CRISIS LOOMS IN IKOT EKPENE TRC:
The Hands behind

The history of inter-clan, inter-village rancour, resentment, ill feeling, bad blood, hostility, enmity, malice, antagonism and bare-faced grievances for ascending the traditional power in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, in recent times, is gathering unprecedented momentum making the traditional governance system of the place risky or a do-or-die affairs. The collosal effects of this ugly trend are clearly numerous- stagnated development of core traditional infrastructure of the place, lack of unity among the traditional stakeholders, vulnerability to political influences and indeed, violence, insecurity, among other things. Historians and social writers have come together to believe that lack of adequate traditional structural space, or simply put, inability to depart from the abysmally pre-independence traditional structure and expand its royal frontiers, to accommodate the emerging socio-cultural measures, may have played a significant role in the growing phlegm among different components of Ikot Ekpene royal kingship. Another dangerous dimension, which is often ignored when analysing the declining status of Ikot Ekpene traditional structure, is the effect on succession to royal throne giving political leaders an edge
to decide and dictate for who will be the next on the royal lineage.
In many African societies, it is traditional leadership that strengthens political institutions and its blessings are derived from the words of the royal authority, but in Ikot Ekpene, the reverse is the case. Ascending any traditional throne in Ikot Ekpene is by the influence of political leaders whose aim is to use the royal fathers whom they have installed to enhance their political prominence and draw support for their elections. To them, understanding the basic traditional rites as part of the criteria for the royal seat is irrelevant claiming that modernity has washed away the power of the original traditional prerequisites for typical royal responsibilities. Politicians go for and largely impose people in their cabal with whom they share similar hidden ideologies. They forget that ignoring the basic aspects of tradition and installing the inexperienced in traditional matters normally bring about undesirable consequencies, like, early death, strange sicknesses, violence and havoc in the community.
These indicators have been the negative developments prevalent in the traditional families in Ikot Ekpene.
Going by the diary of paramount rulership in Ikot Ekpene, from 1951, the installation of the first paramount ruler of Ikot Ekpene, Chief Ikpeme Akpan, was peaceful, extremely coordinated according to norms and traditional standards of choosing a first-class royal father of the place. Chief Ikpeme Akpan was from Ibiaku Ntok Okpo, in the present Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. It's pertinent to note here that Ikono was under Ikot Ekpene Province and it shared similar geo-ethnic configuration with the people of the area but when the nomenclature was changed to Annang Province, they broke away claiming that they had different geo-ethnic attributes with the Annang people. The second Paramount Ruler of Ikot Ekpene, Okuku Akpan Enang, received the mantle of the royal headship of the place under a coordinated atmosphere, justice and equity. Selection and elections were fair and legitimate by any standard. Okuku Cosmas Okon Akpan came in as the third paramount ruler of the place until the creation of Essien Udim when His Majesty was taken to his own domain to head the traditional family of the place and, Okuku E. A. U. Ntekpere took over as the fourth paramount ruler of Ikot Ekpene. These early gladiators in Ikot Ekpene were men of undisputable traditional wisdom and their reigns witnessed tremendous developments in both the structure and general practice in Annang or, specifically, Ikot Ekpene traditional system. They
lived and maintained the core values as demanded by the royal throne.
After the death of Okuku E. A. U. Ntekpere, ascendancy to the exalted royal seat attracted something appalling which effect is haunting Ikot Ekpene till today.
Two prominent figures, one from each clan of the place, emerged for the paramount rulership. Late Engineer Augustus Jonah Ekpenyong Asiak emerged from from urban, while Chief Akpaimuk emerged from Amanyam. It was quite clear that Chief Akpaimuk was a better choice considering his pedigree in traditional functions. He knew how to harmonize traditional things with religious issues, he knew the language with which to speak and relate with the ancestors of the place and maintain the standard which our fore-fathers had protected for years. Besides, he had been in the royal circle for quite a number of years.
