By Philip Agba
The Odukpani Leadership Academy, a nongovernmental organisation on Tuesday donated learning materials worth hundreds of thousands to schools in that local government area as well as Internally Displaced Persons camps.
The aim of the campaign is to ensure that indigenes of Odukpani embrace education as a catalyst for development said the Chairman of the organisation, Mr. Kingsley Ikpeme who had served as the Director General of the Greater Calabar Capital City Development Authority.
“We are embarking on educational sensitization campaign across the different IDP camps, schools and the different blocs in Odukpani local government area, with the theme ‘Back to School’. This is to encourage Odukpani indigenes to embrace education for education is a catalyst for development,” Ikpeme said in his address to the Paramount Ruler of that local government, Etinyin Otu Asuquo.
He explained that the group was “poised to compliment the effort of the State Government,” and outlined more steps to be taken to ensure that potentials are maximized.
He called for increased support to the security architecture even as he expressed optimism as to what the future holds.
The monarch commended the organisation for their kind thoughts toward the less privileged.
The monarch blessed them and promised to invoke the spirit of “Efik Eburutu, Kiong, Efut and Qua,” to guide their campaign.
The four communities are the dominant sub dialectal groups that make up Odukpani local government area.
He sought the support of all to end lingering communal clashes within the local government as well as With communities in neighboring Itu local government area pf Akwa Ibom State and charged the National Boundary Commission to put an end to the issue by delineating the boundary.
The Oku Iboku and Ikot Offiong communities of Itu and Odukpani local government areas both in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States respectively have been at war with each other for decades with the recurrent clashes leaving dozens dead over time and properties worth tens of millions destroyed.
The organisation also nominated the monarch as it’s patron. The next stop was the local government secretariat where the Head of Local Government Administration received them before proceeding to distribute exercise books, pens, pencils, sharpeners and erasers.