Founder and Chairman of the Governing Council of Heritage Polytechnic, Eket, Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Emmanuel John Ekott, has made a passionate appeal to the people of Ekid and Ibeno Local Government Areas of the state to find a lasting solution to their ethnic differences and land matters.
The oil-rich neighbouring council areas have been plagued with communal crises intermittently for over two decades.
The Proprietor, who spoke during the 17th matriculation and 15th convocation of the Heritage Polytechnic over the weekend, maintained that current positions held by some leaders entrenched in suspicion, rivalry, and division are outdated and not aligned with modern realities.
According to him, “They belong to a past we must consciously leave behind.” Let me be clear: No development has ever emerged from the womb of discord, and not all matters are settled in the courtroom.
He averred, “The conflicts between Ekid and Ibeno, whatever their origin, have yielded nothing but sorrow, stagnation, and a poor image of our people to the outside world. It is time to end them all.”
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He made a passionate appeal to the traditional rulers, political leaders, and elders of both Ekid and Ibeno to convene a genuine peace dialogue for lasting reconciliation.
“Let us invest in our children’s future rather than in our ancestors’ quarrels. Unity is not the absence of differences; it is the courage to rise above them.
“I believe that the young people of Ekid and Ibeno are ready for peace. Let us not disappoint them.”
Addressing the students, the proprietor expressed gratitude to the Ekid and Ibeno students for not extending the crisis to the institution.
He highlighted, “Let me thank you for letting your parents know that Heritage Polytechnic is not a ground for ethnic division.” When you walk through our gates, you leave behind tribal labels.
“Here, you are not first and foremost Ekid or Ibeno. You are a scholar. Heritage Polytechnic is a place to discover your potential, to collaborate, and to grow intellectually.
“Knowledge knows no ethnic boundaries. The laws of physics, the principles of mathematics, and the truths of commerce do not distinguish between Ekid and Ibeno.
I therefore charge you, our students, to become ambassadors of a new narrative. When you go to your hostels, your classrooms, your laboratories and your prayer groups, look at the person beside you – not through the lens of tribe, but through the lens of shared purpose.”
Eat together. Study together. Enjoy together. Defend one another. Ignore reckless publications and directives from some stakeholders, but champion unity at all costs.
