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Tag: Ibibios

  • Again Ibibios oppose creation of Obolo from A’Ibom State

    Again Ibibios oppose creation of Obolo from A’Ibom State

    Ibibios, the majority ethnic group in Akwa Ibom, state have again reiterated their resolve not to allow any portion of their lands for the creation of the proposed Obolo State.

    They had stated their position penultimate week during the two-day public hearing by the Senate Committee on the Review of the Nigerian Constitution which held in Ikot Ekpene local government area of the state.

    Led by the President General of the Ekid People’s Union (EPU), Dr. Samuel Udonsak, the Ibibios again at the weekend reaffirmed their position at the South-South zonal public hearing on the 2025 constitutional amendment held at the Metropolitan Hotel, Calabar, Cross River State.

    The demand for the creation of Obolo State is being championed by the people of Oro, Ibeno, and Eastern Obolo. 

    However, in a detailed memorandum presented to the House of Representatives Constitution Review Committee by Dr.Udonsak on behalf of Ibibio traditional rulers, council of elders, and other stakeholders, the Ibibio people strongly opposed the proposal.

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    Citing the Nigerian Constitution, the memo noted: “The 31 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Akwa Ibom State, as listed in the First Schedule (Section 3, Part I) of the 1999 Constitution, are Ibibio LGAs, including Eket, Esit Eket, Etinan, Ibesikpo/Asutan, Ibiono Ibom, Ikono, Ikot Abasi, Ini, Itu, Mkpat Enin, Nsit Atai, Nsit Ibom, Nsit Ubium, Onna, Uruan, and Uyo.”

    The memo further referenced the Gazetted Official Map of Akwa Ibom State, established under the Akwa Ibom State Map Establishment Law No. 10 of April 27, 2023, which delineates the authentic ancestral boundaries of Ibibio lands.

    “No village, section, part, or inch of Ibibio land within these LGAs shall be ceded to the proposed Obolo State or any other entity,” the Ibibio delegation declared.

    They argued that based on historical facts and colonial documentation, the areas currently occupied by the Obolo people in Eastern Obolo LGA and the Ibeno people in Ibeno LGA were originally Ibibio lands, leased to those communities on a royalty-paying basis.

    The Ibibio people expressed particular concern over five Ibibio coastal and oil-rich LGAs — Esit Eket, Eket, Onna, Ikot Abasi, and Mkpat Enin — which they say are being targeted for annexation into the proposed Obolo State.

    “The plan to stretch the proposed Obolo State from Oron Federal Constituency through Ibeno to Eastern Obolo is geographically impossible, as these areas lack direct land contiguity. Between them lie Ibibio LGAs, whose ancestral lands cannot and will not be ceded,” the memo stated.

    While the Ibibio people affirmed their respect for the self-determination rights of other ethnic nationalities, they maintained that:

    “By law, an Oro State is feasible due to the contiguity of its five LGAs, and we do not oppose that. But Ibeno has no contiguity with either Mbo or Eastern Obolo, and Eastern Obolo shares no boundary with Andoni or Ibeno. What lies between them is Ibibio land — and that shall not be violated.”

    In conclusion, the Ibibio delegation reiterated in clear terms:

    “We do not want Obolo State to be created on an inch of Ibibio land.”

  • Drama as Ibibios oppose creation of Obolo State from A’Ibom

    Drama as Ibibios oppose creation of Obolo State from A’Ibom

    ….as Southsouth groups intensify requests for new states

    The Ibibios have opposed the demand for the creation of an Obolo state from Akwa Ibom state, saying they will not concede any part of their land currently occupied by the Obolo people.

    This was the position of the Ifim Ibom Ibibio, the highest traditional leadership institution in Akwa Ibom, during the public hearing on the review of the 1999 constitution.

    The public hearing on the amendment of the 1999 Constitution for the Southsouth Zone was declared open on Friday at Ikot Ekpene by the Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

    The memorandum was presented by Dr. Samuel Udonsak, the President-General of Ekid People’s Union on behalf of the Ifim Ibom Ibibio. The Ibibios are the largest ethnic group in the state.

