By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
A traditional ruler and clan head of the Iyamoyong community in Obubra Local Government Area of the state, His Highness, Chief Ibara Irom, (Oyamakwa Oyira) has debunked claims making the rounds that he was assaulted by the chairman of Obubra Local Government Area, Kingsley Ibon Arikpo some days ago.
The monarch refuted the allegation in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt.Hon Elvert Ayambem, dated February 27, 2025.
In the same vein, a letter from the Traditional Rulers Council, Iyamoyong in Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River State, sighted by our correspondent yesterday denied that the council chairman slapped the traditional ruler.
The traditional rulers’ council letter to the speaker reads, “The attention of Iyamoyong Council of Chiefs, youths, women, and village council has been drawn to malicious petition lying before your esteem self. Everything in that petition is a bundle of lies fabricated by some disgruntled and sponsored politicians.
“We dissaciociate ourselves completely from this fabrication.
“Mr. Speaker, please consider this our disclaimer in the strongest terms, while we advise detractors to respect our rights.”
The letter signed by His Higuness, Chief Ibara Irom Etaba, Oyamakwa Oyira, His Highness Chief Festus A Okimba, (Okri) and four others, including Mr. Antony Etaba Irom, chairman Town Council, Mrs Anthonia Edim, Women Leader, Mr. Daniel Ogar Okpa, Youth Leader and Mr.. Benjamin Eyam, Secretary to the Town Council condemned the allegation, published in some news platforms perhaps to tarnish the reputation of the council chairman in the strongest terms
The letter added, “As we speak, our lawyers have been given instructions to deal with this fabrication.”
Recall that last week, some pages of newspapers were awashed with report of the council chairman Kingsley Arikpo slapping the clan head of Iyamoyong community, Ibara Irom, when the council chairman attempted to halt an infraction between the traditional ruler’s son, Wisdom Ibara and the chairman’s entourage.
In a swift reaction to the allegations, the council chairman denied the allegations, insisting that he is a gentleman who had proper home training and cannot dare slap an elderly person talkless of having the guts to assault a traditional ruler.
He had said, “No, it’s not me. Slap the traditional ruler to gain what?”
One of the community youths, Mr. Ovat (surname withheld) told our correspondent that he was among the community youths who had altercation with the council chairman, stressing that reason why they said the council chairman slapped the chief was because the chairman’s supporters refused to let Wisdom go after Wisdom escaped from their hands to seek refuge at the traditional rulers’ palace, only for the chairman’s boys to demand that Wisdom be released to them.
He said that that singular act was against the tradition of the land. stressing that in Africa if any man pursues an individual and the individual runs in the king’s palace and the person chasing him struggles to take the individual away from the king’s palace, automatically the fellow had beaten the king.
He added that that was the reason they alleged that the chairman had slapped the clan head.
