Leadership (Abuja)
George Oraeki
22 May 2008
Abuja — Kingmakers (Etuboms) in Efik Kingdom have reacted to the comments made by the governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke in a recent media parley to the effect that his government would give recognition to the Obong of Calabar, who, he said, was selected through due process.
The kingmakers, who reacted under the umbrella of Etubom Traditional Council, said as far as the tradition of the Efik people was concerned, there was no place for second capping.
A statement issued by the kingmakers in Calabar tagged "Governor Got It Wrong", signed by HRH Etubom, Nya Eyoma Asuquo, Traditional Prime Minister, and HRH Etubom Ayi E. Edem, chairman, Etubom Tradition Council, regretted the governor's position "The governor is reported as saying his government shall give recognition to the Obong of Calabar purportedly selected through due process. Given the role of his deputy, Mr. Efiok Cobham, in propping up the minority group of Etuboms to commit their serial act of illegality, with state facilities and resources, it is rather clear that His Excellency was referring to their Obong.
"The Etuboms Traditional Council wishes to state clearly, and for the avoidance of doubts, that there can only be one Obong of Calabar, and that, that Obong is his Majesty, Edidem Bassey Ekpo Bassey II. Bassey was duly selected by Etuboms of Efik Royal Houses and capped at Efe Asabo, our kingship shrine. The tradition is that no other person can be so capped in his lifetime, and his capping cannot be reversed.
Our history is replete with instances where government did not like the person capped, but none ever attempted the sacrilege of a second capping has no effect whatsoever." the statement read in part. They said as far as the history of the Efik people was concerned, the position of the Obong of Calabar was not an appointive position of the Cross River State Government and so that capping has no effect whatsoever.
The People said if the due process the governor was talking about referred to the so-called funeral obsequies of the late Obong, performed by the minority group, they said they wished to advise Imoke as follows: "There is no basis whatsoever for performing traditional obsequies for the Late Henshaw VI. Those obsequies are Ekpe-based, and so he had renounced Ekpe in his lifetime on account of his born-again Christian faith. Government must not encourage any group of people to disrespect another person's religious faith.
The obsequies were performed in contempt of Court. The presiding judge in a matter between the minority group and an Etubom (with a national and international standing) HRH Etubom, Dr. Anthony Ani, had expressively asked them not to proceed with the obsequies. "They did not only disobey the Court, they did the obsequies with the massive deployments of the police, provided by the state government. In other words, government assisted them breach the law. Certainly, His Excellency would not hold this act of lawlessness up as due process?
In an earlier statement, Governor Imoke advised all parties in the so-called Obongship dispute to read the various white papers on enquiries into disputes regarding the Obongship. We wish to refer to one such Enquiry, the Udoh Commission. The commission examined historical facts and concluded that performance of funeral obsequies is not a condition for capping a candidate as Obong of Calabar! How can that now be positioned as due process?.
The kingmakers accused the deputy governor of designing and carrying out the intervention of the state government in the matter, with insufficient information on what constitutes due process.
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