Succour For Offot Ukwa Villages As Uyo Paramount Ruler Embarks On Royal Tour

A refreshing hope has come for the 22 gazetted villages of Offot Ukwa Clan in Uyo Local Government Area as their Clan Head, who doubles as the Paramount Ruler of Uyo Local Government Area, HRM Edidem Sylvanus Effiong Okon embarks on royal visitations.

The visits which have provided opportunities for the villages so far toured to highlight their challenges received assurances that the Offot Ukwa Clan Council of Chiefs would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that concerns raised by them are looked into by the appropriate quarters.

Speaking on Monday when he led members of the traditional rulers council and the Central Planning Committee (CPC) of the Offot Ukwa Festival of Arts and Culture to Ikot Oko Idio Offot and Ekpri Nsukara Offot communities as part of the ongoing royal tour ahead of the Clan’s festival in October, the Paramount Ruler urged both communities to remain true ambassadors of Offot Ukwa clan and Uyo LGA.

According to the royal father, at the end of the tour of the 22 villages, their challenges will be compiled and sent to relevant authorities to wade in and address the various concerns.

The monarch added that both the Offot Ukwa Clan Council of Chiefs and Uyo Traditional Rulers Council will not stop at only notifying concerned authorities but liaising with them to ensure appropriate remedy.

He however appealed to indigenes and residents of Offot Ukwa Villages to maintain peace, pointing out that there would be no development without peace and security in the land.

Edidem Okon stressed the need for government to work with the people through constant enlightenment to enable communities to have a sense of belonging.

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“Political office holders should be touring these villages to know their problems. Our sons and daughters in politics should also identify with our traditional fathers as it is done in other places,” the Paramount Ruler advised.

The monarch further called for a review of the security architecture to accommodate community members, saying they are loyal and patriotic enough to be trusted to defend the country.

He commended the two communities for their support for the traditional institution and the forthcoming festival in October.

At Ikot Oko Idio Offot, the village head, Eteidung Oliver Edet Etim Essien, said his people expect that the royal visit will be a blessing to them.

He extolled the Paramount Ruler as a passionate father whose sterling qualities endear indigenes and non-indigenes alike to dwell harmoniously.

The village head mentioned a few challenges such as paucity of funds to continue operating the neighbourhood watch scheme devised to checkmate incessant criminal activities and other vices, the community’s poor road network, erosion problem, lack of electricity transformer and lack of healthcare centre.

At Ekpri Nsukara Offot, Eteidung Linus Etim Essien, represented by the chairman of the village council, Mr Maurice Silas applauded the Paramount Ruler for his laudable achievements since coming into office,
noticeably establishing unity and peace in the entire Offot Ukwa Clan and beyond, and also assisting whenever they face challenges.

Applauding that the royal tour has made Offot Ukwa a cynosure of all eyes locally and globally, the village head informed the Paramount Ruler of their recent development efforts, including the establishment of a secondary school, earmarking of a plot of land for the construction of the market, creation of new streets for expansion due to increased population, as well as maintenance of peace and cordial relationship among indigenes, non-indigenes and neighbours.

On problems confronting them, the village head sought a clear boundary demarcation between the university and the community, opening of the alternative road to decongest the present access roads, government intervention on gully erosion as well as an intervention on abandoned roads and drains in the area.

At both villages, the presentation of the Offot Ukwa flag and other traditional attires was done by the Paramount Ruler assisted by the chairman of Offot Ukwa Clan Council of Chiefs, Eteidung (Rev.) Aniedi Okon, who is the village head of Uyo Offot.

The Chairman of, Central Planning Committee of the festival, Elder Patrick Albert presented the festival paraphernalia and urged the people to be proud of promoting their identity wherever they are.

Goodwill messages, a rendition of the Offot Ukwa anthem by the Offot Ukwa Unity Mass Choir and cultural displays also took place.