…Threaten to boycott meetings
The controversy that greeted the amendment of the Akwa Ibom Traditional Rulers Council law has continued to generate disaffection among the ethnic groups of Ibibio, Annang, Obolo and Oro of the state.
The amended law grants perpetual headship of the new Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers on the Ibibio, the majority ethnic group in the state.
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But aggrieved traditional rulers of Annang, Oro and Obolo rejected the law, insisting that the office of the President-General of Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers must rotate among all the ethnic groups in the state.
In a communique issued after an enlarged meeting in Ikot Ekpene, they threatened to boycott all events, meetings and activities presided over by the Oku Ibom Ibibio, Nteyin Solomon Etuk who is also the Paramount Ruler of Nsit Ubium Local Government Area
The communique was signed by Okon Udofia for the Obolos, Efiong Unanaowo for Oro and Amanam Udo for Annang among others.
It reads in part, “The Converge directs that no member of the Traditional Rulers Council from the Annang, Oron, and Obolo Nationalities shall attend any meeting, event, function of any sort presided over by the Oku Ibom Ibibio as the President General of the Supreme Council of Akwa Ibom State Traditional Ruler.
“Whoever that flouts this resolution shall be traditionally sanctioned in accordance with our customs and traditions.
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The Converge gladly accepts the authorisation and instructions of our people from Annang, Oron, and Obolo ethnic nationalities in Akwa Ibom State to take all necessary legal and constitutional actions against what we all consider a deliberate effort at the obliteration of our ethnic groups as intended by recently amended Traditional Laws of Akwa Ibom State which has suddenly turned a once very peaceful State into a fragmented society built on ethnic blocs with capacity for a breakdown of law and order in the state.”
They urged the state governor to reverse the law in the interest of the peace and unity of all ethnic groups in the state.
The meeting was attended by Paramount rulers from Annang speaking local government areas as well as royal father’s from Oron and Ibeno and Eastern Obolo Local Government Areas.
