Cross River Governor Attributes Achievements to Efik Cultural Influence

The Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu has attributed the achievements of his seven-month-old administration to the dynamic influence of the Efik culture.

Governor Otu made the remark at the 12th ‘Utomo Obong’ Festival (homage to the Obong of Calabar) and the 15th anniversary of the coronation of the treaty king and grand patriarch of the Efik kingdom, the Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu the fifth.

Governor Otu promised to partner with the ruler and other custodians of culture in the state to deliver the gains of good and accountable governance to the people.

According to him, the government would “Partner with the Palace of the Obong of Calabar to seek classical and ancient sagacity in providing good governance for our people under a convivial atmosphere and consistent policy framework and implementation.”

Governor Otu said, “The security, peace process, due diligence and decency demonstrated in the Efik kingdom architecture have informed our numerous achievements in the state in the past six months.”

While eulogizing the 78th Efik monarch, the Obong of Calabar “as a man of peace, a champion of inclusiveness and an evolutionary cultural dynamo,” Otu stated, “his sterling reign has seen to the stable federation of the Twelve Efik principalities.

“The establishment of Obong of Calabar Executive Forum as the fulcrum of his engagements with his subjects in Efik Language Development, educational support programmes and dynamic preservation of culture and traditions of the Efiks are highly commendable. This cultural fiesta is the icing on the cake as it provides the platform for the tangible manifestation of the Efik ethos and cosmology,” the governor said.

The governor, who also promised to build a new palace for the first-class monarch, spoke glowingly of the Obong’s “calmness of mind and stability of disposition in the face of the challenges to the throne. As a government, we salute the genuine approach to achieving peaceful reign over the Efiks and the inhabitants of Calabar.”

Obey government directive

Governor Otu utilized the opportunity to issue a final word of caution to those, who flagrantly disregarded his directive on the settled matter surrounding the Obong of Calabar stool to desist forthwith.

The governor noted that the unguarded utterances and insinuations of certain individuals on the matter were capable of threatening the fabric of peace in the state, warning, “Enough is enough! We have no problem with anybody or group seeking a judicial remedy to whatever perceived grievances there are. But, this government will no longer tolerate insinuations, provocative statements capable of truncating the peace.

“Power comes from God, therefore, whoever God has given power to should be supported by all. The State Government has taken a position based on the law, and some people do not want to accept that. We will no longer tolerate any situation that threatens the peace of this state. The Obong’s stool as one of the few ‘Treaty Kings’ east of the Niger is highly revered and should be supported by all,” he stressed.

In attendance were Efik’s sons and daughters within Nigeria and the diaspora including the former governor, Mr Donald Duke; the Queen Mother, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa; the senator representing the southern senatorial district, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Junior) and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu as well as Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mrs Nella Andem-Rabana.

Emmanuel Ukoh