Uyo Paramount Ruler Harps On Galvanizing Offot Ukwa Unity
Paramount Ruler of Uyo Local Government Area, HRM Edidem Sylvanus Effiong Okon has called on Offot Ukwa Clan to sustain its unity and progress through love, sacrifice and cooperation.
The Paramount Ruler, who also doubles as the Clan Head of Offot Ukwa was speaking on Monday during a two-legged visit to Ewet Offot and Uyo Offot communities in continuation of the royal tour of villages ahead of the Offot Ukwa Festival of Arts and Culture slated for October 23 to October 29 2022.
In both villages, his message was anchored on how the clan can galvanize its unity to attract commensurate development. He suggested that this can be achieved through prayer, support and sacrifice of patriotic Offot Ukwa citizens.
He hailed Offot Ukwa for being a reference point in the comity of clans in the country but suggested that such identity needs sustenance.
While hailing both communities for being active in the pre-festival activities, HRM Sylvanus Okon implored most especially, the political class to identify fully with the programme as always done in other tribes.
He also urged them to use their vantage positions to bring development to the clan, assist in reducing youth unemployment and facilitate empowerment.
Furthermore, he appealed to members of both communities to acquire the clan’s newly introduced attires as well as the festival’s uniform.
In his address, the village head of Ewet Offot, Eteidung Ben Bassey John welcomed the royal delegation and prayed the visit would bring blessings upon the community.
Related: Succour For Offot Ukwa Villages As Uyo Paramount Ruler Embarks On Royal Tour
“We applaud you for this sensitization tour and pray that the action or inaction taken at the end of this tour will ignite the positive response of the government that will eradicate or reduce Offot Ukwa challenges to nothingness”
Citing that the community is made up of about 21,000 inhabitants according to the 2006 population census, he added that “Ewet Offot is the major land donor of the Akwa Ibom State Government Residential Area Housing Estate” and “has within its boundary Local, State, Federal Government establishments and other private establishments.”
The village head-elect intimated to the Paramount Ruler that since 2016 when the community went to court over the plot of land which hitherto hosted the Uyo Timber Market, which was later earmarked as the proposed site for Ewet Offot Model Primary School, the community is yet to have the school on the site but instead sited on the other side of Uruan Street in an unfavourable location.
The said plot of land has since been fenced and cordoned off from the community and public.
He listed other problems to include gully erosion menace, non-implementation of the Housing Estate Integrated System, and lack of political inclusion as the village for about 20 years has not produced an elective or appointive political office holder.
“We please request as our leader that you consider our plight empathetically, and passionately use your exalted office to remedy the situation for Ewet Offot people in all the aforementioned challenges,” the community beseeched the monarch.
Related: Ecstasy as Offot Ukwa Royal Tour hits Use Atai, Ibiaku Offot
The community also used the avenue to pour encomiums on the CPC for their unique coordination and the successful unveiling of the Logo for the 2022 Festival.
At Uyo Offot village, Eteidung Rev Aniedi Okon equally welcomed the royal delegation and hailed the Paramount Ruler for resolving to “add value to the twenty-two villages that make up Offot Ukwa Clan by undertaking this special and unique tour of meeting the people of your domain.”
“As a community, we are very proud of your administration and your numerous achievements. We have observed very closely that your administration has brought peace, unity and love to the twenty-two villages of Offot Ukwa clan,” they declared.
They presented some requests to the Paramount Ruler: “as a community, we have been seriously harassed by the erosion menace on Asutan Street ravine, It is dangerous to our
community. Again as a Village, we do not have a traditional market in our
community. The market has always been a traditional landmark in all the twenty-two villages in Offot Ukwa clan.”
The community added that “this royal visit shall remain symbolic and indelible to the indigenes of Uyo Village for now and the generations yet to come.”
The Offot Ukwa clan flag was presented by the Paramount Ruler to both communities.
A display of respective paraphernalia of the Offot Ukwa Clan Festival of Arts and culture was made by the Chairman, Central Planning Committee (CPC), Elder Patrick Albert.
The political class was led by the Vice Chairman of Uyo Local Government Area, Hon. Sylvia Ekong hails from Uyo Offot Village.
Goodwill messages were delivered by a cross-section of village heads in the clan.
Traditional dances, masquerade displays and choral presentations by the Offot Ukwa mass choir also ensued.
