How Vulture Delivered Letter Asking Monarch To Quit Throne In Akwa Ibom

By John Owen Nwachukwu

A vulture has delivered a letter to a village head, in Iba Oku, in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, Eteidung Gabriel Mbeka, asking him to quit his throne.

The Nation reports that the embattled monarch has cried out for help, alleging that his throne and his life were being threatened by sinister forces.

Speaking to the newspaper, the monarch accused the Clan Head of Oku, Etebom Enefiok Effiong Okpon, of an alleged sinister plot to dethrone him because he wants to turn my domain into his vassal province.

He said, Since I was given the staff of office in 2012, as the Village Head of Iba Oku, I have been having a running battle with my Clan Head, Etebom Okpon, who insisted he must also control my domain and collect revenues.

When I could not yield to his request, he resorted to using traditional invocations to eliminate me. They sent a vulture to deliver a letter, asking me to quit the throne. I was scared and had to escape from my palace for several months.

Since that period, I have been totally deprived of my powers to function effectively as the traditional ruler of my community.

The Clan Head denied me the powers to hold court with my people by sealing off the Village Council Hall, forcing me to attend to my people in the primary school and my palace.

Hoodlums also invaded my palace and seized my royal regalia and other paraphernalia of office, just to make me as ordinary as a traditional ruler.

When all these actions failed, he started sending threat messages that I would be eliminated if I failed to cooperate with him to sell the government’s land and share the proceeds with him.

Recently, he sent one of his Personal Assistants (PAs) to come to my area and enquire concerning my personal details as well as my daily routines. But he did not know that one of those he enquired from was my loyal subject.

I reported the case to the Police and later charged it to Court, but up till now, it is regrettable that matters concerning my life cannot be allowed to go to Court for redress because of interventions by politicians for their personal interests, he lamented.

The monarch, who was heavily hounded with charges of embezzling N20 million proceeds from the community land and other funds, denied the allegation and took the matter before the Uyo Magistrate Court 11.

He said the charge number: MU7152017, was first heard at the Uyo Magistrate Court 11, but the Court declined jurisdiction and referred it to the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) for the matter to be reassigned to the High Court.

The monarch’s prayers include a Court order restraining the accused from invading his community with warriors to dethrone him, threats to his life, and a plot to take over his domain and resources.

Up till now, the case is still pending with the DPP because of interests from the politicians, including the member representing the Uyo Federal Constituency, Hon. Mark Enyong, and that of the House of Assembly for Uyo, Hon. Monday Eyo.

I want justice in my case; let the matter be taken to the High Court so that all these issues will be addressed. The politicians should leave the case alone because it is a traditional matter, he said.

According to him, the case was to be heard in the High Court on October 26, but he expressed worry that with all the antics displayed by the DPP, the matter may be suppressed continually.

I am the only surviving Village Head still remaining on the throne in the Afaha Oku Clan. The Clan Head has made it a point of duty to stampede others who could not cooperate with him, he lamented.

For instance, he (the Clan Head) has forced out other certified Village Heads in my Clan, including the Village Head of Nnung Ebie Enang Idoro, Nnung Uyo Idoro, Nduetong Oku, and Afaha Oku, he said, adding that in some villages that he can’t control, he made sure there is a parallel government in place.

However, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of the case, G. Udofia, said the matter has lingered for several months, but expressed worry over the refusal of the contending parties to resolve it amicably.

The Federal House member for Uyo, Hon. Mike Enyong, called me to express dissatisfaction over the handling of the matter, and since then, I have not heard from him again, he said.

Source:News Now