AN OPEN LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR OF AKWA IBOM STATE HIS EXCELLENCY, PASTOR UMO BASSEY ENO BY THE PARAMOUNT RULERS OF ANNANG AND ORO NATIONS/OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS

His Excellency,
Pastor Umo Bassey Eno,
Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

Your Excellency,

DISCRIMINATION/DEPRIVATION OF OUR RIGHTS IN THE PURPORTED NEW LAW AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 47 and 48 OF THE PURPORTED TRADITIONAL RULERS LAW:

OUR FIRM STAND

We the Paramount Rulers of Annang and Oro Nations in consert with other minor ethnic groups in Akwa Ibom State, feel, oppressed, rejected, sidelined, wholesomely humiliated and discriminated as we are considered not to be legitimate citizens of Akwa Ibom State following the unthoughtful amendment of the Traditional Rulers Law Cap: 155, Laws of Akwa Ibom State by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. On this prickly, thorny and ugly matter capable of according conflicts amongst ethnic groups in our State, we the Royal fathers on behalf of our subjects strongly reject and state as follows:

That the 2022 version of the Traditional Rulers Law, Cap: 155, has been a living and a balanced law that has the good of the citizens of Akwa Ibom State at heart without prejudice but gallantly and legally regulating the traditional institution in Akwa Ibom State. With this, it should remain a sacred enshrinement and a perfect Law.

We confront bitterly the discriminatory provision in the purported law section 47 (1) and section 48 which creates the office of the President General of the New Supreme Council of Traditional Ruler only for the Oku Ibom Ibibio and a life-long tenure without rotation at all amongst other ethnic groups. This is selfishness.

We are in opposition even to the provision made for the Vice President 1 and II which seems a mockery to our identity and an insult to our aged long tradition and culture of respect for others not minding birth, age, tribe, religion and language.

We state boldly that the purported law is biased. No law in force would make a particular area and a particular person of the state (no matter how large or small) a leader in perpetuity. Every human being is a creation of God and any attempt by humans to threat others unjustly, is objectional, irreligious, immoral, condemnable and therefore the purported law by House of Assembly should be seen as a bluff since it is enacted in a raw form.

It is our very firm view that, whoever baby-seated the amendment of 2022 Traditional Rulers Law, Cap: 155, is an agent of conflict and is in direct affront with the Litmus Test of section 42 (2) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which prohibits a citizen been deprived just for sake of circumstance of birth.

We are opposing the office of the President General of the Traditional Rulers Council but still advocating positively for the office of the Chairman, Traditional Rulers Council who knows what his functions are for the period of the two years by law.

Our dear and good Governor, who among the two will direct a meeting during the Traditional Ruler Council meeting? To us, this is a duplication of office. It is a violent anticipated not minding the volume of prayers to God. In fact, a weapon of hatred, disagreement and disunity geared towards graving peace in Akwa Ibom-the land of promise.

We therefore insist that, for Akwa Ibom to remain in one fold, the office of the Chairman should remain only and should be rotatory while the office of Oku Ibom Ibibio remains only for their ethnic group - Ibibio. Annang Nation-Akwa Okuku Annang. Akta Oro for Oron Nation.

OUR PASSIONATE APPEAL

Your Excellency, we believe we have enlightened you the more on this matter and you have seen that the position of the Chairman and the position of the President General in the same Traditional Ruler Council will result in an administrative muscle-flexing and that the purported amended law, does not pass the test of repugnancy. We sincerely and humbly urge you to ask the House of Assembly for the reverse of this hurriedly passed law which was made to cover a subject matter of interest with immediacy just for the interest of peaceful co-existence in the State you are governing.

We shall be graceful if you could join us in this advocacy for equal rights, equality before the law, justice, fairness, and respect for others

We remain united in tradition.

GOOD OR BAD E CONCERN THEM

Ayaya

Sheer politics that adds no direct impact on development

Ofenmanu people have already flooded here to talk rubbish. Foolish people, they always pokenose on issues that is not their business.

One of them is even using Igbo sounding moniker to deceive gullible ones. People that support criminals and certificate forgers should never have opinion on others.

Spits!