The peace of this state, which has been the envy of most other states, is broken. One would have said about to be broken, but the truth is that the new government under Governor Umo Eno working in concert with some vested interests decided to decree traditional kingdoms into existence via an amended version of the state Traditional Rulers Council Law, Cap155, and making Oku Ibom Ibibio the number one traditional ruler in the state for eternity, peace associated with the state has taken dents. Things have gradually begun to fall apart, unity-wise. The contestations are loud and visible. The social tension is so thick it could be cut with a knife.
As you read this, chieftains of some ethnic groups and groups in the state are up in arms not only protesting but mobilizing their ethnic units to resist the new law which they rightly insist is not only racist-driven but was done to further the supremacist ideology of few political lords who intend to keep their gain by playing the ethnic card. Everyone conversant with the makeup of the state knows the Ibibios constitute an overwhelming majority with a population of over six million people. Now by seeking to make the traditional head of the Ibibios the absolute king, a stereotype often discussed in hushed tones has gained traction. Fear of possible domination by a group over others has gained ground. It is a very dangerous precedent set.
This is particularly so against the background that the subordinating hierarchies were done against the rankings of their respective ethnic groups in terms of population. Annangs, the second largest ethnic stock, have the Deputy and the Oros, the third group in the ranking, take the third position. This is very instructive in itself. It reveals a terrible low-mindedness too. Now the new structure already passed into law invalidates the existing State Council of Traditional Rulers which gets her headship by rotation. What would happen going forward is whoever emerges as the chairman of the council would have to take directives from the titular head who is the Oku Ibom Ibibio. Put clearly, the chairman is more like a ceremonial head. He is top in name but is stripped of power and influence. So you wonder why the office was left intact in the first place.
Any discerning observer would see through the high level of craftiness put into bringing the new structure to be. It is not the product of just ordinary minds. It is not the handiwork of the traditional rulers, it has the imprimatur of creative geniuses who have known a few deep things about power and how to consolidate a hold on it. It is the work of maximum takers, they spare no hostages. What amazes me is the fact that the new arrangement created invisible kingdoms around existing kings and tried to dress them in borrowed robes, the makers tried to give them an aura of great kings leading very vast ancient cultural kingdoms which in reality do not exist. Who did it? That is the biggest puzzle yet to be fully unravelled. Many of the traditional rulers deny they did it. Unfortunately, they speak more in private, very afraid to take open public positions.
Governor Umo trying to avert consequences arising from a backlash strained to keep himself and his administration far from the inglorious act. Speaking in the Annang area of the state during a church thanksgiving outing by Senator Godswill Akpabio, currently President of the Senate, the governor said he never initiated any such action rather the traditional rulers themselves raised and saw through the matter because as he said they wanted to be like other societies with kings with national if not international clout
He admitted he was present in one of their meetings where the act of perfidy was conclusively deliberated on, passed and handed over to him to introduce as an Executive Bill to the state House of Assembly which didn›t waste time in passing the bill into law.
Such redrawing of the cultural cum political administrative architecture with far-reaching implications was about to be undertaken and the governor wants critical observers of events in the state and beyond to believe he wasn›t privy to the mooting of the idea at all. He sat through and didn›t see the need to say a word or two. He was comfortable. The other thing that rankles would be that the proponents of the new arrangement were so comfortable to slate such a very crucial matter in a meeting the chief executive would participate. Where did they draw their confidence from? Isn’t it shocking that Governor Umo appeared to be unwise when the situation required deep wisdom and foresightedness?
A governor couldn›t comprehend the security implications inherent in the move or what? This defence is like a story told to the Marines. Cock and bull story. Would the governor like the law withdrawn? Rather than take a position of yes or no, he tries to take refuge in subterfuge: “I didn’t originate the law, the traditional rulers themselves did, if they want it reversed, they should sit, take the decision and write to me.” Some of us who heard him speak on television are still laughing in Greek. There are things he knows anyone who has passed through rooms of power knows too, given the power structure in the country that succeeds in throwing emperors, add poverty to that then people can be caged against their wishes. That traditional rulers, especially those from the lesser tribes appear muted, tells a big enough story of arm-twisting tactics.
We must save Akwa Ibom State from threading the path of perfidy for the sake of the people there and the country as a whole. The state is strategic as a bastion of good governance. The efforts will begin with speaking the truth to Governor Umo. The move is not a good one. It smells racist. It encourages supremacy struggles, tussles and fights which are not healthy. What is more, it is very unusual to decree kingdoms into existence. It won’t be organic. It is human beings that are involved. Truth is what the governor did, pandering to the wishes and veiled desire of his predecessor as is widely believed amounts to leaving the serious to run after the unserious. It is a trap set to subtract from the legitimacy quotient of the incumbent governor. We agree so much effort has been expended to try to turn the state into a modern setting and so much has been achieved but quite a lot remains to be done. This gamble contains strong factors that could hinder development. The development trajectory in the state is such that the governor should have many other things bordering him than the vain attempt of trying to place one ethnic group far above another. It isn’t right.
It is unwise to go to the bush to fetch insect-infested woods and to bring them home. Apart from being bitten in the process, whoever does so stands the greater risk of setting his habitation on a dangerous edge. The insects would bite everyone in the vicinity and make a living hell. No reasonable and responsible person would desire this experience for himself. Culturally Akwa Ibom is almost similar to what prevails in the whole of the old eastern region where no kingdom or empires thrived on a large scale before the coming of the colonialists. It was one of the areas governed by way of indirect rule. Warrant chiefs were created and promoted. They hadn’t big powers and their influence was limited except in a few cases like the Obong of Calabar.
Wanting to have kings with vestiges of the Sultan of Sokoto or Obi of Onitsha is realizable but not by legislation, it comes by way of tacit recognition, cultivation and various kinds of assistance. The big kingdoms they point at, besides having historical origin behind them, enjoy huge patronage of successive governments in the states where they exist. The Akwa Ibom government can start by building massive palaces, increasing security around them and having a budget to enable a few of them to live and operate big. This is the way to go.
Decreeing into existence would throw up negative consequences just as the governor has seen already. It has reconfigured the setting in a very ugly way. Tribal supremacy fights have come alive, social tension is quite high. The danger with this is that it can boil over and turn into a war of attrition, a conflict very difficult to win. Inside it are seeds that can distract the government and derail the governor from paths of classical development. Nothing meaningful can be achieved if even a section of the whole insists they don›t buy into the central vision.
The governor has started very well. He has repeatedly said he wants near absolute peace. That is exactly why he could attend the ceremony of Senator Akpabio who has been at daggers drawn with former Governor Emmanuel Udom, the mentor of Umo. Truth is so much expected from Umo because of his station in life. He is an ordained servant of God. Christians have longed to see their kind in public positions so they could show examples. The ascendancy of Governor Umo satisfies the urge, he has an additional challenge to prove the desire isn’t a misplaced one.
Many say if they were him they would kill the law and return everything to status quo ante. This is the best decision before the governor. If he doesn’t know it is very important the elites that can reach him be bold and tell him just that. They must pass the message strongly that the times and good judgment require that to happen today and not tomorrow.