By Egufe Yafugborhi

One year after, Governor Umo Eno and the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly reverse a contentious clause in the State Traditional Rulers Law in response to relentless  resistance from majority aggrieved Akwa Ibomites.

Ultimate RetractionIn a warped Nigerian democracy where the will and votes of the people barely count in leadership at all tiers of government, the maxim, ‘power belongs to the people’ hardly finds expression in government’s decisions. Many in power act against the will of the majority, with impunity.

This was aptly the case in September last year, ahead of the 36th Anniversary of the creation of Akwa Ibom state, when an executive bill to introduce a divisive clause into Traditional Rulers Law Cap 155 Law of Akwa Ibom State was passed and assented by the State House of Assembly and Governor Umo Eno, respectively against widespread objection, including a court restraining order.

The vexed amendment was to have Office of the President General (PG) of the Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers of Akwa Ibom State permanently occupied by the Oku lbom Ibibio, Supreme Head, first among equal of traditional rulers in Ibibio, the majority ethnic group in Akwa Ibom.

Except for the Ibibios favoured by the apparent imposition of the Supreme Custodian of their culture as life PG of the Council, all other ethnic groups, Annangs (2nd largest) and Oros (3rd) leading, rejected the amended law, labeling it “divisive, discriminatory, insulting and unacceptable.”

In the ensued ethnic tension, the aggrieved monarchs, sternly backed by their subjects, sued the Governor and lawmakers, praying the court to repeal the law, women matched to the State Assembly in protest and in some quarters, the custodians of the peoples culture poured libations seeking intervention of gods of the land to judge whoever was connected to the making of the “obnoxious” law. 

DIG Udom Ekpoudom (rtd) who noted the governor was being misled by “those who don’t mean well for peace, unity and progress of the state”, warned that unless the law was reversed to rotation of the office of the PG, anyone linked to the inciting amendment would live to regret their action.

In the desire to have the aggrieved monarchs and subjects accept the unpopular law, the governor moved from repeated appeals to subtle threat, reminding the monarchs of their primary duty to, “promote peace within your jurisdiction. You must not allow any deviation from this duty and responsibility as government will frown at any breakdown of law and order in your domain.”

A year after, remarkably, Akwa Ibomites in unwavering resilience have proven that even against the odds, power truly belongs to the people. Governor Eno and the state lawmakers have buckled, recanted on the offensive law.

With dissenting voices resilient, Eno failing to arm-twist the angry monarchs to accept the status quo and political opponents tacitly cashing in to fuel the tension  against him, the governor was left only with one option, to reverse the contentious clause in the law as the backlash boils to deflate his political influence.

In the timeline on the implicit reversal of the law, Governor Eno in  April constituted a seven-member committee of royal fathers in the state to proffer solutions to the divisions triggered by the controversial law.

Meeting with the paramount rulers of the 31 LGAs, Eno declared, “We won’t meddle in this issue involving our revered traditional fathers. 

“We are setting up a seven-man committee drawn from this revered body to make recommendations concerning the mode or structure of the rotation and submit conclusions to us, in two weeks.

“We will thereafter, send the recommendations to the State House of Assembly for further considerations.”

Mid June, the governor received, in Uyo, the resolution committee report, presented by the Chairman and Paramount Ruler of Eket Local Government Area, HRM Obong E.C.D Abia. 

Relying on memoranda from Ifim Ibom Ibibio, Paramount Rulers from Annang, Oro, and Obolo ethnic groups, the committee recommended rotation of the PG of the Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers.

The governor assured the royal fathers of his commitment to study the recommendations and forward a draft bill to the state assembly for legal backing.

September 20, same State Assembly passed an Executive Bill for Third Amendment on the law, reversing Office of  PG of the Supreme Council from permanent headship by the Oku Ibiom Obibio to rotational succession among the state’s three major ethnic blocs.

The Bill was titled, “The Traditional Rulers Law Cap 155 Law of Akwa Ibom State (3rd Amendment), to come into force 20 September, 2024. It was passed in same accelerated hearing at the lawmaker did about same time last year on the 2nd Amendment which sparked the tension.

The Bill capturing 11 Section amendments was, upon presentation to the House, opened for legislative considerations after Member representing Eket Constituency, Nsidibe Akata, moved for its receipt and seconded by Udobia Friday Udo of Esit Eket/Ibeno Constituency.

After scrutiny at the Committee of the Whole, all 11 amendments were upheld, including the sensitive section capturing that, “The Office of the President-General shall be rotational amongst the three major ethnic groups (Ibibios, Annangs and Oros) in the State.”

Incumbent PG of the Supreme Council, the Oku Ibom Ibibio remains in office for his first term four years having been sworn in by Governor Eno a year ago. He  is eligible for reappointment for a second tenure at the discretion of the governor before it rotates to the next ethnic group according to the new law.

Deputy Leader of the State Assembly, Otobong Bob, noted that Governor Eno decided to resolve controversies and tension that had trailed the Second Amendment of the Traditional Rulers Law since last year. 

Win For All Akwa Ibomites

The Governor’s accent on Monday to the 3rd Amendment has changed the tone of anger that greeted the accent he gave a year ago. The majority agree it was the only thing to do, though the governor indicated that some Ibibios may have been disappointed at the amendment.

Eno said, “For people that felt it was one sided, I am sure it is balanced now. For those angry that it shouldn’t have been amended, please don’t be angry. Leadership is give and take. When things affect the people, you cannot keep quiet.

“When they want to divide us, they tell us you are Ibibio, you are Annang, you are Oro because they want to divide us for their interest. We are all Akwa Ibomites, and we pursue only one and same goal.”

Zik Gbemre, Coordinator, Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC) said, “Better late than never, it was in his (Eno’s) best interest that he retraced his steps and did the needful. 

“From the feedback NDPC got from our Akwa Ibom community, Eno took unnecessary risk taking the bullet to please his godfather predecessor. Through the one year of tension generated by the vexed 2nd Amendment, Eno had maintained any wrong doing, that it was perfected during the administration of Governor Emmanuel Udom.

“If Udom who initiated the move didn’t have the will to insert the divisive clause into a law to manage Akwa Ibom state’s traditional institutions, why would Eno take the heat to please his predecessor, knowing the predictable repercussions at a time his political career is peaking. He did well to have listened to the voice of reason and recanted.”      

A prominent community leader from Oro ethnic bloc said, “To have stuck to the divisive law would have meant Governor Eno doesn’t practice the peace and unity he preaches as a professed man of God.

“No one who love peace would encourage discrimination, inequality and class distinction. It is a welcome development that he realised the folly of the action he was apparently pressured to take last year. Thank God he has retraced his steps.”

Another leaders among the Annangs said, “Ibibios can enjoy the exalted seat of the PG of the Supreme Council for the next eight years. That shouldn’t bother anyone anymore. Before long, Annangs will take over, then Oro nation. It is a welcome development.

Former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of the state, Uwemedimo Nwoko, SAN, said, “Every reasonable person, all of us Annang leaders were against that amendment. 

“So we are all happy that eventually it has come to a point where a resolution has been made and the amendment has been re-amended to bring up an acceptable position on that Law.

“I thank the governor and all the Traditional Rulers on all divides for coming together to work out peaceful and amicable solution of that threat to the collective unity, peace and oneness of Akwa Ibom.

“At least we have got something that appears to be on the balance, and it is taking effect from now. One year had been lost in the process, but when you are looking for peace you don’t count all.

“So we want to believe that by the special grace of God that the peace will be sustained and it will cement the relationship between the various ethnic groups in the state”