By Solomon OKPO
CALABAR, In a powerful display of cultural unity and ancestral defense, Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio, under the leadership of Ntisong IV, His Eminence Ntisong Pius James Okon, joined forces with Ifim Ibom Ibibio and other prominent socio-cultural bodies across Ibibio land to make their voices heard at the Zonal Public Hearing on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.
The session, convened by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review, took place at the Metropolitan Hotel in Calabar and attracted a strong delegation of Ibibio representatives from within and outside Akwa Ibom State.
A key moment during the hearing was the collective and unequivocal rejection by the Ibibio delegation of the proposed creation of Obolo State, which they argued would carve out territories from their ancestral land in Akwa Ibom State.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Ibibio leaders reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the protection of their cultural identity, historical legacy, and territorial integrity. The proposal, they said, poses a direct threat to the unity and heritage of the Ibibio nation and must be firmly resisted.
The move has since drawn widespread commendation as a bold and proactive effort in preserving the sanctity of Ibibio land and history amidst growing constitutional and political restructuring debates.
Observers noted that the Ibibio stance reflects rising ethnic consciousness and the urgent need for inclusive and culturally sensitive approaches to constitutional amendments in Nigeria.
