Efik women under the aegis of Mbono Iban Nsidung, yesterday, protested against the imprisonment of their 80-year-old Monarch, Etubom Efio-Ita Efiom, demanding his release.
Etubom Efiom, a traditional Head of Nsidung was reportedly sentenced to three years imprisonment.
He was arrested, taken to court, convicted and imprisoned for three years without an option of a fine in a land matter.
The traditional ruler has spent one week of his sentence at Afokang Correctional Centre, Calabar.
The protesters cladded in black attires stormed the Palace of the Obong of Calabar with placards of different inscriptions such as: ‘Release Obong Obio Nsidung, Others,’, ‘Let Peace Reign in Nsidung’, ‘Women of Nsidung Need Our Obong Obio Back’, among others.
Speaking on behalf the protesters, Obonganwan Nsidung, Barbara Etim James, said: “We women of Henshaw Town or Nsidung are here to express our deep sadness and anger at what transpired last week.
“Our Etubom Obio, the traditional head of Nsidung, was arrested, taken to court, convicted and imprisoned for three years without an option of fine over a land matter.
“The incarcerated man is the Etubom or Traditional Head of the Efiom Ewa Nsa Royal family in Henshaw Town/Nsidung. He is an eminent traditional leader in our community.
“We are talking about an elderly, peaceful, frail man who should not be subjected to such torture. This is an injustice of the highest degree. We the people of Nsidung want his incarceration reversed and we are here appealing to Etubom Traditional Council to intervene.
The incarceration of Etubom Efio-Ita is an abomination and we pray nothing evil should befall him in that dungeon,” she stated.
Addressing the Etubom Traditional Council at the Obong of Calabar Palace, Obonganwan James said: “If a man of such calibre could be treated with such level of disdain, what is the fate of an ordinary Nsidung resident? We are crying out for the intervention of the Palace.”
Responding, Chairman of the Etubom Traditional Council, His Royal Highness (HRH), Etubom Bassey Duke, condemned the act and called for calm.
He said: “The truth is that, until now, the Palace was not aware of whatever transpired, which led to the incarceration of Etubom Efio-Ita.
“Today, people who claimed to be powerful, attempt to deprive others of their rights, and make caricature of the peaceful ones in the society.
“We will stand by you to ensure this injustice is redressed. Such anomaly has never happened in Efik kingdom. What the incarceration of Etubom Efio-Ita means is that Nsidung, as a community, is under trial but God will have his way at the end of the day,” he assured.
