Obongship

Obongship: A dynasty in crisis

The end of the controversy surrounding the emergence of a new Obong of Calabar and the paramount ruler of the Efiks, following the death of Obong Edidem Boco Ene Mkpang Cobham the V in 1999, is far from being in sight. The festering crisis rocking one of the oldest dynasties in Africa is occasioned by the large number of candidates aspiring to the revered stool, some of whom are opposed to the succession arrangement that has been in existence since 1970.

After the nullification of the selection and installation of Etubom (Prof.) Nta Elijah Henshaw as the Obong of Calabar in May last year by the Cross River State Government, five contestants have emerged, each claiming a right to the Efik throne. They are Etubom Ekpo Effiok from Greek Town ruling family; Etubom Itam F. Ibitam also from Greek Town; Etubom Lawrence Etinyin Asido from Adiabo ruling house; Etubom Ukorebi Ukorebi Asuquo from Ikoneto ruling house and Etubom Essien U. Ekpen Young also from Ikoneto ruling house. They are all from Western Calabar.

The succession arrangement agreed upon on December 12, 1970 provides that the Obong title shall rotate between Western Calabar and Urban Calabar, the two major areas into which Calabar is divided. It states: "That from henceforth royal succession shall rotate alternately between Calabar Urban comprising Henshaw Town, Cobham Town, Duke Town, Old Town, and their tributaries on the one hand, and Calabar Western comprising Creek Town, Adiabo, Ikoneto, and their tributaries, on the other handò".

While there is a consensus among the rank and file of the Etuboms Traditional Council, the body of kingmakers in the kingdom, that the next Obong should be of Western Calabar stock, there is sharp disagreement as to which of the ruling houses should take the next shot at the Obongship.

Investigations reveal that after Adiabo had produced an Obong in the person of Efa the (IX) and Creek Town followed with the production of Esien Ekpe Oku V, It is now the turn of Ikoneto to produce the next Obong from the rank and file of their Etuboms (Heads of Efik Houses) in accordance with the 1970 accord.

Initially, the Ikoneto ruling house could not reach an agreement as to who to nominate for the exalted Efik stool. But when it became clear that the other two houses, Adiabo and Creek houses were making attempts at clinching the Obongship, they dropped their differences and came up with two names, Etubom Ukorebi Ukorebi Asuquo and Etubom Essien U. Ekpenyong.

But it was reliably gathered that the other two councils of Etuboms, the Western Calabar Council and the Etuboms Traditional Council are not unanimous over the right of Ikoneto to produce the next Obong. Many are calling for the review of the 1970 accord. A paper presented by Chief Edem to the conclave of Etuboms of Efiom Ekpo dynasty called for the rotation of the Obong title on the basis of dynastic lines of Efiom Ekpo Iboku and Atai Iboku, the two sections into which the Efiks are divided. To those championing this cause, this is a more equitable basis of rotation as opposed to the existing rotation on geographical basis of Western and Central Calabar. They opine that the existing accord can deny Effiom Ekpo Dynasty the chance of occupying the Efik throne for up to 36 years in every eight chances assuming an average of 6 years tenure of each Obong.

The protagonists of the review of the 1970 accord see it as outdated. Edem says: "The 1970 accord was drawn when there was one Calabar Division made up of Central and Western Calabar. Now Calabar Division has five Local Government Areas - one in Western Calabar, that is, Odukpani Local Council and four in Central Calabar, that is Calabar Municipality, Calabar South, Akpabuyo and Bakassi.

"Thus, if the apex council's request works out, former Calabar Central will constitute four-fifth of the apex council revenue while Western Calabar (the Atais) take the lion share of the throne. Therefore sharing the throne on the basis of Atai and Efiom Ekpo will be more equitable and fair to all concerned.

"The 1972 constitution talked about rotation between the two Efik segments of Western and Central Calabar in a manner to guarantee to each of the lineage groups an equal opportunity. A situation where in every eight opportunities the Atai have six and Efiom Ekpo, two, cannot be described as equal by any standard. Thus the original intention of the 1970 accord is misapplied".

