-Urges Akwa Ibom Government to enforce binding rulings.
By Assam Abia.
The Ekid People’s Union (EPU) has rejected what it described as a “feeble and uncoordinated” attempt by the Ibeno Clan Council to dispute Ekid’s ownership of the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, also known as Akoiyak Ekid.
In a statement on Friday signed by Dr Samuel Udonsak, President General and Hon (Barr) Bassey Dan-Abia, Secretary General, EPU said the response by the Ibeno Clan Council, issued through its Secretary and spokesman, Mr. Udofia Okon Udofia, was filled with distortions and desperation.
Mr. Udofia had claimed that the historic 1916–1918 court case over the forest reserve was a dispute between two Ibeno families, Chief Ntiedo of Upenekang and Chief Ikpak of Mkpanak, alleging that no Eket man was involved and that the renowned Ekid leader, Chief Edohoeket, was “only a houseboy” who appeared as a witness. He further accused the British judge who first ruled in favour of Ekid of corruption and bias.
Describing the Ibeno position as “a laughable distortion of history,” the EPU said court records clearly show that the case was indeed between Chief Ikpak of Mkpanak, who claimed ownership of Stubbs Creek, and Chief Ntiedo of Upenekang, who counter-claimed, with Chief Edohoeket joining as co-defendant on behalf of Ekid.
“The British Colonial Court in Calabar ruled in favour of Ekid, and this decision was upheld on appeal by the Supreme Court of West Africa and the Privy Council in London, the highest appellate court of the British Empire at the time,” the statement said.
It stressed that under Nigerian law, the Privy Council ruling remains binding (res judicata), permanently confirming ownership of Stubbs Creek in favour of the Ekid Nation.
The union recalled that Ibeno’s attempt to overturn the Privy Council judgment at the Justice Olatawura Commission of Inquiry in 1978 was dismissed, while a subsequent bid to seize the forest through communal uprising was quashed by the Justice Akpata Commission of Inquiry in 1993.
“Having lost through all legal processes, the Ibeno people have now resorted to propaganda and political agitation, including calls for a new state that would incorporate the forest reserve,” the EPU stated.
The EPU also questioned the role of Mr. Udofia, whom it described as “a mercenary Secretary,” noting that he is an Ibibio native of Ette in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, not an indigene of Ibeno.
“The indigenous Ibeno people know the truth and have chosen to remain silent,” the union added.
The EPU urged the Akwa Ibom State Government to “put this matter to rest by implementing the binding court judgments” and to resist any attempt to reopen an issue already settled by law..