Don’t parade yourself as Oku Ibom Ibibio IV, court tells Edidem Umoette

Edidem Akpabio Udo Ukpa secures a temporary victory in the Oku Ibom Ibibio tussle

By Abasiofiok Inyang and Theophilus Yurika

The long drawn legal battle for the soul of Oku Ibom Ibibio, the highest traditional stool of the Ibibio land, yesterday reached the climax following a court order that the Oku Ibom Ibibio and Paramount Ruler of Etinan Local Government Area, His Royal Majesty, Edidem Ime Dickson Umoette should not parade himself as the Oku Ibom Ibibio IV.

Justice Umokoyo E. Esang of High Court 3, Uyo, in his 1hour, 15 minutes judgment ordered the nullification of the contemptuous installation of Edidem Umoette and warned him not to parade himself as the Oku Ibom Ibibio IV.

Justice Esang in his order said “I order that the contemptuous installation of the 1^st respondent/applicant by the 2^nd – 5^th respondents/applicants on the 7^th July, 2012 is hereby nullified. I further order that the 1^st respondent/applicant not to parade himself as the Oku Ibom Ibibio IV pending the determination of the substantial suit.”

While invoking the inherent powers of the court, Justice Esang further ordered an interlocutory injunction against all the applicants in the suit from claiming the traditional stool.

Edidem Umoette and four others had approached the court in a suit No HU/718/2011 to lay claim to the Oku Ibom Ibibio IV. They argued on the point law to support their claim and took a step further to coronate and install Umoette as Oku Ibom Ibibio IV on July 7, 2012, a situation which the self-acclaimed Oku Ibom Ibibio and Paramount Ruler of Onna, Edidem Akpabio Udo Ukpa, the defendant in the suit, argued as being “misconceived and misleading”.

Akpabio Udo Ukpa had urged the court to recognize him as the Oku Ibom Ibibio IV.

Reacting to the judgement, the legal adviser to the Oku Ibom Ibibio IV, Obong Udo C.J. George said the court has given its verdict and Ibibio elders will study it in order to take further actions. He said that the Ibibio people had already taken their decision on the Oku Ibom Ibibio IV, adding that the court ruling is “a temporary setback.”

Culled from The Sensor