ujoinme:

Oil Rivers State: Ibeno Leaders Writes National Conference

OPEN LETTER TO NATIONAL CONFERENCE LEADERSHIP AND MEMBERS.
PROPOSED OIL RIVERS STATE: COUNT IBENO OUT

The attention of the elected political office holders of Ibeno extraction has been drawn to newspaper and online publications on the alleged inclusion of Oil Rivers State as one of the States recommended for creation by the National Conference.

While we do not oppose the creation of an additional State, we vehemently reject any attempt at balkanization of the State with the aim of taking out Ibeno Local Government Area or any other Local Government Area for that matter out of the present geopolitical structure of Akwa Ibom State. This does not mean that we are opposing any people outside Akwa Ibom State from agitating for Oil Rivers State, but we state unequivocally that delineation of such a State MUST NOT INCLUDE any portion, village, community or square metre of Akwa Ibom State. We oppose it and for good reasons.

First, Ibeno Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, with the longest coastline in Nigeria is the primary and major reason Akwa Ibom State is the current largest oil producing State in Nigeria. That accounts for the huge revenue profile of the Federation and of the State from the Federation Account.

Secondly, although most people of Ibeno are not happy that there is no commensurate Federal and State development presence in the Local Government Area to justify its uniqueness and indispensability in the wealth and fortunes of Nigeria and Akwa Ibom State, we believe that is not enough reason to jeopardize, severe, balkanize or in any way the communality, brotherhood, ancestral antecedent and our common heritage in Akwa Ibom State. In Ibeno, a brother does not run away from the house because his other brothers have denied him of his right portion of fish in the bowl of soup.

Thirdly, this whole talk of State agitation can only be a miscalculated and wrong approach to crying out against marginalization.

Fourth, we believe the Federal and State Governments are sensitive to our plight and will not look the other way when there is a cry for development through a uniting, not dividing and arm-twisting approach of State creation.

Fifth, although, we no more have a Commissioner in the State Executive Council today, the Majority Leader of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Okpolupm Etteh, is from Ibeno LGA representing Esit Eket and Ibeno State Constituency. We have a Paramount Ruler who is highly respected in the comity of Royal Fathers, a Local Government Chairman and Vice Chairman, 10 elected Councilors and leaders of thought. We speak on behalf of the people that elected us that we were neither consulted nor our consent sought in this ill-fated project. We would have counseled against it because we have the ears of the grassroot electorates of Ibeno people.

Sixth, it was the Queen of England that declared Ibeno a Protectorate in 1882 when the King of Opobo levied war against Ibeno people in order to annex Ibeno as a part of her territory. The Command Paper is there for the record. Now that we are the elected representatives of Ibeno people, we will not shirk in our responbility to ensure that our communality with Akwa Ibom State is protected and preserved.

Seventh, any agitation for State creation should be a corporate decision of the people of the State.

We, the elected representatives of Ibeno people, therefore, urge the National Conference to expunge Ibeno Local Government Area from the proposed Oil Rivers State. Ibeno will engage in any open process of State Creation when all the people of Akwa Ibom State will agree to determine how the State should be further divided when the need so arises.

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Long Live Akwa Ibom State
Long Live Ibeno Local Government Area.

SIGNED:

Rt. Hon. Okpolupm Ikpong Etteh
House Leader, Member representing Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly

Hon. Esther Michael Nnitor
Vice Chairman, Ibeno Local Government Council

Rt. Hon. Sunday Johnson
Leader, Ibeno Legislative Council (Councillor ward 4)

Rt. Hon. Charity Akpanowong
Deputy Leader, Ibeno Legislative Council (Councillor ward 9)

Hon. Mkpat Enyina
Councillor, ward 1

Hon. Ichulo O. Sunday
Councillor, ward 2

Hon. Kingsley Akwa-udo
Councillor ward 3

Hon. Emmanuel Anthony Mkpat
Councillor ward 5

Rt. Hon. Ikoabasi I. Uko
Councillor ward 6

Rt. Hon. Moses Itam Moses
Councillor ward 7

Hon. Douglas Noah
Councillor ward 8

Rt. Hon. George Udiaobong Ekah
Councillor ward 10

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pazienza: That quote from Ibeno people was too much for me to bear, the quote should be written down for men to learn. I salute the wisdom, honesty and the brotherly love Ibeno people possess.

They have it all, sea access, large amount of crude oil, wise leaders, they could easily forsake their brothers in Akwa ibom, establish a new ethnic group, join a new state accuse the Ibibios of domination, make anti Ibibio publication, engage in history revisionism to erase any link they have with Akwa ibom, build new city and towns and leave the rest of Akwaibom for dead. But they didn't, they didn't let their greed control them, they recognized the importance of family.


