By Magns Effiong, Calabar
The Etuboms’ Traditional Council, Palace of the Obong of Calabar, has alleged that Etubom Anthony Ani was instigating crisis in Efik kingdom with his insistence on becoming Obong of Calabar even when the Supreme Court judgment out-rightly dismissed his appeal and disqualified him from taking part in any reselection of an Obong.
Recall that Etubom Ani was declared ‘Obong-elect’ by a group of Efik leaders who are dissatisfied with the reselection processes through which the Obong of Calabar, His Eminence Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V re-emerged shortly after the Supreme Court judgement of January 2023.
However, in a three page press release, signed by the Chairman of Etuboms’ Traditional Council of the Palace of the Obong of Calabar, HRH Etubom Bassey O. B Duke, the Palace said Etubom Ani’s “continuous attempts to denigrate the throne and instigate mayhem so as to obtain his desire by extra-legal means is a futile quest which will end disastrously.”
The Palace submitted that “The Supreme Court judgement of 13th January was unambiguous and stated clearly that Chief Ani’s appeal was dismissed for lack of merit, and that Chief Ani, who admittedly was not capped/inducted into the Palace of the Obong of Calabar (as an Etubom), by the Obong at the time of the selection process, was not traditionally qualified or eligible to vote or be voted for as an Obong of Calabar.”
The Palace frowned at an alleged planned visit of Etubom Ani to the Cross River State Traditional Rulers Council as the Obong-elect, saying such plan “is an abomination and shows the desperation and length to which Chief Ani is ready to sink in his latest misadventure.”
The statement read in part: “The attention of the Etuboms’ Traditional Council, Palace of the Obong of Calabar, has been drawn to the recent flurry of press releases and videos on social media in which Chief Anthony Ani is seen, in his residence, making a number of highly provocative statements.
“The Council knows that any citizen is entitled to free speech and can call himself by any title, no matter how delusional, in the confines of his or her bedroom.
“It becomes a problem, however, when such a person takes their fantasy into the public arena and attempts to instigate discord and bring an old and revered traditional institution to disrepute.
“The Etuboms’ Council has it on good authority that Chief Anthony Ani seeks to visit some Paramount Rulers in the State and induce them to endorse him as ‘Obong-elect’ during a thinly disguised ceremony.
“After dragging the traditional Efik Throne of our ancestors through 15 years of legal distraction and financial waste, it is now confirmed that his mission is to spit on and destroy that which he can never have.
The Efik people are calm and law abiding but civilized nature, and respect for law and order of our people, should not be taken for granted or seen as cowardice.
“The Etubom Traditional Council hereby calls on the government and security agencies in Cross River State to take note of this plan by Chief Anthony Ani and his co-travelers and take appropriate action to forestall imminent breakdown of law and order.”
This call may have been heeded as detachment of security operatives condoned off the entrance to the Councilof Chiefs’ Chambers on Friday in what the Police authorities described as normal security patrol.
When contacted, the Chairman of the State Council of Chiefs, HRM (Dr) Etinyin Etim Okon Edet, said he was not aware of the alleged Etubom An’s visit.
“I have no knowledge of any meeting with Etubom Ani or any Paramount Ruler. As I speak with you, I’m not in town. I’m not an Etubom, I have no business with anything happening there,” he submitted.
