C’River community in shreds over resource control, chieftaincy stool
From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
A renewed struggle for resource control and chieftaincy feud has ripped Iko Esai community in Cross River State apart. Located in Akamkpa local government area, it is a largely agrarian community with abundant forest resources.
Iko Esai has been relatively peaceful over the years but its recent internecine war has left in its trail large-scale destruction and loss of lives. As at the last count, at least three people have reportedly been killed, houses, farmlands and other valuables worth millions of naira destroyed.
Giving a brief history of the crisis, member representing Akamkpa 1 in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Okon Owuna, traced the genesis of the crisis to squabbles for the forest resources of the area and chieftaincy dispute dating back to 2022. He stressed that the crisis stems from proceeds of the sale of communal lands to an investor to harvest the forest resources of the area.
He said: “A group of communities in Iko clan, including Iko Ekre, Owai and Iko Esai jointly sold their forest to an investor for exploitation of timber.
“Among the communities, only Iko Esai youths started agitation and the matter culminated into a crisis between the youth leader of Iko Esai and the village head which led to deaths.”
The matter was investigated and parties were charged to court but through his intervention, peace was brokered through alternative dispute resolution. It was agreed, among others, that the youth council should be dissolved and also a development council set up to manage proceeds from the sale of the community land.
However, one of the youth leaders later conspired to dethrone the village and clan head which is a breach of the peace agreement. It is the breach that led to this renewed violence which engulfed the community.
He also revealed that he moved a motion of urgent public importance in the Cross River House of Assembly, urging the government to step in swiftly to de-escalate the situation. He further recommended the dissolution of the current youth council, pending the formation of a new executive committee by the community, as a step toward restoring lasting peace.
As the crisis in the community festers, Patrick Aidam, the personal assistant to the deputy leader of the Akamkpa Legislature, tendered his resignation letter over the latest crisis. The former personal assistant in his resignation letter accused the boss of Akamkpa local government area, Hon. Felix Akposi of complicity in the crisis.
He criticized plans to derecognise the current head of Iko Esai clan, Chief Obio Arong Owai, and enthrone a new chief.
“Today, Iko Esai is in ruins, a shadow of its former self courtesy of the divisive politics of the chairman.
“My community has been destroyed, people killed, houses burnt and several other destructions on a daily basis yet nothing is done about it as the chairman continues to dine and wine with penetrators of these heinous crimes.
“At the present, there are clandestine plans by the chairman to derecognise the current Clan Head of Iko Esai Clan , Chief Obio Arong Owai and enthrone a new chief on his stool.
“This is notwithstanding the current travails of a man whose two sisters have been killed, his houses burnt, vehicles burnt and his means of livelihood destroyed,” he alleged.
He added that the events leading to his decision have culminated into very critical moments, worrisome and an existential threat to his life hence the decision to quit the present administration.
However, Akposi faulted the decision, saying it was an exercise in mischief. He said: “His so- called resignation letter is not only an exercise in mischief but a compendium of calculated falsehoods, laced with incendiary rhetoric.”
He described the crisis within the community as a combination of years of internecine wrangling, factional antagonism and an ingrained culture of deception which his former appointee helped to perpetuate.
He tasked stakeholders to abandon factionalism, tell the truth and work towards lasting reconciliation. He also said he had since recommended to the Cross River State House of Assembly to set up a panel of inquiry to further investigate the matter and propose developmental solutions.
He also assured the Iko Esai people that security agencies will continue monitoring the situation to prevent further violence.