Ifere Paul|21 March 2016|6:15am
The governor of Cross River State has transferred blame of his inability to ensure peace in his LGA of origin. The LGA has reportedly lost over 10 able bodied young men due to clashes of cult activities at different points. According to some reports, the cult clashes were instigated by rivalry cult groups supporting certain PDP strongmen. It all started when some PDP top tier politicians decamped to the APC.
However, the war between party faithfuls increased and almost brought down the peace and security of Obudu LGA, which happens to be Governor Ben Ayade's LGA too. The war also increased in the social media between different supporters of different political parties. The government media team also joined in the war too. They used their propaganda machines to scare people from the APC decampees rally held in Calabar. Even though such threats were not true, and in fact, did not scare people.
With these threats to lives and properties, the HRH Uti JD Agba, paramount ruler of Obudu approached the Nddidem of Calabar to seek for way to broker peace among warring politicians and their parties in Cross River State. The paramount ruler of Obudu was advised to invite all the politicians of the ruling PDP and their opposition APC who are from Obudu.
Invitation were sent to Governor Ben Ayade, Co-Governor Frank Ayade, Martin Orim, Prince Jedy Agba, Hon Paul Adah, Hon Venatius Ikem, etc. Information I got after the meeting which Venatius Ikem did not intend was that Governor Ben Ayade and Frank Ayade did not attend the meeting because, according to Governor Ayade, HRH, the Paramount ruler of Obudu, Uti JD Agba is just a fly, and he, as the governor of the State can unseat or dethrone this longest serving Monarch.
It is also important to note here that HRH Uti JD Agba has been the paramount ruler of Obudu for almost 56 years. That is, he became a paramount ruler 9 years before Governor Ben Ayade who is now 47 years was born. The paramount ruler has served different military governors posted to the State. He has served former governor Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke. He has been christened the most loved paramount ruler from this part of the world. He has received different awards both domestic and international as a peace loving king.
I wonder where the news are making rounds that HRH Uti Jedy Agba is responsible for killings and robbery in Obudu. When has the monarch stool became a policing outfit? Isn't it in the duties of the paramount ruler to broker peace on communal clashes, settlement of boundary disputes, and allocation of farm lands? When was it that the State apparatus of policing and securing of criminal gangs became the duty of a paramount ruler?
It is quite pathetic that the clueless Obudu youths are supporting this clueless government to call for a dethroning of the paramount ruler of Obudu. It is quite sad that the governor will sponsor such classless agitation in other to have a cause to do what he has been thinking to do.
It is my sincere wish that governor Ben Ayade stop all these frivolous and petty politics to concentrate in delivering dividends of democracy to the State.
Ifere Paul
Is a Public Policy Analyst
