The Ibeno Clan Council of Akwa Ibom State has congratulated Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio on the successful inauguration of its 12th International President and Executive Council.
It described the organisation’s peaceful transition as a shining example of mature leadership, institutional stability and the enduring values of unity, peace and service for which the ‘Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio’ has been renowned.
Speaking with journalists on behalf of the paramount ruler of Ibeno at Upenekang, Ibeno LGA headquarters on Sunday, the secretary of Ibeno Clan Council, Chief Okon Udofia, said the Council applauded Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio for consistently promoting harmony among the various ethnic nationalities in Akwa Ibom State and for remaining steadfast in preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Ibibio people without resorting to hostility or division.
Chief Okon said the paramount ruler-in-council also congratulated the newly inaugurated International President, Akparawa IniAbasi Ekanem, and his Executive Council, wishing them a successful tenure marked by wisdom, fairness and unwavering commitment to the ideals of “Oneness for Service”.
Chief Udofia noted that the speeches delivered by Governor Umo Eno’s representative, the Grand Patron, the outgoing President and the newly inaugurated leadership all revolved around peace, unity, love and the collective progress of Akwa Ibom State, observing, however, that one address stood out for entirely different reasons.
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According to the Council, the goodwill message delivered by the President of the Ekid People’s Union (EPU), Dr Samuel Udonsak, was unfortunate, inflammatory, and completely inconsistent with the spirit and purpose of the event.
“It was disappointing that while every other speaker preached unity and peaceful coexistence, Dr Udonsak chose the occasion to resurrect divisive territorial claims, attack a sister ethnic nationality and export the same confrontational rhetoric that has continued to isolate the Ekid People’s Union from many peace-loving stakeholders.”
The Council stated that Dr Udonsak’s repeated attempts to portray the Oro-Obolo people as adversaries only deepen unnecessary divisions among communities that have coexisted peacefully for generations.
“It is troubling that rather than embrace the Governor’s vision of Akwa Ibom United, Dr Udonsak once again demonstrated an obsession with promoting narratives capable of setting one ethnic group against another. Such conduct has no place on the respected platform of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio.”
Chief Udofia further reminded Dr Udonsak that public records show Governor Umo Eno had previously openly rebuked him over statements capable of inciting division and threatening the peace of the State.
“One would have expected that such public caution from the Governor would inspire greater restraint. Instead, the Mboho inauguration was used as another opportunity by Dr Udonsak to further his divisive rhetoric under the guise of a goodwill message.”
The Ibeno Clan Council firmly rejected Dr Udonsak’s assertion regarding Okposo I and Okposo II, stressing that both communities are core Obolo communities in Ibeno Local Government Area and cannot be rewritten into Ekid territory through speeches or political propaganda.
The Council further cautioned that disputes over history and territorial boundaries are matters for competent authorities and the courts, not platforms established to foster cultural cohesion, unity and brotherhood.
Chief Udofia therefore appealed to the new leadership of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio to remain vigilant against attempts by individuals to exploit the organisation’s credibility for personal or sectional political battles.
“Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio has earned enormous respect because it has consistently been a bridge-builder across Akwa Ibom State and beyond. It must never allow itself to become a convenient platform for importing the hostility and divisive agenda that have become associated with the Ekid People’s Union under its present leadership.”
“The new leadership should be wary of those who, having lost credibility in their own circles through persistent antagonism and confrontational rhetoric, now seek the legitimacy and wider audience of respected socio-cultural organisations to continue spreading discord.”
Chief Udofia also observed that many respected sons and daughters of Ekid have deliberately distanced themselves from the current posture of the Ekid People’s Union because they believe in dialogue, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence rather than confrontation.
“The people of Ekid are not synonymous with the divisive posture of the present leadership of the Ekid People’s Union. We acknowledge and appreciate the many distinguished Ekid sons and daughters who continue to build bridges of friendship across Akwa Ibom State.”
The Ibeno Clan Council reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful coexistence with all ethnic nationalities, including the Ekid people, and expressed confidence that the new leadership of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio would continue to uphold its noble tradition of promoting unity, mutual respect and lasting peace throughout Akwa Ibom State.
