By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
A conclave of traditional rulers operating in Cross River State under the aegis of Mbume Blocs of Clans in Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State, have charged the state governor Senator Bassey Edet Otu, to expedite action in the reinstatement of suspended Etung Local Government Area paramount ruler, His Royal Majesty, Ntue-Atue, Dr. Emmanuel Oru Ojong.
The traditional rulers gave the charge on Wednesday in a statement they issued after a protracted brainstorming session over the protracted issue.
The statement by the traditional rulers of Mbume blocs of clans, made up of Bendeghe Ekiem, Abia and Etomi communities in Etung Local Government Area, signed by three royal fathers, His Highness, Ntufam Ojong Tawor Mathew, head of Abia clan, His Royal Highness, Ntufam Obase Erim, head of Bendeghe Ekiem community and His Royal Highness, Ntufam Raphael Ekure Agbor, on behalf of Etomi community, stressed that it is sacrilegious to parade another individual to mount the throne, when the original royal father is yet to kick the bucket.
Reading the resolutions to newsmen, His Highness, Ntufam Odu Ndep Moses, said, “In accordance with the judgment of High Court of Cross River State, in suit No.HC/96/2022, dated March 23, 2023, the conclave appealed to Governor Otu, who they said have a listening ear, to without further delay, reinstate the suspended paramount ruler, who a Calabar High Court reinstated, even during the era of the immediate past governor, notwithstanding the fact that Gov Otu’s predecessor failed to obey the court order, because he wasn’t in the mood to reinstate the suspended paramount ruler.
Part of the resolution of the Mbume blocs of clans reads, “We observe with disgust that it is the apparent complacency and levity on the powers that be regarding the defense and preservation of the traditional institution that we uphold and cherish that we inexorably played into the hands of the young adventurous clan head of Ajassor, His Royal Highness Ntufam Ntui Etta, who is seen to have been overtaken by lust for power, fame and wealth to launch his ill advised reckless and divisive campaign to overthrow a legally constituted
traditional authority.
“Besides the first ground on which his widely publicize claim of being a paramount ruler-elect is severally flawed and untenable is that, it was not only time barred, but it had also been overtaken by legal reinstament of the legitimate paramount ruler.
“Our paramount ruler, who was selected according to our norms and values cannot be dethroned just like that. Mbume clan cannot be treated derogatorily like that.”
Giving an insight into the issue of new cocoa policy, pronounced by the Otu administration, the Mbume blocs of clans urged the state government not to scrap off the Smartgov platform used by the immediate past administration to defray the huge debt that the state government owed the Etung cocoa landlords communities.
They averred, “Our interest in cocoa issue, is that never again should government default in the payment of royalties to cocoa landlord communities once royalties/rents are due.
“With copious evidence globally that no democratically government succeeding or supplanting administration decides to wipe the slate clean by ignoring existing laws, inherited obligations and arbitrarily yields to what is convenient as modus operandi.”
