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Calabar’s Troubled Stool

By newswatchngr.com 16/02/2012 22:10:00

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The controversial re-selection of Ekpo Okon Otu v, as Obong of Calabar, after his sacking by the High Court is generating a lot of dust

A large signpost now adorns the gate of the palace of the Obong of Calabar. It reads: “Our rightful Obong is on the throne. Keep off. No intruder; no interloper!.”

The signpost was erected after a Calabar High Court judgement on January 30, deposed Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V as the Obong of Calabar.

Justice Obojor Ogar, the presiding judge, had, in his judgement in the suit filed by Anthony Ani, former minister of finance, and contestant to the Obong stool in 2008, declared the process that brought Otu V to the throne as null and void and ordered a fresh selection exercise.

The two-hour judgement faulted the selection process because, according to it, Otu V was chairman of the selection screening committee that produced him as the Obong of Calabar. He hails from Adiabo community of Western Calabar, whereas Western Calabar Traditional Rulers Council had given Ani’s Ikoneto community, exclusive right to produce the next Obong of Calabar at that time (2008).

The court restrained Otu V from parading himself as the Obong of Calabar until a proper selection was conducted. It restrained him from participating in any selection for that purpose and the Etubom Traditional Council (Efik kingmakers) from carrying out any contest for the selection of a new Obong of Calabar without the participation of Ikoneto or Ani, its candidate.

Supporters of the deposed king say the judgement was an embarrassment to the Efik people and their kingdom because, by the constitution of the ETC and the Efik culture, nobody succeeds a living Obong of Calabar. They claim that for any aspirant to succeed an Obong, the Obong must have died.

However, some 36 hours after the judgement, the conclave of the Etuboms (high ranking chiefs and kingmakers) led by Cobham Boco, organised a fresh selection for Ani and the deposed Otu V.

After the exercise, Boco issued a statement saying although they rejected the court verdict, kingmakers decided to take the pains and conduct a new contest in obedience to the order. In the latest and most controversial re-selection, Ani was said to have received no votes while Otu V got 15. In the March 31, 2008 selection, Ani and Essien Ekpenyong Efiok, another contestant for the stool were said to have polled a vote each. Otu V had a landslide victory having polled 15 votes. Ani approached the court but the case dragged till January 30.

On Tuesday, last week, members of the ETC led a procession of Efik chiefs, title-holders, youth groups and socio-cultural bodies to the court premises to protest the judgement and removal of the Obong. Florence Ita-Giwa, former senator representing Cross River South Senatorial district, was at the head of the womenfolk.

Ita-Giwa later told Newswatch that she was happy that after due process, Otu V was re-selected Obong. She said women of the kingdom would protect and defend the integrity of the Obong. “We believe in him. As far as we are concerned, he is the Obong of Calabar. We will defend him and always give him our support,” she said. Ita-Giwa praised Otu V for uniting the Efik and restoring dignity to the Efik kingdom.

Bob Duke, chairman of ETC, told Newswatch that the new selection was done in compliance with the court order. “We informed Ani about it and requested him to send any papers that would help in his case. They receipted for the letter we sent but did not send anything to us. We had to use what they had given during the last exercise,” he said.

He explained why Otu V took part in the contest. “The court also ordered that there must be somebody from Western Calabar, particularly Ikoneto. But since they said generally, Western Calabar; the former Obong is from Western Calabar and is not yet dead. So, his name came in again in the selection and he came tops.”

He explained that the election took place soon after the court verdict because by “our own Constitution, we do it 36 hours after collection of the court ruling.” He said the procession to the court was to enable them present the result of the selection to the registrar and to protest the sacking of the Obong.

Joe Agi, a senior advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and counsel to Ani, told Newswatch that he found the re-selection of the Obong amusing. “The Efik kingdom was supposed to be very civilised people. You don’t need to be a lawyer to understand court judgement. Etubom Ekpo Abasi Otu V who purports to be the Obong of Calabar has been restrained from parading himself in that position. The court gave a positive order restraining the Etubom Traditional Council either by themselves, their agents or hirelings from carrying out any contest for the selection of a new Obong of Calabar without the participation of Ikoneto as well as selecting an Obong of Calabar contrary to the agreement. Etubom Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V is not from Ikoneto. He was chairman of the council that agreed it was the turn of Ikoneto to produce the Obong of Calabar. It was on the basis of that agreement and letter signed by the secretary that he was council chairman. Having said so, you cannot turn around and say I want to be candidate when you are not from Ikoneto. The court said the man they put up as candidate for the selection is not qualified. We will issue Form 48 and commit them to prison for contempt of court.”

But Ukpong Eba, counsel to the ETC, said he was not aware that the council carried out a selection exercise as reported in the media, as this, according to him, would be contrary to the judgement of the court. He told Newswatch that the ETC rather felt aggrieved by the judgement of the High Court and instructed his chambers to commence proceedings at the Appeal Court. He said they have filed an appeal and a motion for an injunction restraining the claimant from interfering with the activities of the Obong of Calabar, pending the outcome of the appeal. Eba is also praying the court to stay execution of the injunctive orders that were made by the trial court.

He said last Tuesday’s procession to the High Court was only a peaceful protest aimed at notifying the public that the Efik nation was not in support of the High Court judgement and that the communiqué was delivered to the appropriate authorities in the court premises. “There will not be any selection because we are currently on appeal. There will be no such thing until we are through from the Supreme Court and it gives its position on the matter. The Obong is still on the throne, in the person of Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V. The appeal is on a stay of execution of the order and also an injunction restraining any person from interfering with the affairs of Efik kingdom. “When the court made the order restraining the Obong, it never made any mention of the official recognition given to the Obong by the Cross River State government. The staff of office given to the Obong is still valid. It has not made an order setting that aside. The Appeal Court will decide the matter. If we feel dissatisfied, we go to the Supreme Court,” Eba said.

The succession arrangement agreed upon on December 12, 1970, provides that the Obong title shall rotate between Western Calabar and Urban Calabar, the two major areas into which Calabar is divided. It states: “From henceforth, royal succession shall rotate alternately between Calabar Urban comprising Henshaw Town, Cobham Town, Duke Town, Old Town, and their tributaries on the one hand and Calabar Western comprising Creek Town, Adiabo, Ikoneto, and their tributaries, on the other.”

Otu V succeeded Nta Elijah Henshaw, a former university professor from central Calabar who succeeded Boco Ene Mkpang Cobham V.