An uneasy calm now pervades the entire Efik Kingdom over who mounts the throne following the vacancy when, in early January 1999, Edidem Boco Ene Mkpang Cobham v joined his ancestors. He reigned as the Obong of Calabar and the Paramount Ruler of the Efiks for 10 years.

Six months after the Obong’s demise, a successor had not been made, a clear indication that something ominous was in the offing in the Efik Kingdom which had had its own share of kingship tussles in the past but for which what appeared as a lasting solution had been adopted. 

About 30 years ago, precisely in 1970, in an attempt to put past Efik kingship tussle to rest, a formula of rotating the Obongship among the Etuboms from the Central Calabar and the Western Calabar was adopted.

The rotational formula worked perfectly and successive Obongs have been emerging in that order until trouble once again reared its ugly head at the demise of Edidem Boco Ene Mkpang Cobham v.

The five Monarchs so far produced by the accord are:

1) Edidem Essien Henshaw v from Henshaw Town in Central Calabar, from 1970 —1972

2) Edidem Essien Ekpe Oku from Creek Town in Western Calabar, from 1972 — 1982.

3) Edidem Eyo Ephraim Adam frm Duke Town in Central Calabar, from 1982 — 1987.

4) Edidem Otu Ekpenyong Efa from Adiabo in Western Calabar, from 1987 — 1989.

5) Edidem Ene Mkpang Cobham v from Cobham Town in Central Calabar, 1989 — 1999.

It automatically follows that if the sanctity of the accord were to be observed the next Obong ought to come from Western Calabar. Just as the rotations are made between Western and Central Calabar, so also is a rotation between the various Houses in Western and Central Calabar.

From the above scenario therefore, in line with the 1970 accord which is yet to be discarded, only two distinct groups of the Efik Kingdom out of the seven groups have not taken their turn to produce an Obong of Calabar. These two groups are Mbiabo Ikoneto in Western Calabar and Obutong in Central Calabar. It follows therefore that in keeping with the spirit of the 1970 accord, all things being equal, Mbiabo Ikoneto should naturally produce the next Obong of Calabar. But all things were not equal as there was disagreement among the groups in Western Calabar.

The two contending groups to the throne in Western Calabar are the Mbiabo Ikoneto and Ikot Mkpo.

Cashing in on this disagreement in Western Calabar, Central Calabar, from where the late Obong emerged, picked a candidate to the throne in the person of Etubom (Professor) Nta Elijah Henshaw and presented him to the Obong Traditional Rulers Council for acceptance as the next Obong of Calabar.

Justifying the picking of Etubom Nta Elijah Henshaw, an Adviser in the Obong of Calabar Traditional Rulers Council, Etubom Bassey Ekpo Bassey said the decision was in the interest of the revered Efik throne which had been vacant for six months and since Western Calabar could not produce a candidate because of a disagreement there.

As would be expected, Western Calabar protested the action of Central Calabar, stating that it was not their turn to produce an Obong since the late Obong, Edidem Boco Ene Mkpang Cobham v, was from Central Calabar.

The disagreement prompted the Cross River State government to wade into the matter and set up a four-member panel to look into the issue.

At a meeting with Etuboms from Henshaw Town, Creek Town and Duke Town, the State Deputy Governor, Chief John Okpa said the action was in reaction and counter reaction to the announcement that Etubom (Professor) Nta Elijah Henshaw had been presented as the next Obong of Calabar.

Chief Okpa urged the Etuboms to stop all pronouncements on the matter and halted the memorial service earlier slated that week in Calabar, for the late Edidem Boco Ene Mkpang Cobham v.

The four-member panel set up by government was made up of Etubom Essien Ekpenyong Efiok from Creek Town, Etubom Ewa Effiom, from Henshaw Town, Etubom Essien Ita Essien from Creek Town and Etubom Okon Ekpenyong Eyamba from Duke Town.

Chief Okpa advised the factions in the tussle within the Etubom Traditional Council to ensure that peace, order and public safety are maintained amongst their supporters.

"In recognition of the security implications that would be occasioned by delayed resolution of the dispute the Etuboms are to resolve their kingship dispute within two weeks", Chief Okpa admonished.

However, when it became apparent that the dispute could not be resolved amicably in Western Calabar, Central went ahead and performed some traditional rites on Etubom (Professor) Nta Elijah Henshaw, proclaiming him the new Obong of Calabar.

Speaking after being proclaimed Obong of Calabar as a result of the traditional rites already performed, Etubom (Professor) Nta Elijah Henshaw sued for peace among the Efiks. "I hereby make a renewed request to our people to give peace a chance following our history which had in the past been mixed with turbulence and misfortune. We have all witnessed our rise to greatness as Efik people and our subsequent decline to a state of bewilderment", he stated.

The performance of the traditional rites on Etubom Nta Elijah Henshaw elicited protests from some prominent Efik sons who said it was wrong to crown an Obong from Central Calabar when it was not their turn to produce an Obong. Again, the state government reacted and directed Etubom Nta Elijah Henshaw not to parade himself as the Obong-elect until proper solution was sought over the chieftaincy tussle.

It promptly set up a Judicial Commission of Enquiry to look into the issue with the State Chief Judge, Justice Okokon Ita as chairman. The commission could however not meet as the chief judge was said not to be favourably disposed to serving and it was not until December 1999 that another member of the Commission, Justice Dorothy Eyamba-Idem was named the new chairman.

