Former Acting President of the Henshaw Town Council (HTC), retired Justice Charles Archibong, has said his decision to reconcile with the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South, HRM Etubom Nyong Efiom Okon, over the 6 years crisis in the community was for the best interest of Henshaw Town.
Recall that while the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South, HRM Etubom Nyong Efiom Okon is laying claims to the headship of the Council, the late Etubom Inyang GD Henshaw’s loyalists in the HTC, in which retired Justice Archibong was one of the principal actors, is disagreeing with Etubom Okon’s claims.
In a chat with our reporter, the retired Judge gave reasons for his decision to make peace with Etubom Nyong, and called on all factions to come together for peace to prevail in the embattled community.
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“The first reason for reconciling with Etubom Nyong and accepting him as the leader of HTC is that my own family has insisted that I make peace with the Paramount Ruler.
“Secondly, the Governor of Cross River State is associating with Etubom Nyong. His Advisers, Commissioners and political allies associate with Etubom Nyong. The government is sticking with Etubom Nyong while I, Hon Justice Charles E Archibong (Rtd) on the other hand, am doing Police Cell duty and being arraigned in Chief Magistrates Court.
“The State Judiciary’s default mode is to accommodate Etubom Nyong, as much as is lawfully possible, and subject to rebuttable presumptions. I have been the ‘Rebutter of Presumptions in Chief’ for the past 6 years.
“Recall that he fought for Etubom Ani (Tony) to take the Efik stool up until less than 2 years ago. That effort grounded into the sand very, very recently but His Eminence has brushed that aside and has received Etubom Nyong in private and public audiences.
“As you could bear witness, the cases in court have multiplied. Six functionairies of Council have been prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to terms of imprisonment, including Etubom Efio Ita Effiom, former President of Council I handed over to when my uncle passed, whom I replaced when he was jailed.
“I have also been arraigned but the case was dismissed over the same Henshaw Town crisis. How long do you think this should continue?”
Asked on why he took the decision without the consent or involvement of those he led in Henshaw Town Council for some years, he said “I told them I’m not fighting anymore. I wanted to pull out but some of them objected. I told them for several weeks that I’m pulling out. The forces are really against us.
“I can’t spend the rest of my years, and I don’t know how many years I have left, just fighting over the same thing. And in any case, what is my own direct interest?
“The people there who I’m supposed to be leading in part, have not done anything to advance my cause. They have not in short advance my cause. And all I have been doing is protecting their interests in Council by shielding and leading the fight to continue.
“I wasn’t getting anywhere or getting anything out of it. So, okay, let me just leave the field for them to continue.
“The people who have fight in them now would have been better off if they had shown this capacity before now. At this time it is best to sit around a table and iron things out. They are weak even with their present posture. They weaken me too as a result but I don’t mind. After all I wanted out.
“I have a united family behind me. I will watch them work out the differences in their families in their own way. But I can assure you, the Nyong train will move on whether they like it or not. And at no real loss to anybody in the long run. Everything will calm down with time,” he stated.
Our reporter reliably gathered that late Etubom IGD Henshaw was the generally acknowledged Life President. When old age caught up with him, he appointed Etubom Nyong Effiom Okon in 2013 to act on his behalf, but in 2019 revoked that appointment. By then, Etubom Nyong was not the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South.
As expected, Etubom Nyong headed to Court to challenge the manner of his unseating as Alternate President of HTC but the challenge failed. He and his sympathizers boycotted the Council.
By this time, Etubom IGD Henshaw had inducted Etubom Justice Charles Archibong as a member of Council, and thereafter appointed him Alternate President. Sources said representation of all the Houses of Henshaw Town was filled out under Archibong’s leadership in Council but in the absence of Etubom Nyong and his loyalists.
It was further learnt that before IGD Henshaw’s passing in 2021, he had directed that all the old Council members, including Etubom Nyong, be recalled. That directive, it was learnt, failed because of a personality clash between Nyong and Archibong.
When IGD passed on in December 2021, the fight for his succession began in earnest. It was litigation all the way. Police were as well inviting this and the other among the feuding Henshaw Town Etuboms and chiefs to respond to a series of allegations and complaints centred around threat to life, assault and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
After 4 years during which Etubom Nyong had become the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South, both Archibong and Nyong are now on the same page, talking peace and reverting to IGD’s 2021 directive and the 1980 Constitution.
“I fully understand the feelings of elders who are usually hard set in positions and opinions formed over many years; particularly when they are in their last quarter in this plane.
“Late Etubom IGD Henshaw, Life President of Council at the time, as far back as 2021, in a peace move, had called for a recall of the Council he had appointed Etubom Nyong Effiom Okon to head for him as Acting President.
“The only addition to that Council was myself who he inducted while alive as Etubom of Efio Efanga, a subhouse of his Effanga Offiong House. I was to act as IGD’s Alternate putatively for the rest of his life term. That proposal was in writing, signed by IGD Henshaw and endorsed by Etubom Nyong Effiom Okon and myself.
“I walked away and derailed that agreement in 2021. The main reason being my isolation to work with Etubom Nyong Effiom Okon. No leverage without the support of those I had superintended their introduction to Council. These include the Etubom Ekpo Nsa Ekeng of Ewa Ekeng House. He was not in the Old Council.
“Present in that Old Council was Etubom Clement Nta Ekeng Henshaw, who as it happened, left Council with Etubom Nyong. That was when Etubom Nyong’s appointment as Acting President was revoked. He challenged the revocation in court.
“The Cross River state High Court affirmed as lawful the way and manner of his appointment’s revocation. It should be pointed out that it was only his appointment as Acting President which was revoked. The court did not revoke his membership.
“In 2021 we decided on peace. The starting point was recalling the Old Council and re-presentation of ‘new’ members who had been introduced in the absence of members of the Old Council. Essentially, I, for the sake of peace, have revisited this 2021 agreement. I stick by it fully for several reasons.
“Let me say here that the HTC Constitution of 1980 emphasizes succession through ranking. We have decided that this must be the foundation for any move forward. Which means that the person who died, that is, my uncle IGD Henshaw, must be followed by the ranking member. The ranking member after him is the present Paramount ruler. So, he’s the next person.
“That his rule or reign or administration is uncomfortable to you or not will not shift that basic paradigm. Whether I like Nyong’s face or I don’t like his face; Whether he speaks Queen’s English or he doesn’t speak, this is Henshaw Town’s constitution. He is the man at the helm of HTC. This is the whole truth,” Etubom Archibong submitted.
