145 traditional rulers drawn largely from warring communities in Yakurr and Obubra Local Government Areas of Cross River State, have been taken off their stools and de-certified by the state government, John Eyikwaje, SA to Gov. Liyel Imoke on Chieftaincy Affairs, has revealed.
Government’s action is directly linked to the twin communal clashes of April and June, 2013, between Nko community in Yakurr and Onyeadam community in Obubra, as well as that of Adun (Obubra) and Inyima (Yakurr). In both clashes, lives were lost and property worth millions of naira, destroyed.
It was revealed to calitown.com that the action became neccessary to register government’s displeasure at the level of involvement of the traditional rulers in both conflicts. Particularly, government was unhappy that most of them bore arms and orchestrated conflicts that took lives. Where they should have functioned as harbringers and custodians of peace, they superintended over a reign of terror that government considered to be at variance with their supposed natural roles. In de-certifying them, government believes it will serve as a deterent and warning to other communities in the state and demonstrate her commitment to ensuring that communities must live in peace.
© 2013, Admin. All rights reserved.
