Agitation by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group championing the course for the creation of Sovereign State of Biafra suffered a setback as the Efik apex group, the Efik Leadership Foundation (ELF) has warned IPOB to desist from further inclusion of the Efik people in their agitation.
A statement signed by members of the group including Richard Duke, the Board of Trustees Chairman, said that the Efik people can champion their course if need arises and feel insulted by their inclusion in the Biafra map. Efik, the majority ethnic group in Cross River State according to the statement have never been part of Biafra and are still not part of it now.
The group explained that, “Our decision to finally publicly state our position is borne out of the growing false propagation especially on social media of maps showing various versions of the proposed territories of the new country being agitated for wherein such maps include our beloved Cross River State”.
ELF, a vibrant pan Efik non-governmental organisation (NGO) that champions the cause of the Efik people of Calabar, particularly as it affects community building and national development also frowned at what they described as “impersonation” of the Obong of Calabar in a recent function organized by the IPOB.
According to the statement, “The ELF has watched patiently in the past months, the activities of certain individuals and groups agitating for the secession of certain States from Nigeria and the creation of Biafra nation.
“More recently, we were presented with a video of one Nnamdi Kanu, the acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) at a gathering of some sort, where he thanked an unknown fellow for attending the meeting on behalf of the Obong of Calabar. This unknown man, who dressed in attire mimicking the Efik attire, had earlier claimed to be representing the Obong of Calabar” the state added.
“Historically, and as can be Googled for confirmation, the Obong of Calabar “is one of the eight rulers recognised by the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Natural Rulers and Treaty Kings whose Kingdoms existed hundreds of years before the amalgamation, and who interacted with, and signed Treaties and Agreements with Sovereign Nations in Africa and Europe”.
“We are therefore pleased to note that the Palace through the Chairman of the Etuboms Traditional Council (ETC) has since unequivocally disowned and distanced the Palace from the impersonator”.
“Continuing, the group stated “Although we acknowledge the imperfection of the present Nigeria union, we the Efik people are peace loving people hence the acronym for CALABAR: Come And Live And Be At Rest. We primarily seek, within a workable and generally beneficial framework, a better, effective and equitable union of all constituent parts and people of Nigeria, irrespective of ethnicity, religion, sex, age, status and other circumstances of life”.
“History has shown that we have never been a part of Biafra and we reiterate that we are still not a part of this new proposed Biafra, either. We were never consulted before or after the said Nnamdi Kanu and his co- adventurers began their new agitation for the Biafra Nation thus any attempt to annex or conscript us surreptitiously or
