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Awa Iman Village Headship Tussle: Udom’s kinsmen tackle Paramount Ruler over imposition plots

Awa Iman Village Headship Tussle: Udom’s kinsmen tackle Paramount Ruler over imposition plots

Family Heads in Awa Iman, ONNA Local Government Area, Governor Udom Emmanuel’s hometown, have passed a vote of no confidence on ONNA Traditional Rulers Council Headed by the Paramount Ruler, HRM, Edidem Raymond Inyang.

The Family Heads in a letter to the Akwa Ibom State Government, accused the Paramount Ruler of meddling into and stalling the selection of a new Village Head in Awa Iman.

Our reporter gathered on good authority,
that trouble started after the August 25th, 2022 selection of Chief Ubong Solomon, Family Head of Nnung Akpabio, as the Village Head-elect of Awa Iman was overruled by the Paramount Ruler, Edidem Raymond Inyang on grounds that the process was disputed.

Family Heads of Nung Umo Ossom Abia, Nung Etukudo Essien and Nung Obio Nyom, Chief Bassey Silas, Chief Israel Henry and Chief Christian Henry respectively, also disclosed that Paramount Ruler further cited the need for transparency, level playing ground, general acceptability and peace as sufficient reason for a fresh selection process.

However, after allegedly failing to follow the provisions of the Traditional Rulers’ Law, the the Family Heads said Edidem Raymond Inyang was bent on foisting his preferred candidate (Chief Essien Essien) on the community.

“We have developed serious reservations about his ability to do the right job as he has compromised his earlier promise of transparency in the process. The Paramount Ruler (Edidem Raymond Inyang) is hell bent on foisting his preferred candidate on us”, part of the letter read.

To forestall impending crisis, the Royal Fathers called on the Monarch to uphold the August 25th selection of Chief Ubong Solomon or allow the seven Family Heads in Awa Iman to decide on who emerges Village Head.

The protesters

“We would not accept anything short of these options we have given. We are yearning for equity, fair-play and justice to prevail in Awa Iman.

“We’ve written letters to the Governor and sent text messages since this issue started but we’ve not gotten any response. I have reached out to his younger brother, Ekerete. Ekerete told me that the Governor is not interested and doesn’t have a hand in such matter”, one of the protesters said.

In a related development, one of the Families in Awa Iman, Nung Umossom Abia, has described its
exclusion as a ruling family by the Paramount Ruler, as an invitation to anarchy.

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In a strong worded petition signed by its Head Chief Bassey Silas and Secretary, Alex Idem, and addressed to the Akwa Ibom State Council of Chiefs, said every attempt to draw the Paramount Ruler, Edidem Raymond Inyang to the omission has been rebuffed and called on the state government to intervene.

The letter also urged Edidem Raymond Inyang to be unbiased while avoiding plots to impose a new Village Head on Awa Iman.

Efforts to reach the Paramount Ruler and the Secretary, State Council of Chiefs were not fruitful, as calls and text messages forwarded to them were not responded to as at press time.

TheMail Newspaper reports that a planned protest against against imposition of a Village Head in the community scheduled for Tuesday, September 6, 2022, was suspended following the intervention by the Police.

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