For the second consecutive times, the Etuboms Conclave of the Efik kingdom of Cross River state has re-selected and proclaimed His Eminence Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V as the Obong of Calabar.
This, they Conclave said, was in line with the Supreme Court judgment which ordered a fresh selection process for the revered stool after it dismissed the lawsuit brought before it by a contender for the throne, Etubom Anthony Ani.
Recall that the Apex Court, in its judgment on January 13, 2023 had upheld the judgment of the Appeal Court of 2013 which had earlier disqualified Etubom Ani from the Obongship contest for not being capped, and which also ordered for a fresh election. A source at the Obong’s palace said this was carried out in 2013 shortly after the appellate court verdict.
However, the Conclave, after hours of painstaking reselection process, conveyed to journalists who had kept vigil at the Obong’s palace late Wednesday, that the process was successful with all the Etuboms going for the monarch.
They spoke through a statement signed by the Chairman of the Conclave, HRH Etubom Ntiero Edem Ofiong Effiwat, Secretary HRH Etubom Edem Ita Esien Ededem and 12 others and read by the Chairman of the Etubom Traditional Council, HRH Etubom Bassey Okor Bassey Duke.
“Following the judgment of the Supreme Court sitting at Abuja on 13th January,2023 ordering that the Etuboms’ Conclave, the kingmakers of the Palace of the Obong of Calabar should ‘conduct another process of selecting Obong of Calabar in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of Etuboms’ Council 2002 and in strict compliance with the rules of natural justice,’ among other things, the Etuboms’ Council has promptly complied with that Court order by taking all the necessary steps leading to and convening the Etuboms’ Conclave and conducting another selection of Obong of Calabar.
“The turn to produce the next Obong of Calabar, after the demise of His Eminence Edidem (Prof) Nta Elijah Henshaw VI, being that of the Atai lboku group of Houses (in Western Calabar) as provided for under The Constitution of Etuboms’ Council 2002, the qualified Etuboms, who fall under this group, were communicated to and directed to produce and present their nominee to the Etuboms’ Conclave by Wednesday, 18th January, 2023.
“The most senior Etubom of the Atai lboku group, HRH Etubom Otu Efa Otu, presented their selected nominee for the throne of the Obong of Calabar in the person of HRH Etubom Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu of Adiabo lkot Mbo House.
“Having been fully satisfied with the candidate’s qualification and eligibility, the Etuboms Conclave therefore declared him the successor, and hereby conveys his Proclamation as the successor to the throne of Obong of Calabar today,18th January, 2023,” the kingmakers submitted.
The Conclave believed that with the re-selection process carried out in total obedience to the Supreme Court judgment, an end had indeed come for the 15 years of intense tussle for the stool and therefore appealed for calm and genuine reconciliation.
