By Kelvin Ololo
Indigenes of Henshew town Council have took to the street to peacefully protest for the removal of the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, His Royal Highness Etubom Nyong Effiom Okon.
The protest which was stage to drawn the attention of the State Governor Sen. Bassey Otu to intervene in the ranging crisis that has disrupted the peace of the community. The crisis has led to arrest of seven members of the council on Thursday, September 25, 2025, while attending Nkot Mbok Nsidung peace and reconciliation meeting.
The Tuesday protest saw men, women and youth with placard with various inscriptions.
Some of the placard read: “remove Paramount Ruler of Calabar South”, “stop paramount rulers agents from terrorizing our community” “paramount ruler is not president of Henshew Town Council”, “our Etubom was wrongly convicted in 2024”, “Why where we arrested at Nkot Mbok” and “ help us please our Governor Prince Bassey Otu”.
The peaceful protest was stage at the Governor’s Office where petitions were submitted and further move to the office of the Chieftaincy Affairs where the protesters were received by the Special Adviser to Governor Otu on Chieftaincy Affairs, Sir Francis Edet, who appreciated them for coming out to express their grievance in a peaceful manner and assured the protesters to relate their message to “the Governor who is their son and understands the tradition of his people”.
They moved to Obong of Calabar palace and the State High Court Calabar, were they submitted petitions accordingly for intervention.
Explaining reasons why the government must rapidly respond to the escalating crisis that has brought unrest to the community, Obonganwan Nsidung Babera Etim James, who spoke to CrossRiverWatch , stressed the critical need for government intervention in resolving the ongoing issues.
She said the crisis, which has seen significant escalation in the past two to three months, is characterized by a leadership vacuum in the Henshaw Town Council, land ownership disputes, and a lack of clarity regarding the limits of authority, particularly concerning the powers of the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South.
She alleged that the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South has been over reaching his authority, making claims to positions, properties, and land that are not rightfully his. They claimed he was removed as both acting president and a member of the Henshaw Town Council in 2019, yet refers himself as president.
She intimated that, the crisis has shattered peace, leading to divisions among families and within the community itself, making daily business and harmony difficult.
“The crisis in the community has actively deters investors due to allegations of land grabbing and extortion, severely impeding the economic prospects of the historically rich waterside community of Old Calabar, despite its potential for marine economy development.
“The intervention is deemed crucially not only to restore peace and functionality but also to protect the government’s broader efforts to attract investors, as the current dysfunction and incidents like recent indiscriminate arrests of seven members highlight a serious breakdown affecting all levels of society.”
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