Engineer Asiak, on other hands, was ridiculously unknown in the traditional circle. He was unpopular among his people. It had been potentially revealed that Asiak's ancestral origin was Igbo. His fore-fathers were believed to have migrated from Arochukwu, to the south eastern part of this country tens of thousands of years ago. And,o his connection with Ikot Abia Idem in Akwa Ibom State can only be explained by some migration theory or left for history.
Lobbying with political leaders started, even before the emergence of the two candidates, at the TRC of the place followed with oath-taking and pledges for loyalty throughout his reign. While Asiak allegedly enjoyed the support of Arch. Obong Victor Attah's administration with full employment of the administration's apparatus, to intimidate his opponent, Chief Akpaimuk depended on his scanty followership with zero-financial support from anywhere.
The whole exercise shifted from traditional matter to political arrangement where notable politicians from Ikot Ekpene were involved in scheming for Asiak to get advantage at the end of the day. Although, Engineer Asiak was not directly in government of the day, his impact when he was General Manager, Cross River Radio and the influence of his late brother, Engineer Albert Asiak, one of prominent Engineers who provided the structural design of Calabar-Itu road and the bridge for Fugerol Engineering and Constructions Company, during Gowon's military rule in the early 70s, brought him to limelight and brightened his chances.
Proportion for acrimony, character assasnation and outright enmity between the duo went beyond physical to what an African would call "spiritual attack", in order to
use elimination method for victory. Mysteriously and suddenly, Chief Akpaimuk lost his sight, a situation that disqualified him and made him physically unfit and irrelevant for the royal throne. This gave Asiak an edge over him and he (Asiak) was pronounced Paramount Ruler of Ikot Ekpene. Chief Akpaimuk died years later and his ghost continued to haunt the hands behind his tragic loss of sight and eventual death.
The use of elimination method has been rampant strategy in both politics and traditional stool, in recent times. It can be perfected through a variety of ways, including an organised kidnapping, assasination, physical and spiritual poisoning.
The politicians and royal stakeholders of Ikot Ekpene who played out the script for Akpaimuk's fall are found in every other regime after Obong Attah's administration. They occupy juicy offices and remain a stumbling block for the growth of Ikot Ekpene TRC. Their aim is to support members of their cabal to draw support for their masters, for any elective post in government, through organised thuggery and hired killing.
Unfortunately, this situation has become worrisome and unfathomable and it's growing by the day attracting new lethal methods since ascending royal throne nowadays is no longer by traditional merit but by political influence to satisfy personal aggrandisement specically.
That brings to mind the game-plan that is playing out in the non-certification and recognition of Otoro-Ubo clan, the newly created clan in Ikot Ekpene local government area.
Elections were duly conducted among three candidates-Chief Alban Udofia, Chief David Ukpong Ukut and Dr. Ime S. Ekpo, to choose clanhead of the place. At the peacefully conducted election, Chief Alban Udofia polled 2 votes, Chief David Ukpong Ukut polled 1 vote while Dr. Ime S. Ekpo polled 6 votes making Dr. Ekpo the overall winner and clanhead-elect of the new clan.
Since after the election and the victory and loss announced, certification of the clan, recognition and conferment of the winner as the royal head of the new clan is suffering neglect from the government of the day. There has been some public outcry and total condemnation of the government's lukewarm attitude towards certificating and recognizing Otoro-Ubo clan. The delay believed to be the handiwork of some mischief makers in Udom's administration who were also the
hands that engineered and promoted enmity between Asiak and Akpaimuk feel they can use similar elimination method to do away with the winner of Otoro-Ubo's clanhead ship, Dr. Ime S. Ekpo and instal their own choice, that would be an impossible venture, figment of imagination and indeed, a colossal failure, because Nigerians and the world at large, are watching to see the endpoint of Governor Udom's promises to the people of the state.

This write up too long

Lmfao . .I laugh at this Igbos outside the South East who think they can change your identity ...when the time is right they would remind you were you are from

Yes we know of aro ikot ekpene the name was changed after the war

Lmfao

Wish ikot ekpene people peaceful resolution of the crisis

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triple996:
This write up too long

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