The stool of the Obong of Calabar is about six centuries old, the Governor of Cross River State Sen Bassey Edet Otu, revealed.
He said the Stool, in the ethos of the Efiks revered among the few First Class Kings in Nigeria.
The contention for the Stool of the Obong of Calabar, since 2008, had seemingly been intractable dispute over the Kingship of the Efik Nation.
But a court had to intervene in a row between the traditional rulers over who should become the “Obong of Calabar.
In a recent release signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary Emmanuel Ogbeche, said that the governor having undertaken a judicial review of the state high court and supreme court rulings, concluded that there was need to protect the throne from judicial, social and political scorn.
Gov. Otu in his official position and the constitution of the Obong’s Palace as well as interface with the royal Fathers resolved that the WAIVER for qualification of a candidate to contest the Obong’s Stool is untenable.
He says the stipulations of the constitution of the Obong’s Palace in respect to the procedure for the enthronement of any Etubom as the Obong of Calabar remains sacrosanct.
“That in all the subsequent judgements of the appellate courts, the letter and spirits of the state High Court judgment of September 25, 2022, has not been set aside nor its binding effect on all parties diminished,” he continued.
Governor Otu who stated this on Tuesday went ahead to say that all parties must ensure the implementation of the judgment cited in (iii) above to the later.
That His Eminence, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V remains validly selected and elected Obong of Calabar and Patriarch of the Efik Kingdom.
According to him, “that this official pronouncement by the state government has granted explicit recognition to His Eminence, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V as the Obong of Calabar.”
“And brings to final closure, the speculation, acrimony and disaffection that may have risen in the course of the tussle for this revered royal Stool of the Efik Kingdom,” he stated.
Governor Otu also ordered that as a matter of urgency and priority, His Eminence Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, should set up reconciliation team to bring the two contending parties on the tussle to single harmonious, peaceful and progressive rulership of the Efik Kingdom.
