Kufre George
A foremost socio-cultural organization in Eket, The Ekid Peoples Union has insisted that the Ekid People are the true owners of the Stubb’s Creek Forest.The union ‘s position was made known by the President General, Dr. Samuel Udonsak at a press conference recently, where the EPU warned that anyone who trespasses the Stubbs Creek henceforth for operation without the express permission of the original owners will meet a stiff legal battle.The union’s position was a reaction to the claim by Ibeno Local Government Area chairman, Mr Williams Mkpa who Said that Ibeno Local Government people own the Stubb Creek Forest, and the land housing Exxon Mobil facility (QIT), adding that Ibeno Local Government Area is exclusively entitled to all benefits accruable to a host community as enshrined in the PIA. Also speaking at the press conference, the National Secretary of Ekid Peoples Union, Barr. Bassey Dan Abia affirmed that the entire stretch of the land called Akoiyak is an ancestral land of the Ekid people of Eket and Esit Eket Local Government Areas of the state.Barr. Abia faulted claims made by the chairman of Ibeno Local Government Area, Mr Williams Mkpa, that the said property belongs to Ibeno people.Also reacting to the issue of the ownership of Stubbs Creek Forest, the chairman of Esit Eket LGA, Mr Iniobing Robson, alleged that the inaction of successive administrations in the state, from military regimes to civilian governments could described as a conspiracy of silence that created problems ravaging the host communities of Eket, Esit Eket, Ibeno and ONNA Local Government Areas.Mr Robson who doubles as the chairman of ALGON maintained that the state government ‘s body language of consistent silence in the face of threatening conflict speaks obviously of a government that is hiding something.Also speaking, a former minister of the federal republic of Nigeria, Chief Ndueso Essien supported the union’s position on the ownership of Stubbs Creek Forest, and promised that the people will never allow the right of ownership of the Stubbs Creek Forest to be trampled upon.