    Udonsak stated that whereas the Ibibios are not opposed to the creation of new states  in the country, the Obolo people in Ibeno and Eastern Obolo who are ‘squatters’ on Ibibio lands do not have any right to carve out any portion to create a state of their own.

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    He said, “In the current constitutional amendment process/exercise, Ifim Ibom Ibibio notes that Nigerian people have made requests to the National Assembly for the creation of 31 additional (new) States across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

    “As shown in the public hearing invitation document recently published by the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution, we know and note in particular that there is a request for the creation of Obolo State from the present Akwa Ibom State and Rivers State of South-South Nigeria.

    “The Obolo people in Akwa Ibom State seeking a separate State of their own, currently live in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area (LGA), one of the 31 LGAs in the State, together with the Ibibio people (in 16 LGAs), the Annang people (in 8 LGAs), the Oro people (in 5 LGAs), and the Ibeno people (in one LGA).

    “As earlier precisely indicated in Subsection 1.1 above, Ifim Ibom Ibibio recognizes and respects the right of the Obolo people currently living in Eastern Obolo LGA of Akwa Ibom State, to seek a geopolitical entity (a State) of their own.

    “Ifim Ibom Ibibio, however, firmly holds the position that no part, no inch of Ibibio land, in any of the16 Ibibio LGAs shall be excised or carved out to create Obolo State, or any other State for that matter, which is not formally, legitimately and collectively demanded by Ibibio people, the owners of the ancestral lands they occupy.”

    He stated further that, “For the clarity of the matter, it should be noted that the following 16 of the 31 LGAs of Akwa Ibom State, as listed in the FIRST SCHEDULE (SECTION 3) PART 1 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, are Ibibio LGAs: Eket, Esit Eket, Etinan, Ibesikpo Asutan, Ibiono Ibom, Ikono, Ikot Abasi, Ini, Itu, Mkpat Enin, Nsit Atai, Nsit Ibom, Nsit Ubium, Onna, Uruan and Uyo.

    “The ancestral/authentic boundaries of these LGAs are clearly demarcated and delineated in the APPROVED, OFFICIAL, AND GAZETTED (APRIL 27, 2023) MAP OF AKWA IBOM STATE.

    “In sum, the position of Ifim Ibom Ibibio and all Ibibio people at large, home and in the diaspora, is that no village, no section, no part, no inch of any of these Ibibio LGAs shall be made part of the proposed Obolo State, or any other State.

    “As evident from established historical facts, all the parcels of land currently occupied by the Obolo people in the Eastern Obolo LGA of Akwa Ibom State were leased to their forebears by the Ibibio people on a royalty-paying basis.

    “As a people, the Ibibio have been living in harmony with their kith and kin from the Annang, Oro, Ibeno, and Obolo ethnic extractions in Akwa Ibom State.

    “Ifim Ibom Ibibio and Ibibio people at large, have no problem with the request of their Obolo brothers and sisters for the creation of Obolo State for their separate identity.

    “However, the Ibibio are totally opposed to the annexure of any part, any inch of Ibibio land to the proposed Obolo State. This is our firm conclusion and position on the matter”, Udonsak stated in the memorandum.

    However, the Obolo people in their presentation at the public hearing insisted on a state of their own saying they have been marginalised in the present Akwa Ibom state.

    In a related development, ethnic groups in the Southsouth at the weekend intensified their requests for the creation of additional new states from the current six states in the region.

    The groups made the requests during the two-day public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on the review of the 1999 constitution.

    The Southsouth Zonal public hearing which was held at Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom state for the Southsouth region witnessed the presentation of memorandums by various interest groups.

    The hearing for the region was chaired by Senator Seriake Dickson and assisted by other committee members.

    Memorandums for the creation of Aniocha state from Delta State, Obolo state from Akwa Ibom state, Ogoni state from Rivers State and Ogoja state from Cross River state were presented by representatives of the various groups.

    Among the memorandums was the request for Reserved Seats for women in the National and State Assemblies submitted by Senator Florence Ita-Giwa.

    Declaring the public hearing open, the Senate President Godswill Akpabio underscored the need for the voices of the Southsouth to hear their contributions to the amendment of the Constitution.