Thanks the the wisdom and love of Ibeno people, the future of Akwa ibom remains bright, a state of one people,one parent language, and one love.

God bless Ibeno people, God bless Akwa ibom state!

atlwireles:

you no dey tire? Kai

pazienza:


I can never get tired of appreciating and praising men of wisdom like the leaders of Ibeno.
They must be praised to teach the phoolish ones.

pazienza: That quote from Ibeno people was too much for me to bear, the quote should be written down for men to learn. I salute the wisdom, honesty and the brotherly love Ibeno people possess.

They have it all, sea access, large amount of crude oil, wise leaders, they could easily forsake their brothers in Akwa ibom, establish a new ethnic group, join a new state accuse the Ibibios of domination, make anti Ibibio publication, engage in history revisionism to erase any link they have with Akwa ibom, build new city and towns and leave the rest of Akwaibom for dead. But they didn't, they didn't let their greed control them, they recognized the importance of family.


Thanks to the wisdom and love of Ibeno people, the future of Akwa ibom remains bright, a state of one people,one parent language, and one love.

God bless Ibeno people, God bless Akwa ibom state!

IGBOSON1:

^^^What saved Akwa Ibom is that we're not in a military dispensation! If not, Akwa Ibom would have been balkanised by fire or by force! All they need do is find a handful of greedy saboteurs from within, with little or no moral scruples; bribe them with promises of fame, wealth, connections in Abuja, and such materialistic piffle! All the sabo's need do in return is stick to the script by crying wolf where non exists; saying how they've been marginalised and brutalized in Akwa Ibom; that they're an autonomous ethnic group in their own right; and that the larger Akwa Ibom are doing 'attache-by-force' to thief their oyel and have access to the sea!

Think i'm kidding? Egbema, Ndoni and Oyigbo are cases in point, and stand as testament to the shenanigans that goes on in this country! Also, they've succeeded in confusing some Ikwerre on their Igbo identity......having them believe that even though they bear Igbo names; have towns and villages with Igbo names (which they've recently changed to 'rumu' to distance themselves from the larger Igbo nation); and have Igbo traditions and culture......even though they have all these, they've been convinced to rewrite their history, and now claim to be the 'Ikwerre Nation' that have no links with Ndigbo! Go figure!

ujoinme:

Akwa Ibom is one. our eastern obolo and ibeno brothers also know that no matter the state they go to they will still be minorities and especially after the marginalization they suffered in the hands of our Ijaw brothers during the sharing of the Amnesty empowerment for ex militants. They already know how they will be treated in an ijaw majority state.
At least in Akwa Ibom they have learnt how to navigate the waters of the political space in the state to get what they want as minorities rather than learn all afresh. They say the devil you know is better than a "friend" you cant understand. And this year the gov. of the state has been zoned to eket senatorial zone and they stand a chance producing a gov. from that zone who will correct any perceived injustice that the oil bearing areas have faced.
The Ibibios are democratic in nature unlike some other majority groups in Nigeria that oppress the minorities case in point the current governor is a minority and became governor because the state zoned it to his senatorial zone.

omololu2020: Akwa ibom guys on dis thread r really funny,if d national assembly agrees dat pple dat will mak up dis new state can choose if dey wanna b part of a new state or not,n d pple of ibeno não obolo choose to b part of New oil rivers state,u pple can do notin abt it

mencade5: nigeria is a land of confusion from north to south, east to west.

Even if nigeria divide the problem wil still continue.

yemaldo:
My brother, we don't have such problem in west

Nctrice: what kind of problem are you referring to?

yemaldo:
I believe u should be more united,

yemaldo:
My brother, we don't have such problem in west

ujoinme:

Akwa Ibom is one. our eastern obolo and ibeno brothers also know that no matter the state they go to they will still be minorities and especially after the marginalization they suffered in the hands of our Ijaw brothers during the sharing of the Amnesty empowerment for ex militants. They already know how they will be treated in an ijaw majority state.

At least in Akwa Ibom they have learnt how to navigate the murky waters of the political space in the state to get what they want as minorities rather than learn all afresh with a new group. They say the devil you know is better than a "friend" you cant understand. And this year the gov. of the state has been zoned to Eket senatorial zone where they belong so they stand a chance producing the next gov. from that zone who will correct or address any perceived injustice that the oil bearing areas have faced.

