Communal Conflicts: Imoke Suspend 10 Traditional Rulers

• by: OKOI OBONO-OBLA
• 13 years ago

THE SUSPENSION OF TRADITIONAL RULERS BY GOVERNOR IMOKE IS COMMENDABLE

The suspension of Ten Traditional Rulers in Obubra and Yakurr Local Government Areas of Cross River State, namely: Richard Ubi Uket of Mkpollo/Ukpewen Clan; Ogar Omini of Ikirele Clan; Orem Akpama Mbang of Etombe Eglige Clan; Akpama Egbe Isokon of Okuri Clan and Philip Effiong Effiom of Kedengha Clan; Eta Efoli Eke of Ebanakpai Clan; James Obono Leko of Ekpawen Clan and Obol Lopon of Nko and Village Head, Obol Effiom Ayomobi, by the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke is prudent and commendable .

It is indeed a clear manifestation and showing of able and purposeful leadership. The government must go a step further to encourage law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate and bring to book those responsible for the wanton and senseless violence that led to the death and destruction of properties in Onyeadama and Nko Communities respectively.

It is only effective prosecution and possible conviction of these angels of death that will send a strong signal to those who incite and promote inter communal wars under the guise of protection of meaningless traditional territorial boundaries/integrity that the days of yore where might is right is anachronistic and irrelevant today. It is incomprehensible that people under the guise of land disputes will take the law into their hands by embarking on reprisal killings of innocent people that are not even remotely linked to the disputed land.

These inter communal conflicts that intermittently plague the State especially during the farming seasons leaving in its wake death and destruction, must be stamped out only if the government clamps ruthlessly and hard on the perpetrators within the bounds of the Law. Nothing should be allowed to undermine the reputation of Cross River State as a haven and oasis of peace and tranquillity in a country bedevilled by internecine violence as seen in the mindless terrorist activities of the demonic and benighted boko haram sect; armed robbery and kidnappings.

As a Traditional Ruler, I think it is fair to hold responsible any Traditional Ruler who allows the kind of lawlessness that occurred in Nko and Onyadama Communities to take place in his domain without showing the leadership required and expected of him to rein in those who do not have respect for human lives and constituted authority.
It is the failure of Governments to enforce the law to the letter that is partly responsible for the seeming drifting of the country into a cesspool of killings and a status of a failed State.

I therefore fervently call on the Government to immediately commence the trial of those responsible for the mayhem and mindless killings that took place in Nko and Onyadama in April, 2013.

I call on the government to also prosecute those who were indicted in the violence that took place in a similar incident in 2009 between these two communities which led to death and destruction. It is clear that it is the failure of government to hold to account those who perpetrated the crisis in 2009 that occurred in these two neighbouring communities that has emboldened the masterminds of the violence that erupted in April this year.

I also call on the government to bring to book the perpetrators of the violence that rocked Ebijakara and Ebom Communities in Abi Local Government Area in January 2006 that led to the expulsion of the entire population of Ebijakara from its ancestral homeland and the death of more than 300 People. Recall that in January 2006 the Ebijakara was attacked by a militia sponsored and mobilized by the neighbouring Ebom Community. The entire houses of people in Ebijakara were dynamited and its population expelled.

Today, Ebijakara, a hitherto thriving and prosperous community has become forested and the people once living there as internally displaced for nearly six years and living as refugees.

Okoi Obono-Obla