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.