Baring my mind in the words of Edmund Burke “it is not what a lawyer tells me I may do; but what humanity, reason and justice tell me I ought to do.

Indeed, they exists a circle of absolute power corruption and impunity that is quite expensive to ignore.

The lingering revelations, antics and unpleasant development trailing the traditional Rulers Council of Oruk Anam Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State has revealed clearly that all is not in its right proportion, shape and frame.

As a radical thinker and concerned citizen in the business of minding other peoples business, who have heard, observed and watched the ugly situation keep breaking into abominable moments, cracks into shattered particles capable of plucking our eyes, I can no longer hold my silenced.

It is over 5 months now, since HRM Edidem (Apostle) Christopher Ntang emerged victoriously as the Paramount Ruler elect of OrukAnam Local Government Area but notcertified and accorded the respect due to his office. The fact remains injustice anywhere in AkwaIbom is injustice everywhere. It is on this point that I put up a question of necessity “Edidem(Apostle) Christopher Ntang how did he emerge?

According to investigations, on the 24th February, 2016, Oruk Anam Traditional Rulers Council, which isa decision making body, had called for selection of a Paramount Ruler in Oruk Anam following the demised of the former “Late Edidem Brownson Owo”.

In the light of this, an election was conducted amidst state officials of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs including the Ministry’s Commissioner, Victor Antai, members of OrukAnam TRC, indigenes etc.

After the election, investigations revealed that Edidem(Apostle) Christopher Ntang, the Clan Head of AbakMidim who had threw his hat into the ring for the top job as Paramount Ruler of the area, won his opponent HRM Obong Sunday Akpan Otu of Ndot Clan with four votes against three and was declared winner.

And now with the twist in the entire exercise, a cross section of concerned citizens interviewed have expressed displeasure over the attempt by few disgruntled and selfish personsand have equally queried to know why the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mr. Victor Antai is acting they script of a certain influential cartel to stand on the path of truth? As a retired senior civil servant who has served his people meritoriously at the capacity of the village and Clan Head, then what makes him unfit after being elected, observers queried.

It should be noted that right delayed is a right denied, and there is need to be worried over this matter, before it duplicates its ugly tentacles in other local government in the state.

Without being immodest, it is pertinent to intimate you that after the outcome of the election, the Chieftaincy Affair Commissioner, Victor Antai addressed and advised the loser (HRM Obong Sunday AkpanOtu) not to go to court but accept the defeat in good faith and in the spirit of sportsmanship.

He equally asked the winner HRM Edidem (Apostle) Christopher Ntang to make acceptance speech twice in the public both to Oruk Anam Traditional Rulers Council and the crowd. Even though he is now playing a discordant tune, this paragraph will not be complete if I don’t point out that Victor Antai did asked the loser “HRM Obong Sunday AkpanOtuto respond, which he did and the gathering applauded loudly.

But just as Edmund Burke had posited “hypocrisy can afford to be magnificent in its promises, for it never intend to go beyond promises as its costs nothing.Before I proceed further, let me join other learned observers to ask questions that concern our conscience.

Who gang rape justice in Oruk Anam L. G. A.? Why was the result of the election sent in the same day to AKBC for announcement by the Secretary Oruk Anam Traditional Rulers Council not announced? Who stopped the announcement of that result and why?

Like Martin Lurther posited, that it is both dishonorable for a man to act contrary to the dictates of his conscience. It appears we have buried our conscience on the altar of deceit, lies and pretence.

According to an observer, the meeting held on Friday 5th August had disgustingly passed the message that the seat of the Paramount Ruler in Oruk Anam is no more for the “elected” but placed for a higher bidder”.

In the said meeting the Chieftaincy Affair Commissioner Mr. Victor Antai had told the gathering that after the 24th February election, which saw the emergence of HRM Edidem (Apostle) Ntang as the Paramount Ruler elect, that his opponent who lost out had filed in petitions to his office. “That he has sent the petitions to the office of Attorney General of the State for advised and he is still waiting for reply”.

Listening to such infantile statements vomited by the Commissioner, I permit myself to land with different shades of condemnation. Because there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him that it is right.

The cock and bull petition claims by the Commissioner is not enough reasons for him to have denied the equity conscious people of Oruk Anam of their Paramount Ruler and kept them in suspend for about 5 months (Feb. – August), an act I see as abomination and a slap to the traditional stool ship in the state at large.

Writing to the Attorney General of the State for “advised” has caused my eyes rolling as to what special advice could he want that the secretary to the State Council of Chiefs, Barr. Samuel Essien, who is a lawyer, could not offer.

It is a pure underhand tactics of dragging the Oruk Anam TRC into the murky waters of impunity.

According to observers, the shocking and abominable side of this meeting was not how a paltry sum of N5000 (five thousand naira) was forced upon the Village heads who attended the meeting or how the clan heads were paraded into the inner chambers probably for the same rituals but how Victor Antai consistently ‘embarrassed and shut the royal fathers up’ in their bid to air out the abominable abnormalities that is defiling the decency of their traditional institution.

Quoting one of the observers, RevIyiet, who was furious and blowing hot over the outcome of the meeting.

“This is the height of impunity. I wonder what the commissioner meant by saying the certificate will be given to the right person.

I am so disappointed that he ordered Oruk Anam TRC to resume meeting with HRM Obong Sunday AkpanOtu, who had lost out in the election to continue in office as a presiding member of OrukAnam TRC, despite the presence of the paramount ruler elect, HRM Edidem (Apostle) Christopher Ntang.

From all this I perceived some fowl play. I know that HRM Obong Sunday Akpan Otu,is from the same ward with the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Martha Udom but we will not fail to oppose any injustice on this unfolding drama and will never allow the Commissioner to defile or rub mud on our traditional institution”.

However, before I end this treatise, “Mr. Commissioner”you should be guided by the sacred principlesthat embodies the traditional institution in the state and stop playing servitude to disgruntled elements as there will sooner than later fetch you broken conscience accompanied with the “wrath of God”.

Conversely, as a young man, you shouldn’t use the euphoria of your office to intimidate the indigenes and Traditional Rulers of Oruk Anam extraction and inject discord, because there are not weaklings; they are prepared to the last man to oppose any injustice that will be done on this matter.

Also, you should be guided that even the late Paramount Ruler of Oruk Anam, HRM Edidem Brownson Owo of blessed memories before his demised had given his blessings to HRM Edidem (Apostle) Ntang, that he will be the one to take over the mantle of leadership after him, which his emergence is the manifestation of that blessings. Hence, let the right thing be done, for my next outing on this matter might be ugly.

Let us not forget the roots of our tradition and the saying that if you offend the gods and the single you out for destruction, they will first make you mad!

By Apostle Dan Ephraim Jacob

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