By Anamati Inyang
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Ekid Peoples Union (EPU) has called for calm, dialogue and strict adherence to the rule of law over the controversy surrounding the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve in Akwa Ibom State. The appeal follows remarks attributed to Governor Umo Eno during a public event in Eket Local Government Area.
In a strongly worded but measured statement, the Union appealed for justice and understanding, insisting that Ekid people are being unfairly portrayed as enemies of progress for asserting their ancestral and legal rights over the forest reserve.
The statement, signed by the Chairman of the BoT, Chief Nduese Essien, and its Secretary, Prince Bassey Itama, began by thanking Governor Eno for commissioning a Model Health Centre in Nduo Eduo, Eket. The Union described the facility as a “gift of life and goodwill,” particularly meaningful during the Christmas season.
However, the EPU said it was compelled to respond to what it called “the message that accompanied the gift,” noting that remarks made at the event against Ekid people and the Union’s leadership were “deeply hurtful and troubling.”
The Union said it chose restraint over confrontation, attributing the governor’s comments to the pressures of leadership. But the situation, it said, deteriorated as political supporters and praise-singers allegedly amplified the remarks, creating a narrative that casts Ekid people as “enemies of progress.”
“The Board resolved to intervene in the interest of peace, stability and the future of Akwa Ibom State,” the statement said, explaining that its goal was to correct misconceptions, restate Ekid concerns with clarity and restraint, and create space for a lawful resolution of issues surrounding the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve.
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Central to the Union’s grievance is what it described as the branding of Ekid people as “terrorists” for questioning the routing of a proposed coastal highway through the forest reserve. The EPU warned that such language only deepens mistrust and hardens positions.
“It is painful that people acting strictly within the law are being criminalised for asserting their rights,” the statement said.
The Union recalled that Ekid people hosted Governor Umo Eno in their land for over 35 years, supported his businesses and overwhelmingly backed his emergence as governor. “It is a painful irony that the same people are now being labelled terrorists for insisting that their ancestral land should not be appropriated without due process, consultation or compensation,” the BoT stated.
The EPU was emphatic that Ekid people are not opposed to development. “We desire roads, hospitals, schools, industries and opportunities like every other community,” the statement noted, stressing that the objection is to development models that disregard the law, history, culture and rights of host communities.
Former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Chief Nduese Essien
Responding to attempts to personalise the controversy, the Union defended the President of the Ekid Peoples Union, Dr. Samuel Udonsak, describing him as the duly recognised head and authorised spokesman of Ekid people. It insisted that all actions taken on the Stubbs Creek matter were collectively authorised, dismissing claims of a rogue agenda or personal ambition.
On the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, the EPU clarified that it has not opposed the project as a federal initiative, acknowledging its importance for regional connectivity and economic integration. Its caution to private investors, the Union explained, was aimed at preventing illegal land racketeering and the allocation of Ekid ancestral land without consent or compensation.
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Legally, the Union anchored its position on history and statute. It cited the 1918 Privy Council judgment in Ntiaro and Ikpak v. Ibok, Etukakpan and Edohoeket, which affirmed Ekid ownership of the swamps and littoral lands east of the Qua Iboe River, now known as Stubbs Creek. According to the EPU, the judgment has never been overturned and was reinforced by the Akwa Ibom State Map Law of 2023.
It further explained that the designation of Stubbs Creek as a forest reserve under Forest Reserve Order No. 45 of 1930 was for conservation purposes and did not extinguish Ekid ownership. Under Nigerian land law and the Land Use Act of 1978, the Union said, Ekid people retain deemed rights of occupancy.
Beyond legal claims, the EPU raised environmental concerns, describing Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve as one of the last surviving forest ecosystems in the state. The forest, it said, plays a critical role in preventing coastal erosion and flooding, regulating climate, preserving biodiversity and sustaining traditional livelihoods.
Warning against what it termed the “panicky conversion of natural assets into quick revenue,” the Union cited Nigeria’s oil experience as a cautionary tale of short-term gains with long-term consequences.
Addressing Governor Eno directly, the EPU said Akwa Ibom stands at a defining moment. One path, it argued, leads to dialogue, environmental responsibility and inclusive development; the other to force, resentment and avoidable conflict.
The Union called for an end to hostile rhetoric, genuine engagement with Ekid stakeholders, transparent environmental and social impact assessments, and a reconsideration of projects that threaten the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve.
“Ekid people remain open to dialogue and committed to peace and development,” the statement concluded, “but defending our land, environment and dignity is not terrorism; it is responsible citizenship rooted in the rule of law.”
