- Issue him 7 Days Ultimatum to Apologize
By Franklyn Isong
The Paramount Rulers of Ifim Ibom Ibibio and prominent leaders of Ibibio nation have issued a disclaimer on the Paramount Ruler of ONNA Local Government Area, Edidem Akpabio Udo Ukpa, warning that anyone who deals with him as the Okuibom Ibibio III does so at his/her own peril as “he was not the Okuibom Ibibio III.”
This was contained in a communiqué issued after an enlarged meeting of Ifim Ibom Ibibio on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at Asan Ibibio.
The statement read in part: “That whereas HRM Edidem Akpabio Udo Ukpa, the Paramount Ruler of ONNA Local Government Area was suspended from Ifim Ibom Ibibio for insubordination, sacrilege and absenting himself from meetings and programmes of Ifim Ibom Ibibio and ignoring all invitations and pleas for reconciliations in the interest of unity within Ifim Ibom Ibibio and Ibibio Nation.
“That whereas it highly provocative and contemptuous for the suspended Edidem Akpabio Ukpa to parade himself and later purportedly installed himself as the Oku Ibom Ibibiio III in total disrespect to the customs, tradition and constitution of Ifim Ibom Ibibio as well as ridiculing the Oku Ibom stool.
“That Ibibio people disassociate themselves and condemned in unequivocal terms the sacrilege committed by HRM Edidem Akpabio Udo Ukpa by purporting to install himself as the Oku Ibom Ibibio III, whereas, late Edidem Robert James Obot was duly selected and proclaimed as the Oku Ibom Ibibio III after undergoing all the Ibibio traditional and cultural rites necessary before ascending the throne of Oku Ibom Ibibio stool.
“That the Government of Akwa Ibom State, the entire Ibibio people and Akwa Ibom people in general are advised to ignore Edidem Akpabio Ukpa’s claims to be the Oku Ibom stool as the Supreme Council of Ibibio Traditional Rulers (Ifim Ibom Ibibio) has concluded arrangement to soonest present the Oku Ibom Ibibio IV-elect after the conclusion of all necessary traditional and customary rites.
“That Akwa Ibom State Government, all traditional institutions in the state, the entire Akwa Ibom people at home and in Diaspora, Nigerians and Foreigners, Corporate bodies, person(s) are hereby notified and advised not to accept any chieftaincy title(s) or have any dealing(s) whatsoever with Edidem Akpabio Udo Ukpa, the Paramount Ruler of ONNA LGA in the name and or guise of Oku Ibom Ibibio III as any such dealing(s) or award(s) shall not be recognized and shall incur the wrath of god and Ibibio people against the violator(s) of this warning.
“That the Supreme Council of Ibibio Traditional Rulers and the people of Ibibio Nation shall soon come out with appropriate sanctions to all persons who took part either directly or indirectly in the purported coronation of Edidem Akpabio Ukpa as Okuibom Ibibio III which is a sacrilege to Ibibio tradition, custom and practice because it was done with the intension to divide Ibibio Nation and ridicule the Oku Ibom Ibibio Stool and Ibibio people.
“That based on the above, it is further unanimously resolved that the proceedings leading to and including the purported enthronement, pronouncement and anything done at the purported installation of Edidem Akpabio Udo Ukpa concerning the Oku Ibom Ibibio stool are hereby declared untraditional, illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.
“That Edidem Akpbio Udo Ukpa is hereby given 7 days from the date of this resolution to denounce his atrocities and Apologize to Ifim Ibom Ibibio and Ibibio people as failing which, he shall be banned from Ifim Ibom Ibibio forever,” the statement concluded.
The communiqué was signed by Paramount Rulers Etinan, Ibiono Ibom, Uruan, Uyo, Itu, Ini, Nsit Atai, Nsit Ibom, and Ikono LGAs. Others were: Ntisong Essien Udo Ekidem, the leader of Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio; Obong Okon Akpan Oku, chairman of Ibibio leaders Forum; Etebom Sylvanus Okon, clan head of Ofot Ukwa in Uyo; Obong C. M. Ekiko, Obong Okokon Etuk, Obongawan Aniema Eyoren, Prof. Imo Ukpong, Barr. Udo Christian George among several others.
Speaking at the meeting, the Paramount Ruler of Etinan LGA and the acting President Ifim Ibom Ibibio, Edidem Ime Dickson Umoette, had thanked the people of Ibibio race for not attending the “purported coronation of Edidem Ukpa as Okuibom III at ONNA,” in adherence to the warning issued by Ifim Ibom Ibibio against the event. He added that the position of Ifim Ibom was that things should be done properly and in accordance to the tradition of Ibibio land.
The leader of Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio, Ntisong Essien Ekidem observed that it was wrong for Edidem Ukpa to install himself against the advise of colleagues, saying that since the event did not take place at Asan Ibibio it showed that the Onna monarch did not follow the due tradition and custom of Ibibio nation.
The Chairman of Ibibio Elders Forum, Dr. Okon Akpan Oku, on his part said that Okuibom was the sole responsibility of Ibibio paramount rulers who, according to him, should begin the process of selecting one among themselves to be the Okuibom IV. He contended that late Edidem Robert James Obot was the Okuibom III and as such, the paramount rulers should elect Okuibom IV for Ibibio people. He frowned at the politicizing of the matter, saying that the stool was the right of Paramount Ruler who must emerge according to Ifim Ibom constitution.
Obong C. M. Ekiko, a former state lawmaker in the old Cross Rivers state, said that the people of Ibibio nation would continue to look up to the Umoette led Ifim Ibom Ibibio to produce the king for the race, condemning the action of the paramount ruler of Onna. While Obong Okokon Etuk, also a former state lawmaker in the old Cross Rivers State, blamed the crisis in Ifim Ibom Ibibio on politicians, saying that traditional matters could not be handled politically. He advised the paramount rulers to ensure that due process was followed in selecting the Okuibom IV. He pointed out that the state government has removed its hands in the matter since it was a traditional one that requires a traditional solution. He supported the action of the Umoette led ifim Ibom.
Etebom Jerry Emmah disassociated Ibibio National Union from the Ukpa-led Ifim Ibom Ibibio, saying that the president of the group, Obong Offiong Akpabio, acted without the consent of the group. He further accused their President of “playing politics with traditional matters,” noting that, “he (Offiong Akpabio) was the administrative secretary of Edidem Akpabio Ukpa and so all his actions and comments before, during and after Ukpa’s purported coronation should be treated and seen as that of the administrative secretary of Edidem Akpabio Ukpa and not to the office of the President of Ibibio National Union. He is a joiner. He was not there when we labored to form the body and labored to register it with the Corporate Affairs Commission. So, he cannot speak for us. I apologize on behalf of Ibibio National Union for any embarrassment he has caused you, please and, let me assure our paramount rulers here that actions have been taken to address the issue internally within Ibibio National Union.”
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