The crisis over the Obong of Calabar traditional stool may have entered a new dimension as warring parties throw spats at each other, a development some concerned indigenes are afraid may snowball into a full scale crisis if not nipped in the bud.

Apparently worried over the ugly situation, the palace of the Obong of Calabar in a press statement signed by Etubom Bassey O. Bassey Duke, the Chairman of the Etubom Traditional Council on Friday sent a straight warning to Etubom Anthony Ani who it claimed is addressing himself as Obong of Calabar-elect and hosting some groups and families in his residence.

The statement noted that “with one breath he (Ani) encourages Cross Riverians to support the government of Sen Prince Bassey Otu, and in the next breath he embarks on actions which he knows will spark mayhem and cause crises and disaffection for the government.”

The palace statement which addresses Ani as a Chief, not an Etubom, a title reserved for kingmakers, said they are aware of the “recent flurry of press releases and videos on social media in which Chief Anthony Ani is seen, in his residence, making a number of highly provocative statements.”

“The Etuboms’ Council has it on good authority that Chief Anthony Ani seeks to visit some Paramount Rulers in the state and deceive or induce them to endorse him as an “Obong -elect” during a thinly disguised ceremony.

“The mere fact that the name of a first class monarch would be attached to such a sordid affair is an abomination and shows the desperation and lengths to which Chief Ani is ready to sink in his latest misadventure.”

It was gathered that plans for the visit to the State Council of Chief Chambers by Ani as an Obong of Calabar-elect infuriated the group in the Palace and they put up a release and mounted pressure on the governor. Eventually the event was put off and heavy presence of the Police was seen around the Council of Chiefs Chamber on Friday morning up till mid-day to checkmate the situation.

The State Chairman of Traditional Rulers Council, HRH Etinyin Etim Okon Edet denied summoning any meeting of the 18 Paramount Rulers in the state, saying, “in fact, I am not in the state. I traveled out of the state.”

The Commissioner of Police Gyogon A. Grimah also noted that there was no cause for alarm. According to him, the heavy presence of the Police around the Council chambers of Traditional rulers was a regular patrol exercise.

Crisis in the Obong of Calabar throne started in the High Court since 2008 with Ani challenging the process in which he was first nominated for the throne and suddenly shortchanged and the same person who championed his nomination turned out to be correlated the Obong without explanation.

The case lasted for over 15years going through the high court up to the Supreme Court that delivered her judgment, January 13th, 2023, cancelling the 2008 selection of Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V as the Obong of Calabar and ordering a fresh selection process to been done.

Since the Supreme Court Judgment the two groups have claimed rights to the throne and accused each other of not following the judgment order. (The Nation)

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