Naija wahala don show for Akwa Ibom State as Ibeno Elders Council and Ekid people dey throw words over Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, wey full with oil.
Dis matter no be small gist o! The Ibeno Elders don come out hail Eket people why dem dey try rewrite history with wetin dem call propaganda instead of law. Eket people don dey claim say dem own dis land since 1918 when dem get Court ruling, but Ibeno say no way!
Dis Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom SAN, don talk say that ruling no give land to any ethnic group. Na government get am because dem don set the land as forest reserve since colonial days with different orders. So, as dem reserve am, na the government sabi wetin happen.
Barrister Diamond Akpanika wey be spokesman for Ibeno don carry mouth give Eket, call dem claim “calculated abuse of history.” Na so e talk say for years, Eket no talk about Esit Eket, now dem want use am cover their greed. He say, “Eket no get any land inside Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve… dem no fit change history.”
Akpanika don give am to Eket people anyhow. He don talk say even di small land wey connect Esit Eket na Ntak Inyang, wey no too matter geographically and legally. E say dem de try inflate dis small acquisition turn big ownership wey no make sense.
Na even Eket logic wey dem dey call ‘whatever belongs to Edor belongs to Eket’ him no support am. E classify am as “legal monstrosity,” say e no dey align with Constitution or history. He don warn say such tori no fit stand ground.
As for compensation wey dem talk say dem pay Edor, Akpanika clear am say compensation no mean say one fit own land. He explain say Ibeno communities don collect their share before, but dem no go claim say e na Eket get the land.
Na true sia, in 1999 when dem excise from di reserve, dem give Ibeno two Certificates of Occupancy. Akpanika talk say dat one no be mistake, but na correct recognition of ownership.
Dem even don find colonial documents wey show say Ibeno communities dey collect royalty since 1940s. Akpanika dey loud say Eket dey run around dey find counter-documents wey no dey exist.
As e be, dem don set 110 beacon stones for di Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve wey clearly show say about 70% of di reserve dey for Ibeno territory. So, Akpanika no gree say any argument wey dey challenge this one fit succeed. “Beacons no dey lie. Coordinate and maps no dey lie. Na only people sabi deceive,” he conclude.
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