Struggle for community throne: Two brothers fight messy in C-River
*I’m the authentic village head- Chief Emmanuel Efa
*I ‘m not an impostor- Chief Etim Efa
By Emma Una
IDEBE IKOT ESU— CRISIS is brewing at Idebe Ikot Esu village, Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State, where two family members are fiercely laying claim to the community’s throne. When Niger Delta Voice visited the area, there was palpable tension in the farming community, located in the outskirts of Calabar, the Cross River State capital, as the two contenders have split the community into two factions.
Emma Efa petitions Ayade
One of the claimants, Chief Emmanuel Anthony Bruno Efa, told our reporter that he is the “authentic” village head-elect before the sudden indication of interest in the position by his cousin, Chief Etim Edet Efa.
He had already forwarded a petition to the governor of the state, Senator Ben Ayade, over what he termed “attempt to impersonate as acting village head of Ikot Esu Idebe by Chief Etim Edet Efa.”
In the petition, he insisted that the “the good people of Idebe Ikot Esu” and the Idebe clan council selected him to be the village head via a letter dated March 24, 2014.
According to him, the clan council in a letter dated August 3, 2015, forwarded his name to the Akpabuyo Traditional Rulers Council, chaired by HRM Etinyin Maurice Ekpenyong Nya, the paramount ruler of Akpabuyo Local Government Council.
Etim Efa came from nowhere
His words, “Chief Etim Edet Efa has surprisingly surfaced before the Akpabuyo Traditional Ruler’s Council and also laid claim to the village headship of Idebe Ikot Esu.”
Chief Emmanuel noted further that the confusion created by Chief Etim Edet Efa compelled the paramount ruler of Akpabuyo to set up a committee to into the matter.
He said the committee found that Chief Etim Efa had “no significant thing or document to show his genealogical connection in Idebe Ikot Esu, apart from the fact that he went there and requested for a land to reside.”
Alleged fake letter of recognition
He said during the committee’s sitting, “Chief Etim Efa presented a purported letter of recognition as a village head of Idebe Ikot Esu with the following number, 00723 issued by the governor,” alleging that the letter of recognition was “obtained through fraud and misrepresentation.”
Consequently, his lawyers in a letter to the governor urged him to revoke the said letter to Chief Etim Edet Efa and “issue same to our client, who was duly selected by his people.” This, they said, “will go a long way in bringing to bear, lasting peace in the community, as it is incumbent on the good people of Idebe Ikot Esu to guard jealously the sanctity of the sacred stool bequeathed to them by their forebears.”
Imoke govt granted me recognition –Chief Etim Efa,
Speaking to Niger Delta Voice, Chief Etim Efa, said: “This land is a communal land and I have lived here since I was born and it was on the strength of that the former governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, granted me recognition as the village head.”
He said he resides in the village, adding that the claim by Chief Emmanuel Bruno Efa that he was an impostor was begging the issue because he had been living with the Efa family since birth. “Nobody except Chief Bruno has told me I am not from Idebe Isu and I have always been an Efa and on the strength of my paternity, I can be village head of my community,” he said.
I’m not an ex-convict
He said he is not an ex-convict as some people claimed and if anyone has proof that he is, he should expose him.
There’re guidelines to appoint village head – Govt
Permanent Secretary, Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Ogbang Akwaji, told our reporter that he had not received any petition about Idebe Isu community village head squabble since his assumption of office.
‘The petition might still be with the governor but when it gets to my table, I shall address it appropriately but for now I have not seen anything from that community,” he said. Akwaji said there are guidelines for the election of a village head, which the community has to follow, while government recognizes and gives staff of office.
He, however, added, “But if anyone is an ex-convict and it can be proven that he is, the government even if it has given staff of office can withdraw same. If the case is still in it court, we can go ahead and issue certificate of recognition until the matter is decided by the court.”
[Vanguard]
*I ‘m not an impostor- Chief Etim Efa
By Emma Una
IDEBE IKOT ESU— CRISIS is brewing at Idebe Ikot Esu village, Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State, where two family members are fiercely laying claim to the community’s throne. When Niger Delta Voice visited the area, there was palpable tension in the farming community, located in the outskirts of Calabar, the Cross River State capital, as the two contenders have split the community into two factions.
Emma Efa petitions Ayade
One of the claimants, Chief Emmanuel Anthony Bruno Efa, told our reporter that he is the “authentic” village head-elect before the sudden indication of interest in the position by his cousin, Chief Etim Edet Efa.
He had already forwarded a petition to the governor of the state, Senator Ben Ayade, over what he termed “attempt to impersonate as acting village head of Ikot Esu Idebe by Chief Etim Edet Efa.”
In the petition, he insisted that the “the good people of Idebe Ikot Esu” and the Idebe clan council selected him to be the village head via a letter dated March 24, 2014.
According to him, the clan council in a letter dated August 3, 2015, forwarded his name to the Akpabuyo Traditional Rulers Council, chaired by HRM Etinyin Maurice Ekpenyong Nya, the paramount ruler of Akpabuyo Local Government Council.
Etim Efa came from nowhere
His words, “Chief Etim Edet Efa has surprisingly surfaced before the Akpabuyo Traditional Ruler’s Council and also laid claim to the village headship of Idebe Ikot Esu.”
Chief Emmanuel noted further that the confusion created by Chief Etim Edet Efa compelled the paramount ruler of Akpabuyo to set up a committee to into the matter.
He said the committee found that Chief Etim Efa had “no significant thing or document to show his genealogical connection in Idebe Ikot Esu, apart from the fact that he went there and requested for a land to reside.”
Alleged fake letter of recognition
He said during the committee’s sitting, “Chief Etim Efa presented a purported letter of recognition as a village head of Idebe Ikot Esu with the following number, 00723 issued by the governor,” alleging that the letter of recognition was “obtained through fraud and misrepresentation.”
Consequently, his lawyers in a letter to the governor urged him to revoke the said letter to Chief Etim Edet Efa and “issue same to our client, who was duly selected by his people.” This, they said, “will go a long way in bringing to bear, lasting peace in the community, as it is incumbent on the good people of Idebe Ikot Esu to guard jealously the sanctity of the sacred stool bequeathed to them by their forebears.”
Imoke govt granted me recognition –Chief Etim Efa,
Speaking to Niger Delta Voice, Chief Etim Efa, said: “This land is a communal land and I have lived here since I was born and it was on the strength of that the former governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, granted me recognition as the village head.”
He said he resides in the village, adding that the claim by Chief Emmanuel Bruno Efa that he was an impostor was begging the issue because he had been living with the Efa family since birth. “Nobody except Chief Bruno has told me I am not from Idebe Isu and I have always been an Efa and on the strength of my paternity, I can be village head of my community,” he said.
I’m not an ex-convict
He said he is not an ex-convict as some people claimed and if anyone has proof that he is, he should expose him.
There’re guidelines to appoint village head – Govt
Permanent Secretary, Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Ogbang Akwaji, told our reporter that he had not received any petition about Idebe Isu community village head squabble since his assumption of office.
‘The petition might still be with the governor but when it gets to my table, I shall address it appropriately but for now I have not seen anything from that community,” he said. Akwaji said there are guidelines for the election of a village head, which the community has to follow, while government recognizes and gives staff of office.
He, however, added, “But if anyone is an ex-convict and it can be proven that he is, the government even if it has given staff of office can withdraw same. If the case is still in it court, we can go ahead and issue certificate of recognition until the matter is decided by the court.”
[Vanguard]
Comments
Post a Comment