Sheathe Your Sword: Oku Ibom Ibibio Appeals To Organisers Of Planned Nationwide Protest

The Oku Ibom Ibibio and President General of the Akwa Ibom State Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, His Eminence, Ntenyin (Dr.) Solomon Daniel Etuk, JP, CFR, has appealed to the organisers of the planned nationwide protest to reconsider the overall interest of the nation by shelving their proposed action.

Ntenyin Etuk said while we bemoan the economic hardship in the country, it is certainly unwise at this time to stage a nationwide protest as being canvassed for by its organisers from August 1, 2024, cautioning that such may not be in the best interest of us as a people and as a nation.

According to the revered supreme monarch, who is the Patriarch of the Ibibios worldwide, there are other ways to call the attention of the government to our economic challenges, warning against any action that may plunge the nation into an insurmountable crisis and the possible destruction of hard-earned state and national facilities.

In an interview in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Sunday, July 28, 2024, the Oku Ibom Ibibio pleaded with Nigerian citizens to demonstrate a reasonable level of patriotism by resisting the temptation to sponsor or participate in the planned #EndBadGovernance protest.

“I am admonishing passionately as a father in my sacred position as Oku Ibom Ibibio and President General of the Akwa Ibom State Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers that we should shelve the planned protest.

“There are assurances that a brighter future awaits. The administration is working to tackle the prevailing economic hardship in the country.

Related: Gov Eno Recommends Return to Farming as Part of Solutions To High Cost of Food

“Let us therefore not create an opportunity for miscreants, looters, or enemies of the nation to cash in on the protest to carry out their selfish desires, as happened during the #EndSARS protest, where lives and property were lost in the process.

“As we are in a democracy, we surely have ample channels to air our views to the government without engaging in confrontational modes. I am therefore advising that we give due support and cooperation to the administrations of the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and our State Governor, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, as we will surely come out of the present economic meltdown,” he urged.

The royal father, who stressed that governance is not an easy affair, drew the attention of the people to positive initiatives and achievements recorded by both the federal and state governments within the last year.

He therefore called on Nigerians to be patient with the Federal Government for the actualization of its economic reforms and development programme, the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Oku Ibom Ibibio also noted the commendable performance of Governor Umo Eno in Akwa Ibom State, as encapsulated in his ARISE Agenda. He called on indigenes and residents alike to give the governor unalloyed cooperation and support to achieve more.

Read Also: #EndSARS Protests: Oku Ibom Ibibio Pleads With Youths For Restoration Of Peace, Order In Akwa Ibom

The monarch also urged traditional rulers, parents, guardians, and leaders at various levels to caution their subjects and wards against being enticed to join the planned protest to avoid untoward consequences.

To curb the teething food crises in parts of the country, Ntenyin Etuk emphasised the importance of Nigerians, including those in government and other business endeavours, engaging seriously in farming and agriculture in general, stressing that since Nigeria is blessed with enormous arable land and water resources, we shouldn’t experience food crises at all.

Lastly, he appealed for tolerance among political leaders and politicians generally, stressing that no matter their penchant for power, they should not compromise the collective interests of the nation for personal or selfish desires.

The monarch urged privileged Nigerians, especially leaders at all tiers of government—local governments, parliament, state governments, and federal governments—to show love to their people as a way to ensure the spread of the dividends of democracy.

On local government autonomy, he said the development should be seen as a positive measure to unbundle development at the grassroots, which will also curb youths’ restiveness in the local government areas.

He, however, advised that strict supervision be applied to the system to avoid mismanagement of the expected financial windfall from direct funding of the third tiers.

According to him, the autonomy of local government councils now demands proper scrutiny on the part of political parties on who should be presented as chairmen and councillors, warning that bad choices will have adverse effects on the collective interests of the people.

“I wish to caution political leaders not to be selfish in their choices of candidates. If candidates are chosen based on zoning, let those so chosen be people of credible character who will manage our finances appropriately and engage in development, not self-aggrandisement,” he advised.