The 1970 Accord is also faulted on the basis that it "seems to depend wholly on birth-right and seniority as the main qualifications for a prospective candidate to the throne. Things have changed so much that the Accord has to be reviewed to reflect the necessary prerequisites for an Obong such as prescription of a minimum educational requirement, in depth knowledge of the Efik culture and people, some level of exposure, good record of conduct and probity and commitment to the service of the people rather than selfish interest. "The possession of these qualities and attributes, together with birth right, are necessary to ensure that the candidate can adapt to the changing scenario of traditional institutions the world over".

It is this protest that causes the stalemate in the selection of a new Obong. Names of three candidates which were earlier sent to the state government for ratification were rejected on the ground that none of them came from Ikoneto ruling house. They are Etubom Itam F. Ibitam who is from Creek Town ruling house; Etubom Ekpo Effiok also from Creek Town and Etubom Asido.

But, as the most powerful and influential Etuboms in the traditional council are in favour of the review of the 1970 accord, the names of those nominated by the Ikoneto ruling house cannot pass beyond the house level. Ukorebi Ukorebi Asuquo, the Director of the Department of Applied Science, The Polytechnic, Calabar and one of the nominees in the Ikoneto ruling house said: "The process of emerging as an Obong is very long. After one has been nominated by the joint traditional council of his house, the nominee will be presented to Etuboms of Western Calabar Traditional Council and they will in turn present the candidate to the Etubom Traditional Council before finally presenting the candidate to the government.

"The Ikoneto traditional council has done its own aspect of it by presenting its candidates to the Western Calabar Traditional Council. But that is where the thing has stopped. Those who are supposed to make this selection are trying to run away from Ikoneto partly because we have no money and partly because they are being pushed by self-aggrandisement. They even peddle round the rumour that we have not sent to them the names of our candidates".

Professor Nta Elijah Henshaw seems to have accepted in good faith the recommendation of the Justice Dorothy Eyamba Idem led Judicial Commission of Inquiry which stripped him of the Obong title and as a clan head. At his New Airport Road, Calabar home, two armed policemen were at the gate of the sprawling building. Professor Henshaw was found seated in the lobby of the first bungalow building, close to the gate were six other men from his family house, about to start a meeting. When asked to comment on the events which culminated in his dethronement as the Obong of Calabar, he said: "I don't want to speak to the press on the tussle over the Obong title. Anywhere I go I'm the cynosure of all eyes and focus of camera men. But what I can say is that we are in a period of reconciliation. Talking to the press during this period can cause a break down of law and order in the kingdom".

The palace of the Obong of Calabar can be compared to a graveyard. It is silent and desolate. On the day the reporter visited the place, there was nobody at the gate. After going a little further into the small compound, a man who turned out to be a gardener in the palace emerged. Only him and his wife and their two children now live in the palace.

After the death of Obong Edidem Boco Ene Mkpang Cobham V, the Etuboms Traditional Council continued to hold its meetings at the palace. But at the heat of the move by a section of the Etuboms to install Prof. Henshaw, the venue of their meetings was shifted to another place after it was alleged that some Etuboms who were favourably disposed to the candidature of Henshaw were sponsoring hooligans who prevented some members of Etuboms Council from entering the palace on August 3, 1999 being the day for the council's weekly meetings.

Apart from the failure of Calabar kingmakers to select a new Obong, the crisis rocking the kingdom has also made it impossible for them to perform the traditional funeral rites for the late Obong. Etubom Essien says: "The incumbent Obong of Calabar is not dead. Rather, he is traditionally sick and is considered to be reigning. The announcement of his demise, which should only be made by the Etuboms Traditional Council has not been done talk less of performing his funeral obsequies. The delay in carrying out his traditional rite is caused by a section of the Etuboms council who want to throw away the age-long customs and traditions of the kingdom in their determination to install who they want as the Obong of Calabar".

The Obong of Calabar who is the patriarch of the Efiks, and the paramount ruler of Bakassi, Akpabuyo, Calabar South, Calabar Municipality and Odukpani Local Government areas of Cross River State has been the symbol of unity among these communities from time immemorial. The succession dispute is therefore seen as vital to peaceful co-existence among the Cross Riverians.