The Ibibios are democratic in nature unlike some other majority groups in Nigeria that oppress the minorities case in point the current governor is a minority and became governor because the state zoned it to his senatorial zone The ibibios supported it.
Of the six ethnic groups in Akwa Ibom its only the Ibibios that have the numbers/ population to win an election without the support of any other group but they don't use their numbers to bully or necessary hug onto power.

Akwa ibom has six ethnic groups : Ibibio, Annang, Oro,Ekid, obolo, and Ibeno. there is no ijaw land in Akwa Ibom. Ibibio, ekid,oro and ijaw are part of the people groups found in Eastern obolo and ibeno LGA's hence it will be very difficult to excise those regions because even though the obolos and ibeno are the majority in their LGA but their LGAs are not homogenous, they also have minority ibibio(from Ikot abasi and mkpat enin ), ekid, oro and ijaws in their LGAs

Donmarrius:
My brother,i beg to disagree on one point,which is marginalization.
Let me say this,marginalizaition isn't a prime factor,in Oil politics of balkanization/divide-and-rule,but greed and interest.
Read what Pazienza and Igboson are saying,to understand what is called oil politics.
1.If this military,am sorry,Akwa ibom has already lost ibeno,like Imo lost part of Oil Egbema to rich Egbema,to Rivers state.now we have Egbema in both Imo & Rivers.
2.Its in UN charter,for people to have the right,to decide who they want to be.So,what those whose "interest" is to annex the oil rich part of AKS will do,is just to look for greedy ibeno people,especially the vocal ones,and promise them top positions in the would be oil rivers state,and also promise them oil wells.then you will see how it plays out.you will see how they will denounce any link to AkS,and they will falsify lies of how their fathers and grandfathers migrated from Ijaw,and own Ibeno,and how ibibios/ekid/efik,etc.has been marginalizing them,and that they want to join their kins in the proposed oil rivers state.At that point,"it is their inalienable human right,to determine where they want to belong".where their is opposing views among them,referrendum will be conducted,to determine popular view.Hence,Akwa ibomites won't have a say.

But let me congratulate the letter from Ibeno people,that i saw here.I feel happy,that they have choosen brotherliness over greed and oil.Oil will soon finish,even as its value is gradually but steadily waning away,at the global energy market,which is the reason for its downward price,but brotherliness,will forever abide.KUDOS TO IBENO PEOPLE.
Should Nigeria divide,which is just a question of time,those who deny their brothers,will suffer slavery,in the hand of strangers.I LOVE AKWA IBOM.THEY ARE MY INLAW!

barcanista: I read and laugh at the comments of some dudes that think they have the exclusive right to decide for the people of Ibeno and co. The plaNned Oil Rivers state shouldn't cause this unnecessary bikering btw the Great Ijaw Nation and our Akwa Ibom neighbours. The proposed state is an exclusive btw the concerned communitiies and not an expansionist agenda. Well done Ijawcitizen and kel4soft....

TRIBALSTOOGE:


KEEP DECEIVING YOUR SELF .YOU ARE STILL THE SAME GUY ON MULTIPLE MONIKER ,FAKE IJAWCITIZEN BARCANISTA ,KEL4SOFT .

I WILL GIVE YOU NAMES OF YOUR VARIOUS EMAIL ADDRESS . IF YOU WANT ? I CAN SALE THE APPS TO YOU .

TRIBALSTOOGE:


KEEP DECEIVING YOUR SELF .YOU ARE STILL THE SAME GUY ON MULTIPLE MONIKER ,FAKE IJAWCITIZEN BARCANISTA ,KEL4SOFT .

I WILL GIVE YOU NAMES OF YOUR VARIOUS EMAIL ADDRESS . IF YOU WANT ? I CAN SALE THE APPS TO YOU .

BabaTony:

why are you desperate? na by force? na so dem dey create states?

Donmarrius:
My friend,shut up,you don't have oil,which is the mother of divide and rule(Identity crises) politics in Nigeria.

You don't have problem in the west,what of Ife and modake?

mencade5: nigeria is a land of confusion from north to south, east to west.

