Akaiso Eyo-Akaiso, Uyo.
The former chairman of Eket Local government area in Akwa Ibom State, Mkpisong Dr. Emmanuel has advised Ibibio ethnic nationality to wake up from slumber of baseless acrimony for their kinsmen and women and start now to love one another and live in peace.
His advice was given over the weekend during the installation of Obong Pius James OkON as NTISONG IBIBIO IV at Asan Ibibio, the ancestral home of Ibibio people against the backdrop of the old cliche that Ibibio people don’t love themselves.
According to him, Ibibio race has come of age, they have gotten a state of theirs and are politically a force to reckon with in the scheme of things as one of the major ethnic groupings in Nigeria. Ibibio sons and daughters have achieved milestones in the world reckoning in their chosen fields of human endeavours.
Hence, it is time Ibibio jettisoned the old inimical tapestry of cultural heritage of seeing their brothers and sisters especially those of smaller ethnic groups as perceived enemies, which does nobody any good but put them averse from one another.
Even though he is a Barrister by learning, a Pastor by calling and a social activist by inclination, he chose to speak in Ibibio language on some historical facts on how Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio evolved about four decades ago in Calabar with installation of the first NTISONG IBIBIO, late Obong Sebastian Umoren who almost gave up the ghost as he was crowned.
Hear him: “Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio has been a long standing socio cultural organization. I was there when the organization started in Calabar. The day it was launched at Calabar stadium I was one of the officers serving in the security committee protecting the event because people around the area didn’t want it to be launched there.”
“On that day they almost killed the 1st NTISONG, Obong Sebastian Umoren. It was a lady who made that man to survive. That day the former permanent secretary of department of Forestry, E. U. OKON and Chief Obop, former paramount ruler of Ikono led the man to the podium and he didn’t die as enemies would have wanted but was crowned……” The rest is now history.
Speaking further Barrister Emmanuel who believed Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio was formed by God to give Ibibio people a sense of belonging, thanked God that NTISONG IBIBIO 111, Obong Ekidem who had held sway for fifteen years was present at the installation of Obong Pius James OkON to hand him the staff of office, and therefore advised him to take everybody as one as his predecessor did.
