AKWA IBOM WOMEN PROTEST AT STATE ASSEMBLY OVER AMENDED TRC LAW.

- We will not rest until this obnoxious amendment law is reversed.

By Charles Essien

Scores of protesting women adorned in black tops on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 picketed the gates of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to demand the reversal of the amended Traditional Rulers Law recently passed by the Assembly, which ceded the life President General of the State Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers to the Ibibios only, nullifying the practice of rotation amongst the three ethnic groups of the State.

The women, mainly from Annang, Oro and Obolo ethic groups trooped out in hundreds wielding placards at the Assembly gates with various inscriptions such as: "Annang, Ibibio and Oron tribes are all equal", "Do not lie, our Paramount Rulers all rejected the Bill", "Say No to Tribalism", "Umo Eno, please don't Bring us Another Community Crisis", among others.

Speaking, the leader of the protesting women, Obonganwan Obonodo Ini Uko said that the House of Assembly in passing that bill into law, has clearly said it does not want progress in the State, adding that the law seeks to bring inequality and discrimination amongst the people of Akwa Ibom State. She held that the women have left all that they were to do to be at the Assembly to tell them that they will never accept such discrimination where they are to be treated as second class while the Oro people are taken as third class citizens in their own State.

"I am an Annang woman. We have come to this House of Assembly to tell them that we reject that law they just passed. It is not a good law. The people here wants to bring inequality among us relegating the Annangs and Oro people as second and third class citizens in our own State. No we will not accept it and we will not leave this place until they come out and address us".

Mrs Ima Ibokette, a retired school Principal on her own described the law as obnoxious making the Ibibios retain the seat of President General for life as against the practice of rotation. She said the law is aimed at dividing instead of progressing the State. She therefore demanded that the rotation of the seat be returned based on the tripod the State is known.

According to Mrs Ibokette, "The obnoxious law that says only one tribe can be the President General is what we are here to protest against. We are against the law the House of Assembly passed, which is aimed at dividing the State. We don't want it. We want the seat of the President General to be rotated amongst the tripods which the State has been standing on".

According to Dr Margaret Udofia, an Annang woman from Essien Udom, "We are here to protest that we are not second-class citizens and the Oro people are not third-class citizens. Akwa Ibom is one. We have equal rights in Akwa Ibom and in Nigeria. No first, second or third class. We are all one and we don't want war, we don't want tribalism, we don't want division, we want peace in Akwa Ibom and nobody should divide us", she submitted.

Mrs Nkoyo Etim, an Oro woman from Mbo LGA also added her voice condemning the law and demanding that the law be reversed. "We are here to tell the Speaker of the House of Assembly to reverse the amended law immediately. He should reverse the law that they passed at night, which the Governor sent to them that places Ibibio ahead of all of us. We don't want that law, the President General should be by rotation", she added.

Earlier the women, in a statement, said the members of the State House of Assembly have reinforced discrimination, division and biases amongst the once very peaceful people of Akwa Ibom State. They unanimously passed votes of no confidence on the lawmakers of Annang and Oro extraction, raining curses on them for selling their birthright over a piece of bread.

The Commissioner, Akwa Ibom State Police Command, CP Olatoye Durosinmi, while addressing the protesting women sought for calm and appealed to them to return to their houses and assuring them that their grievances would be properly communicated to the appropriate quarters.

the only political class is between the rich n the poor. u go explain tire but u get evidence.

Even in ur house u get to see tribal shit play out fear humans fear black man's mentality 😏

henidord3:
Even in ur house u get to see tribal shit play out fear humans fear black man's mentality 😏

I swr
Tribalism in Nigeria has eaten deep
I was in GTB bank around azikiwe govt house some years ago
Omo all the bank teller reps all bear igbo names
I weep for my country

westlius:

I swr
Tribalism in Nigeria has eaten deep
I was in GTB bank around azikiwe govt house some years ago
Omo all the bank teller reps all bear igbo names
I weep for my country

same As Well In yourub land

TANID:
same As Well In yourub land

What i mean is no tribe should be restricted in working in any where, as long as I am a Nigerian I can work anywhere. Tribe should not be placed first

AkwaIbomMedia:
AKWA IBOM WOMEN PROTEST AT STATE ASSEMBLY OVER AMENDED TRC LAW.

