Oron Union urges A’Ibom governor to intervene over escalating ethnic statements
The Oron Union has called on Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, and Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, to urgently intervene to prevent rising ethnic tensions following provocative utterances regarding state creation, territorial boundaries, and economic infrastructure in the state.
The call was contained in an official statement issued on Tuesday, 28 July 2026, signed by the Publicity Secretary of the Oron Union, Prince Edenseting, PhD.
*President-General-Secretary, Oron Union, Sir Esang Bassey
Etim Ekpimah
The Oron Union has called on Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, and Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, to urgently intervene to prevent rising ethnic tensions following provocative utterances regarding state creation, territorial boundaries, and economic infrastructure in the state.
The call was contained in an official statement issued on Tuesday, 28 July 2026, signed by the Publicity Secretary of the Oron Union, Prince Edenseting, PhD.
The sociocultural organisation representing the Oro people expressed grave concern over comments attributed to the President of the Ekid Peoples Union, Dr Samuel Udonsak. The remarks were made on Friday, 24 July 2026, during the swearing-in ceremony of the 12th International Executive Council of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio in Uyo.
According to the statement, Dr Udonsak made assertions regarding Oro-Obolo state creation, the Atlantic shoreline, the Ibom Deep Seaport, and the territorial status of the Oro Nation.
Dispute over territorial status, state creation
The Oron Union stated that it was particularly disturbed by statements denying Oro Nation’s littoral status and declaring exclusive ownership over parts of the Atlantic shoreline for the Ibibio/Ekid people.
The union emphasised that claims regarding boundaries, state creation, and coastal access are legal and historical matters that cannot be settled through public declarations or social media campaigns.
“These are matters of profound historical, constitutional, geographical and political consequence. They cannot responsibly be settled through grandiloquent declarations at public ceremonies, ethnic mobilisation, social-media rhetoric, or appeals to primordial sentiments,” the statement read.
Reaffirming their stance on democratic engagement, the Oron Union noted that pursuing a proposed Oro-Obolo State within Nigeria’s constitutional framework remains a legitimate right.
“No ethnic nationality possesses a proprietary veto over the aspirations of another,” the union declared, adding, “True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice,” quoting Martin Luther King Jr.
Ownership framework of the Ibom Deep Seaport
Addressing ongoing controversies around the multi-billion-naira Ibom Deep Seaport project, the Oron Union warned against turning the economic infrastructure into a point of ethnic friction.
The group insisted that questions of location, host community rights, and economic participation belong before statutory institutions and law courts rather than ethnic rallies.
“If any party believes that a particular geographical or legal claim is correct, the proper forum is the court of law and not the court of public opinion, ethnic rallies or inflammatory speeches. As the ancient principle of justice teaches, ‘Audi alteram partem ‘- let the other side be heard,” the press release noted.
Condemnation of misogynistic comments
The Oron Union also condemned recent online and offline statements attributed to an individual identified as Emem Gregory and others, which targeted Oro women. The group described the comments as demeaning, misogynistic, and an attempt to weaponise women’s sexuality in regional political debates.
“The character of Oro women cannot be collectively impugned because of the conduct, utterances or alleged conduct of any individual. We, therefore, reject the weaponisation of women and their sexuality in ethnic discourse,” the union stated.
Appeals to state government
While expressing appreciation for Governor Umo Eno’s ongoing peace initiatives, the Oron Union outlined five direct requests to the Akwa Ibom State Government to maintain law and order:
Call all ethnic leaders to order against making statements capable of provoking hostility.
Discourage inflammatory rhetoric regarding territorial claims, state creation, and the seaport.
Encourage all parties to utilise dialogue, historical scholarship, constitutional mechanisms, and judicial channels.
Guarantee equal peace and security for all citizens and ethnic groups across the state.
Enforce legal measures against statements that cross into hate speech, public incitement, or breaches of peace.
Commitment to peace
Citing philosopher George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” and Nelson Mandela, “No one is born hating another person,” the Oron Union affirmed that it would not respond to provocative language with retaliation or violence.
“The Oro people have no interest in dispossessing any neighbouring ethnic nationality of its lawful rights, nor do we seek conflict with our Ibibio, Ekid, Annang, Nkari, Itu Mbuzor, Obolo or other brothers and sisters,” the statement concluded.
“Oro Nation seeks no war. Oro Nation seeks no quarrel. Oro Nation seeks no one’s inheritance. But Oro Nation shall continue, with dignity and constitutional fidelity, to defend its legitimate interests and pursue its aspirations.”
