BETWEEN JUSTICE AND JUJU: AKWA IBOM’S TRADITIONAL INSTITUTION UNDER FIRE

By Akan Usen 📍 Uyo, Akwa Ibom State — A storm is brewing in Akwa Ibom’s cultural corridors, where sacred tradition, political power, and ancestral justice are colliding in a controversy that has gripped the state and sparked national debate. At the heart of the matter is Crown Princess Godsown Udoito, an Ekid woman whose act of praying in her ancestral shrine against alleged land encroachment in Akoiyak Ekid (Stubbs Creek) has triggered a dramatic response from the State Traditional Rulers Council. A viral video shows emissaries—allegedly paramount rulers—arriving at the palace of the Paramount Ruler of Esit Eket, bearing ayoi/mbiam (traditional injunctions) and demanding the Princess’s appearance in Uyo. But the public isn’t buying it. The question echoing across communities is: Has the sacred stool of justice become a courier of political intimidation? Tradition or Tyranny? The Traditional Rulers Council, once revered as custodians of culture and mediators of justice, now faces accusations of selective enforcement and political bias. Critics point to the Council’s silence in 2023 when Annang women publicly poured libation—a cultural taboo—at the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. Why, they ask, is Princess Udoito’s invocation of ancestral justice met with ritual threats while other breaches go unpunished? The legitimacy of the injunctions is also under scrutiny: Was there a formal consensus among the 31 paramount rulers? Did non-Ibibio rulers have jurisdiction over an Ibibio daughter? Were Esit Eket and Eket rulers present or bypassed? Did the Oku Ibom Ibibio authorize this mission? The inconsistencies have raised fears that the Council is being used to suppress dissent rather than uphold tradition. Governor Umo Eno and the Map of Contention Governor Umo Eno’s recent declaration—“no state will be created out of Akwa Ibom under my watch”—has added fuel to the fire. Critics argue that his refusal to enforce the State Map Law, which affirms Ekid ownership of Stubbs Creek, contradicts his stated commitment to preserving the state’s integrity. Why, they ask, is a committee being set up to review a matter already settled by the courts? And why is the government allegedly targeting a princess for invoking ancestral justice, rather than respecting judicial rulings? Rule of Law vs. Ritual Power The controversy has also exposed a deeper tension between religious identity and traditional practice. With a government that publicly aligns itself with Christian values, the use of juju to silence dissent raises uncomfortable questions: Is the state standing on scripture or hiding behind rituals? If Princess Udoito’s actions were unlawful, why not pursue legal channels? 📣 Ekid Nation Speaks The Ekid people have made their position clear: Respect the courts, not committees. Honor tradition, don’t manipulate it. Uphold justice, not juju. They demand answers, accountability, and above all, integrity from both their traditional rulers and elected leaders What History Will Remember This moment is more than a dispute over land or ritual—it is a reckoning for Akwa Ibom’s soul. Will its leaders defend the dignity of their thrones or trade them for political errands? Will justice prevail over fear? As the dust settles, one truth remains: If the courts are right, enforce their rulings. If the Princess is wrong, take her to court. If the land belongs to the people, return it. Anything less is a dangerous dance in the shadows.