Etubom conclave re-elect Obong of Calabar

From Judex Okoro, Calabar

Barely one week after the Supreme Court judgment, which ordered a fresh selection process for the Obong of Calabar stool, the Etubom Conclave of Efik kingdom has again re-selected and proclaimed His Eminence Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V as the Obong.

The Apex Court had in its January 13, 2023 judgement dethroned the Obong of Calabar and oredered for a feesh election that would be fair to all.

Etubom Anthony Ani had in 2008 challenged the selection of Edidem Abasi-Otu as Obong of Calabar from the High Court up to the Apex Court.

The Supreme Court had upheld the judgment of the Appeal Court, which had earlier disqualified Etubom Ani from the Obongship contest for not being capped.

However, in total obedient to the Apex Court Judgment, the Conclave, after hours of painstaking reselection process said the process was successful with all the Etuboms going for the Monarch.

In a statement signed by HRH Etubom Ntiero Edem Ofiong Effiwat, Chairman, Etuboms’ Conclave, and the Secretary, HRH Etubom Edem Ita Esien Ededem, the Kingmakers said: “Following the judgment of the Supreme Court sitting at Abuja on 13th January,2023 ordering that the Etuboms’ Conclave, the kingmakers of the Palace of the Obong of Calabar should conduct another process of selecting Obong of Calabar in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of Etuboms’ Council 2002 and in strict compliance with the rules of natural justice, among other things, the Etuboms’ Council has promptly complied with that Court order by taking all the necessary steps leading to and convening the Etuboms’ Conclave and conducting another selection of Obong of Calabar.

“The turn to produce the next Obong of Calabar, after the demise of His Eminence Edidem (Prof) Nta Elijah Henshaw VI, being that of the Atai lboku group of Houses (in Western Calabar) as provided for under The Constitution of Etuboms’ Council 2002, the qualified Etuboms, who fall under this group, were communicated to and directed to produce and present their nominee to the Etuboms’ Conclave by Wednesday, 18th January, 2023.

“The most senior Etubom of the Atai lboku group, HRH Etubom Otu Efa Otu, presented their selected nominee for the throne of the Obong of Calabar in the person of HRH Etubom Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu of Adiabo lkot Mbo House.

“Having been fully satisfied with the candidate’s qualification and eligibility, the Etuboms Conclave therefore declared him the successor, and hereby conveys his Proclamation as the successor to the throne of Obong of Calabar today,18th January,2023.”

This may have brought to an end the 15 years of intense legal tussle for the stool.

Etubom Anthony Ani, M.O.N and others in Suit No. HC/102/2008, filed by his lead counsel, Mr. Joe Agi, SAN, had sued Etubom Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu and others in their capacities as members of the Etubom’s’ Traditional Council for jettisoning the screening process of the Western Calabar under the then Chairman, Etubom Abasi-Otu, now the Obong of Calabar that had screened and selected Etubom Ani as their sole candidate .

Etubom Ani had instituted the suit immediately after the Etuboms’ Conclave met and declared Etubom Abasi Otu as the Obong elect.

At the High Court of Cross River state Judgement, Justice Obojor A. Ogar had sacked Abasi Otu as the Obong of Calabar on January 30, 2012 in favour of Etubom Anthony Ani and jettisoned the Appeal court judgement that was in favour of the deposed Obong.

Not satisfied, the Obong and others challenged the High Court Judgement at the Appeal Court, Calabar and was also sacked and a fresh election ordered.

Delivering judgment on June 4, 2013, the Lead Judge then, Justice Garba Lawal who is now a Justice of the Supreme Court, ordered that “the 1st Respondent (Etubom Ani) who admittedly was not capped/inducted into the Etuboms’ Council of the Palace of the Obong by the Obong at the time of the selection process of the Obong of Calabar, was not traditionally qualified and eligible to vote and be voted for as the Obong of Calabar under Exhibit 1/20.

“That the 1st Appellant (Abasi Otu) was traditionally qualified and eligible to vote and be voted for as the Obong of Calabar under Exhibit 1/20 at the time of the selection process”, hence the Appeal court set aside the selection process that produced Etubom Ani as candidate and also set aside the March 31 proclamation of Etubom Abasi Otu as Obong Ordered by the Etuboms’ Conclave of the Palace of the Obong of Calabar, whose mandate it is under Article 5(a) (ii) (iv) of Exhibit 1/20, to do so and it “to conduct another process of selecting a new Obong of Calabar, in accordance with the provisions of Exhibit 1/20 and in strict compliance with the rules of natural justice”.