eket and has never shown any sign of rebellion against Akpabio’s administration. So why call for his head when no proof is found against him.
Again, when some of us were hiding in the fishing creeks of Esit Eket during the Nigerian Civil War, Gen. Etukudo (Rtd) was at Ore Sector fighting to keep this Country united. He did not rebel against the Federal Government and till date has remained a patriot to Akpabio’s administration and the federation. Why blackmail him for brokering peace in Afigh Iwaad, why point questionable fingers on such a gallant solider without proof of any wrong doing?
Chief Nduese Essien is a man known for excellence, truth and service. If he has anything against Akpabio, he will not need Afigh Iwaad Ekid as a vehicle of criticism. He mobilized the people of Eket to vote for Governor Akpabio during the just concluded general election. What does Akpabio have at take in 2015 that will so worry Chief Essien to want to fight against? Why insult a man who has impacted positively on the Ekid nation, without any proof of wrong doing?
Afigh Iwaad Ekid palaver should not give anybody the leverage to cast aspersion and back-stab our venerable leaders. Enough of such absurdity. Age and wisdom are twin blessing from God. Any insult on people with such gift is an insult on God. Man know thyself.
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