- We will not rest until this obnoxious amendment law is reversed.

By Charles Essien

Scores of protesting women adorned in black tops on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 picketed the gates of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to demand the reversal of the amended Traditional Rulers Law recently passed by the Assembly, which ceded the life President General of the State Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers to the Ibibios only, nullifying the practice of rotation amongst the three ethnic groups of the State.

The women, mainly from Annang, Oro and Obolo ethic groups trooped out in hundreds wielding placards at the Assembly gates with various inscriptions such as: "Annang, Ibibio and Oron tribes are all equal", "Do not lie, our Paramount Rulers all rejected the Bill", "Say No to Tribalism", "Umo Eno, please don't Bring us Another Community Crisis", among others.

Speaking, the leader of the protesting women, Obonganwan Obonodo Ini Uko said that the House of Assembly in passing that bill into law, has clearly said it does not want progress in the State, adding that the law seeks to bring inequality and discrimination amongst the people of Akwa Ibom State. She held that the women have left all that they were to do to be at the Assembly to tell them that they will never accept such discrimination where they are to be treated as second class while the Oro people are taken as third class citizens in their own State.

"I am an Annang woman. We have come to this House of Assembly to tell them that we reject that law they just passed. It is not a good law. The people here wants to bring inequality among us relegating the Annangs and Oro people as second and third class citizens in our own State. No we will not accept it and we will not leave this place until they come out and address us".

Mrs Ima Ibokette, a retired school Principal on her own described the law as obnoxious making the Ibibios retain the seat of President General for life as against the practice of rotation. She said the law is aimed at dividing instead of progressing the State. She therefore demanded that the rotation of the seat be returned based on the tripod the State is known.

According to Mrs Ibokette, "The obnoxious law that says only one tribe can be the President General is what we are here to protest against. We are against the law the House of Assembly passed, which is aimed at dividing the State. We don't want it. We want the seat of the President General to be rotated amongst the tripods which the State has been standing on".

According to Dr Margaret Udofia, an Annang woman from Essien Udom, "We are here to protest that we are not second-class citizens and the Oro people are not third-class citizens. Akwa Ibom is one. We have equal rights in Akwa Ibom and in Nigeria. No first, second or third class. We are all one and we don't want war, we don't want tribalism, we don't want division, we want peace in Akwa Ibom and nobody should divide us", she submitted.

Mrs Nkoyo Etim, an Oro woman from Mbo LGA also added her voice condemning the law and demanding that the law be reversed. "We are here to tell the Speaker of the House of Assembly to reverse the amended law immediately. He should reverse the law that they passed at night, which the Governor sent to them that places Ibibio ahead of all of us. We don't want that law, the President General should be by rotation", she added.

Earlier the women, in a statement, said the members of the State House of Assembly have reinforced discrimination, division and biases amongst the once very peaceful people of Akwa Ibom State. They unanimously passed votes of no confidence on the lawmakers of Annang and Oro extraction, raining curses on them for selling their birthright over a piece of bread.

The Commissioner, Akwa Ibom State Police Command, CP Olatoye Durosinmi, while addressing the protesting women sought for calm and appealed to them to return to their houses and assuring them that their grievances would be properly communicated to the appropriate quarters.

What a controversial bill

westlius:

What i mean is no tribe should be restricted in working in any where, as long as I am a Nigerian I can work anywhere. Tribe should not be placed first

i swear That's The Major Problem In Nigeria and I Hate it

Akwa Ibom women generally have wide toto.
Don't say you didn't hear ooo.