The Commission’s terms of reference were:

• Investigate and state, in accordance with Efik tradition and customs as adopted by the Efiks generally, the method of selection of the Obong of Calabar and Paramount Ruler of the Efiks.

• Investigate and report on the facts that led to the present dispute in the selection of the Obong of Calabar and paramount Ruler of the Efiks.

• State the criteria for the selection of an Obong of Calabar and paramount Ruler of the Efiks.

• Proffer recommendations aimed at finding a lasting solution to the Obongship tussle.

• Make recommendations that would ensure the proper selection of a legitimate Obong of Calabar for the Efik throne, in accordance with the Efik tradition and customs and the traditional rulers Laws 1978 and

• Make any such recommendation that would avert a future occurrence of similar dispute in the selection of Traditional Rulers in the state.

The commission called for memoranda from all interested parties to the throne and other concerned Efik people who are privy to the methods of picking a new Obong of Calabar and Paramount Ruler of Efiks.

The commission thereafter held public sittings during which all the interested parties gave oral evidence and were cross-examined by its members and counsels to the contenders to the throne.

Testifying before the commission, the Chairman of the Etubom Traditional Rulers Council of the Efiks, Etubom Essien Ita Essien said the selection of an Obong of the Efiks, was the exclusive right of the Etubom Traditional Council.

Etubom Essien said that in selecting an Obong, the council was usually guided by the 1970 accord which rotates the throne from Western to Central Calabar or vice-versa.

According to him, on the death of Obong Edidem Boco Ene Mkpang Cobham v who was from Cobham House, Central Calabar, the next Obong should naturally have come from Western Calabar.

Etubom Essien said it would be wrong and a breach of the 1970 accord for another candidate from Calabar Central to now emerge as Obong of Calabar when they had already enjoyed their turn.

Also testifying, the Iyamba Efe Ekpe Iboku Utan, Etubom Okon Ekpenyong said no one House in Efik land had the exclusive right to perform the whole traditional coronation rites of a new Obong of Calabar.

Etubom Eyamba said the traditional crowning of an Obong with the "Ntinya" was usually done at the Efe Asabo (python shrine) adding that no such rite had been performed since the coronation of the late Obong.

Etubom Eyamba was reacting to the crowning of Professor Elijah Nta Henshaw as Obong of Calabar in August 1999 but which was declared illegal by some prominent Efik descendants.

The man at the centre of the controversy, Etubom (Professor) Nta Elijah Henshaw who was reportedly crowned as Obong also testified before the commission, admitting that it was not the turn of Central Calabar to produce the next Obong but that he emerged out of circumstance when the Western Calabar could not produce a candidate.

He said his selection from Central Calabar was not in dispute and that he had already performed all the rites expected of an Obong of Calabar and Paramount Ruler of the Efiks.

But the man who said it was his turn to be the next Obong of Calabar, Etubom Adolphus Eniang Nsa said the 1970 accord had been religiously followed and that five of the seven distinct groups of the Efik Kingdom had produced people who had occupied the position of the Obong of Calabar.

Etubom Eniang Nsa said "I submit most respectfully that since Mbiabo Ikoneto is the only group in Western Calabar yet to mount the throne of the Obong of Calabar and since following the 1970 accord, it is now the turn of western Calabar to produce the next Obong of Calabar".

He said it would therefore be in consonance with justice and fair play to allow Mbiabo Ikoneto to take her turn in an arrangement in which other groups have already benefited.

"I urge this commission in the name of Efik kingdom and if it is not enough, in the name of God and honour of members of this commission not to follow the few greedy and over-ambitious people in our midst to ignore this all important agreement of our fore-fathers", Etubom Eniang Nsa submitted before the commission.

Already, the commission has since completed its assignment and had submitted its report to Governor Donald Duke during which its chairman, Justice Dorothy Eyamba-Idem said it received 21 memoranda and 64 exhibits.

Also, according to Justice Eyamba-Idem, the commission entertained evidences from forty witnesses while twenty lawyers appeared for the various factions laying claims to the vacant Efik throne.

However, an adviser in the Obong of Calabar Council, Etubom Bassey Ekpo Bassey said Governor Donald Duke had no business determining who should be an Obong of Calabar, stating that the governor lied when he claimed that there was violence during the tussle which necessitated the setting up of the commission of enquiry.

"I know that in Ugep, so many people died over the question of Obol Lopon, serious fighting, the same Donald Duke has given certificate to the Obol Lopon, no commission of enquiry, I also know that over the Obongship of Calabar, no one stone has been thrown", Etubom Bassey Ekpo Bassey stated.

Etubom Ekpo Bassey also recalled that many lives were lost in Boki during fights that erupted over the Paramount Rulership there yet, Mr. Duke had given a certificate of recognition to the paramount ruler there without setting up a commission of enquiry.

On the implications of crowning another Obong instead of Etubom (Professor) Nta Elijah Henshaw who had already been crowned, Etubom Bassey said "that has now left my hands, it is now on the laps of the gods because at coronation, a man who is to wear the crown meets with the Efik deities and we have very many of them, what those deities would do I don’t know, but they would still do it.

Meanwhile, expectations are high by the contestants and interested parties to the Efik throne but it is not certain who would become the Obong eventually since the recommendations of the commission were not made public.

Comet News Report