The Elders and Stakeholders of Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have reiterated their resolve not to allow any inch of their ancient boundaries or lands to be ceded or conscripted into another local government area.
The position of the elders of Ibeno was made known to the Governor Udom Emmanuel at the Government House, Iyo, when the Governor hosted the elders.
The meeting had a single agenda, to address what the Governor called the mapping of Akwa Ibom State, a matter which has created a lot of tension.
The elders of Ibeno numbering about ten were led by Arc. Esoetok Etteh, who is the Chairman of Ibeno Elders Committee, and had Akpan Ubong Edidem, Administrator Isaac Abakam, the Chairman of Ibeno local government area, High Chief Williams Mkpah, Chief Charles Ukoette, Elder Samuel Ekpenyong, Barr. Diamond Akpanika, Obong Denis Esenem, the village head of Mkpanak, Obong Smith, Obonganwan Grace Akpan and Victor Odikpo in attendance.
It could be recalled that sometime about the 6th of April, 2023, the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly had told the public that the Bill to Map Akwa Ibom had passed both the first and second hearing on the floor of the house, and a public hearing was scheduled few days later. Much to the surprise and discomfort of many people in the state, the House, with what appeared as a speed of light passed the bill into law and has since thrown the entire state into a state of confusion.
The Governor informed the stakeholders at the meeting that what his administration was attempting to do was to capture the various oil well locations in the map.
The Governor insisted that the state has never had a map and that his administration is only attempting to leave a legacy.
The stakeholders however made it clear to the Governor that no exercise of government is lofty enough to decimate and eviscerate ancient boundaries or even conscript some communities into other communities and that doing so in the name of mapping or remapping will be resisted by the people of Ibeno and other Obolo people of Akwa Ibom state.
The elders of Ibeno in no uncertain terms told the Governor to put on hold this entire exercise because his administration is handing over in less than three weeks and that the Governor should not create a dangerous situation for the incoming administration.