Even if nigeria divide the problem wil still continue.

omololu2020: my broda plz speak for ursef,pple or region alone,if nigeria divide aLl d problm will still continue for u n ur pple,but we yorubas shall not hav any problm

omololu2020: why will i b desprate,wetin concern me wit akwa ibom n ijaw,if una lik mak una kill una sef,ko kan aye....d peeps dat r desprate ova hia r pple from akwa ibom

BabaTony:

Stop talking rubbish, the people in akwa ibom who are directly affected (eastern obolo and ibeno) have come out themselves to say they are not interested in any state creation so where is the desperation from akwa ibom coming from. The real desperados and land grabbers are the ijaw people in rivers state that want a state but want to annex other people's land without their consent in order to get it. ITS DEAD ON ARRIVAL. The same way the agitators of aba state will want to grab essien udim to form part of their state. If ijaw people in rivers want oil rivers then fine, they can go ahead and demand for it but they should never ever think they will take one inch of land from akwa ibom.PERIOD! The most annoying thing in this matter is the effrontery the have by including people they have never consulted with. Its ok. Their hope is built on Jonathan presidency. ..LOL, very foolishh. Even if it were during the military regime, it would still be dead on arrival because you cannot force people who are not interested in state creation (in this case eastern obolo and ibeno) to form a state. Name me one state in Nigeria that was created by the millitary without their consent. There is none. So quit dreaming with ijaw people about oil rivers state with akwa ibom land Mr Desperado. THERE ARE NO IJAW PEOPLE IN AKWA IBOM, EASTERN OBOLO AND IBENO HAVE NEVER BEEN AND NEVER WILL BE IJAW PEOPLE. This fact has been overflogged here so ijaw people should take note.

mencade5: how do you want to get your kwara state back from the fulani? Explain this without insult like a gentle for us to understand.

omololu2020: dey r not ijaw,não dey r not also ibibio or annang,so if dia should b a referendum,dey will b d ones to decide if dey wanna b part of d new state or not,so guy mak u cool down

BabaTony:

Stop talking rubbish, the people in akwa ibom who are directly affected (eastern obolo and ibeno) have come out themselves to say they are not interested in any state creation so where is the desperation from akwa ibom coming from. The real desperados and land grabbers are the ijaw people in rivers state that want a state but want to annex other people's land without their consent in order to get it. ITS DEAD ON ARRIVAL. The same way the agitators of aba state will want to grab essien udim to form part of their state. If ijaw people in rivers want oil rivers then fine, they can go ahead and demand for it but they should never ever think they will take one inch of land from akwa ibom.PERIOD! The most annoying thing in this matter is the effrontery the have by including people they have never consulted with. Its ok. Their hope is built on Jonathan presidency. ..LOL, very foolishh. Even if it were during the military regime, it would still be dead on arrival because you cannot force people who are not interested in state creation (in this case eastern obolo and ibeno) to form a state. Name me one state in Nigeria that was created by the millitary without their consent. There is none. So quit dreaming with ijaw people about oil rivers state with akwa ibom land Mr Desperado. THERE ARE NO IJAW PEOPLE IN AKWA IBOM, EASTERN OBOLO AND IBENO HAVE NEVER BEEN AND NEVER WILL BE IJAW PEOPLE. This fact has been overflogged here so ijaw people should take note.

steryc: why is it that out of the 18 states recommended by national cofab ,is only OIL RIVERS STAT that is bringing issue in this forum. The fact that you served in eastern obolo does not make u more knowledgeable than d people .if u were reasonable ,did u border to ask where northern , western n southern obolo are ? are they in akwa ibom , have u bordered to ask the language obolo , which GRP of people speak it ?so what right do u, a mere coups member that served just a yr in eastern obolo , to know more than us the people of eastern obolo.My friend let me inform you.Am Awajiochit Ojoko a proud native of okoroete in eastern obolo, does that name sound like an Ibibio name, the fact,,, that we are in d present day akwa ibom state does not make us Ibibio ,get that clear , the same group of people glamouring for an akwa ibom not to be splited denied me , my medical grant as a medical students because of my name, because I don't speak the rubbish language they speak, when my local government literally feeds the state
.They called me a Rivers man ,now leave me to join my ijaws brothers is another problem.Go and check the African encyclopedia , the IJAWS are the nembe,okrika,kalabari,ibanis, obolo,abua, ibeno etc,do your self a favour by asking Google who are the ijaw , d other fellow , that ask about amnesty , a blood cousin of mine benefited from amnesty , so get your info correctly b4 smelling your pammy mouth . proudly okoroete , proudly obolo(andoni), proudly ijaw.Besides the Ijaws had been agitating for these states since IBB administration, even b4 akwa ibom was created but only succeeded in Bayelsa alone in 96 leaving behind. oil rivers and torlu be states .Whether the devil likes it or not,OIL RIVERS has been approved by national. cofab n by God's grace it has come to stay.Let's see if that Yahoo Yahoo governor who spends our hard earn money anyhow on women claiming that akwa ibom is Ok,will continue. May my God that saved the Israelites from the captivity of Egypt be with us.May God plaque all the Ibibio that has afflicted us like He did to the Egyptians .God PUNISH THEM AMEN .