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| Victor Antai |
By Apostle Dan Ephraim Jacob
Baring my mind in
the words of Edmund Burke “it is not what a lawyer tells me
I may do; but what humanity, reason and justice tell me I ought to do.
Indeed, they exists
a circle of absolute power corruption and impunity that is quite expensive to
ignore.
The lingering revelations, antics and unpleasant development trailing the traditional Rulers Council of OrukAnam Local Government Area in AkwaIbom State has revealed clearly that all is not in its right proportion, shape and frame.
As a radical thinker
and concerned citizen in the business of minding other peoples business, who
have heard, observed and watched the ugly situation keep breaking into abominable
moments, cracks into shattered particles capable of plucking our eyes, I can no
longer hold my silenced.
It is over 5 months
now, since HRM Edidem (Apostle) Christopher Ntang emerged victoriously as the
Paramount Ruler elect of OrukAnam Local Government Area but notcertified and
accorded the respect due to his office. The fact remains injustice anywhere in
AkwaIbom is injustice everywhere. It is on this point that I put up a question
of necessity “Edidem(Apostle) Christopher Ntang how did he emerge?
According to
investigations, on the 24th February, 2016, OrukAnam Traditional
Rulers Council, which isa decision making body, had called for selection of a
Paramount Ruler in OrukAnam following the demised of the former “Late
EdidemBrownsonOwo”.
In the light of
this, an election was conducted amidst state officials of the Ministry of Local
Government and Chieftaincy Affairs including the Ministry’s Commissioner,
Victor Antai, members of OrukAnam TRC, indigenes etc.
After the election,
investigations revealed that Edidem(Apostle) Christopher Ntang, the Clan Head
of AbakMidim who had threw his hat into the ring for the top job as Paramount
Ruler of the area, won his opponent HRM Obong Sunday AkpanOtu of Ndot Clan with
four votes against three and was declared winner.
And now with the
twist in the entire exercise, a cross section of concerned citizens interviewed
have expressed displeasure over the attempt by few disgruntled and selfish
personsand have equally queried to know why the Commissioner for Local Government
Affairs, Mr. Victor Antai is acting they script of a certain influential cartel
to stand on the path of truth? As a retired senior civil servant who has served
his people meritoriously at the capacity of the village and Clan Head, then
what makes him unfit after being elected, observers queried.
It should be noted
that right delayed is a right denied, and there is need to be worried over this
matter, before it duplicates its ugly tentacles in other local government in
the state.
Without being immodest,
it is pertinent to intimate you that after the outcome of the election, the
Chieftaincy Affair Commissioner, VictorAntaiaddressed and advised the loser
(HRM Obong Sunday AkpanOtu) not to go to court but accept the defeat in good
faith and in the spirit of sportsmanship.He equally asked the winner HRM Edidem
(Apostle) Christopher Ntang to make acceptance speech twice in the public both
to OrukAnam Traditional Rulers Council and the crowd. Even though he is now
playing a discordant tune, this paragraph will not be complete if I don’t point
out that Victor Antaidid asked the loser “HRM Obong Sunday AkpanOtuto respond,
which he did and the gathering applauded loudly.
But just as Edmund
Burke had posited “hypocrisy can afford to be magnificent in its promises, for
it never intend to go beyond promises as its costs nothing.Before I proceed
further, let me join other learned observers to ask questions that concern our
conscience. Who gang rape justice in OrukAnam L. G. A.? Why was the result of the election
sent in the same day to AKBC for announcement by the Secretary OrukAnam
Traditional
Rulers Council not announced? Who stopped the announcement of that result and
why?
Like Martin Lurther
posited, that it is both dishonorable for a man to act contrary to the dictates
of his conscience. It appears we have buried our conscience on the altar of
deceit, lies and pretence.
According to an
observer, the meeting held on Friday 5th August had disgustingly
passed the message that the seat of the Paramount Ruler in OrukAnam is no more
for the “elected” but placed for a higher bidder”.
In the said meeting
the Chieftaincy Affair Commissioner Mr. Victor Antai had told the gathering
that after the 24th February election, which saw the emergence of
HRM Edidem (Apostle) Ntang as the Paramount Ruler elect, that his opponent who
lost out had filed in petitions to his office. “That he has sent the petitions
to the office of Attorney General of the State for advised and he is still
waiting for reply”.
Listening to such
infantile statements vomited by the Commissioner, I permit myself to land with
different shades of condemnation. Because there comes a time when one must take
a position that is neither safe nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it
because his conscience tells him that it is right.
The cock and bull
petition claims by the Commissioner is not enough reasons for him to have
denied the equity conscious people of OrukAnamof their Paramount Ruler and kept
them in suspend for about 5 months (Feb. – August), an act I see as abomination
and a slap to the traditional stool ship in the state atlarge.
Writing to the
Attorney General of the State for “advised” has caused my eyes rolling as to
what special advice could he want that the secretary to the State Council of
Chiefs, Barr. Samuel Essien, who is a lawyer, could not offer.
It is a pure
underhand tactics of dragging the OrukAnam TRC into the murky waters of
impunity.
According to
observers, the shocking and abominable side of this meeting was not how a paltry
sum of N5000 (five thousand naira) was forced upon the Village heads who
attended the meeting or how the clan heads were paraded into the inner chambers
probably for the same rituals but how Victor Ntai consistently ‘embarrassed and
shut the royal fathers up’ in their bid to air out the abominable abnormalities
that is defiling the decency of their traditional institution.
Quoting one of the
observers, RevIyiet, who was furious and blowing hot over the outcome of the
meeting.
“This is the height
of impunity. I wonder what the commissioner meant by saying the certificate
will be given to the right person.
I am so disappointed
that he ordered OrukAnam TRC to resume meeting with HRM Obong Sunday AkpanOtu,
who had lost out in the election to continue in office as a presiding member of
OrukAnam TRC, despite the presence of the paramount ruler elect, HRM Edidem
(Apostle) Christopher Ntang.
From all this I
perceived some fowl play. I know that HRM Obong Sunday AkpanOtu,is from the same
ward with the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Martha Udom but we will not fail
to oppose any injustice on this unfolding drama and will never allow the
Commissioner to defile or rub mud on our traditional institution”.
However, before I
end this treatise, “Mr. Commissioner”you should be guided by the sacred
principlesthat embodies the traditional institution in the state and stop
playing servitude to disgruntled elements as there will sooner than later fetch
you broken conscience accompanied with the “wrath of God”.
Conversely, as a
young man, you shouldn’t use the euphoria of your office to intimidate the
indigenes and Traditional Rulers of OrukAnam extraction and inject discord,
because there are not weaklings; they are prepared to the last man to oppose
any injustice that will be done on this matter.
Also, you should be
guided that even the late Paramount Ruler of OrukAnam, HRM EdidemBrownsonOwo of
blessed memories before his demised had given his blessings to HRM Edidem
(Apostle) Ntang, that he will be the one to take over the mantle of leadership
after him, which his emergence is the manifestation of that blessings. Hence,
let the right thing be done, for my next outing onthismattermight be ugly.
Let us not forget
the roots of our tradition and the saying that if you offend the gods and the
single you out for destruction, they will first make you mad!
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