We Stand To Defend the Norms of Democracy in Essu Nlap Oro Apostle Etim Ante, President, Esu Nlap Oro

Apostle Etim Ante is from Mbo local government area of Akwa Ibom.  He is a one time Chairman of that local government area.  Apostle Ante has been a state Officer of the ruling PDP, a representative of the Leader of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star in Akwa Ibom State and International President  of Essu Nlap Oro Development Organisation.  In this interview, Apostle Ante tells the story of those who founded the Essu Nlap Oro Development Organisation, their dreams, why the name of the body was modified, the pranks played by some persons he calls  “disgruntled elements” who sought to lead Essu Nlap Oro through the back door and a lot more.  Excerpts…

We would like to know Apostle Ante?

By the grace of God I am Apostle Etim Ante, the incumbent International President of Essu Nlap Oro Development organization, former chairman of a local government area, Mbo, to be precise and former State officer of PDP. Currently, I am the representative of the Leaders’ Forum, Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, Akwa Ibom State.

As the pioneer president of Supreme Council of Oro Youths and now re-elected, how do you feel?

I feel delighted and honoured, I feel that the youths of Oro have reciprocated the good gesture of my leadership. I mean the type of leadership God used me to provide for them in the last three years during my first tenure. By the grace of God, I deserve this honour, because as a matter of fact, Oro nation is a very peaceful place for the inhabitants. I inherited a very chaotic environment. The entire place was in disarray; cult activities, armed robbery and kidnapping were rampant in Oro nation. But, upon my assumption of office as International president, God has really turned things around, and there is actually peace in the nation. Oro youths have appreciated this by asking me to lead again. This time around, there is going to be a remarkable progress, and empowerment for the youths and entire people of Oro nation.

Apostle Etim Ante, International President Essu Nlap Oro

 

 

We learnt there were controversies before the election; could you please tell us why these things happened?

It was because of undue interference. Some persons and authorities, tried to meddle into the internal affairs of Essu Nlap Oro Development Organisation. Normally, when we started the organization, we were in the process of putting our Constitution in place. When the constitution finally came into existence, the name Essu Nlap Oro could not get through at Corporate Affairs Commission, and we were advised to either call it Essu Nlap Oro Development Organisation, Essu Nlap Oro Development Association or Essu Nlap Oro Development Initiative. So this was done. Since the Essu Nlap Oro has international status, there was need for us to put few things in order. Initially, as the national president, my tentacles stopped within the shores of Nigeria. When the constitution came out and was approved for operation, certain disgruntled elements who could not have the patient to work with us, because as at then the association was at the embryonic stage which demanded many of us to put down our resources together to nurture the association. But when the association got to a stage of maturity, across the globe, some persons felt they could come through the window to hijack the association without knowing the internal arrangements, they started making noise that the name of the organization was changed from Essu Nlap Oro to Essu Nlap Oro Development Organisation. These are the people who are not financial members of the group. Some of them have never attended the meetings for once, talk less of knowing what transpired during the formative stage of the group. When they started making noise, the Traditional Rulers Council of Oro wedded in since it was the Traditional Rulers Council that midwifed the association to serve as a platform for youths to articulate their positions, and by extension the Oro Nation. So the council of Traditional Rulers has supervisory and advisory role [to play]. So the issue was brought to the Traditional Rulers’ Council and a committee was set up. When they were discussing the report, surprisingly, and to our greatest dismay the committee who claimed to have the support of Ahta Oro, went and conducted election on their own. 

We did not fold our hands to watch, we drew the attention of the Traditional Rulers’ Council and the government which led to the suspension of the election mandates by office of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, because the chiefs were involved. As a law-abiding citizen, I had to succumb to the directive of government. While I was waiting for the government and the council of Traditional Rules to come out with report, the hoodlums who were planning to conduct the election were stopped by the local government chairman who swung into action and scatter[ed] them. Both the election and the swearing in were blatant abuse of processes governing Essu Nlap Oro. So they were barred by government from carrying out this illegality, and few weeks after that, a letter was written to me by the Traditional Rulers Council asking me to hand over all the documents of Essu Nlap Oro to the electoral committee demanding that election should be conducted within one week. They also directed that any Oro youth who wanted to partake in the election should go to various centres to pick the form. I bought the form as the International president and I contested in the election. After the election which I won, I was sworn in as the International President of Essu Nlap Oro Development Organisation.

It has been alleged that the Constitution of Essu Nlap Oro has provision for a single term of three years. What is your take on this?

All over the world, I can provide to you such copy of that constitution, duly adopted, signed by the constitution conference members, signed by the International President and secretary of Essu Nlap Oro, and signed by the Ahta Oro, and chairman and Secretary of Oro Traditional Rulers’ Council. These are the persons that must append their signature after the adoption of the constitution. So if anybody can provide a constitution order than what we have, then take me as a liar. But as I am talking to you, there is only one constitution which you will see, providing for a second term mandate which must be done through the ballot box which is the tenet of democracy worldwide. If the Nigerian constitution could allow for second term, and if Oro youths through the process of election could give me second term as allowed by the associations’ constitution, then we are in line with the practical norms of democracy.

As the international president, I know that there is a second term provision which as far as I am concerned would not have done otherwise. By the constitution of Essu Nlap Oro, Ahta  Oro is not a member. So, Ahta Oro cannot elect or appoint any president because there is no such provision in the constitution. Ahta Oro can only adopt what registered and financial members of Essu Nlap Oro do and is presented to him. After the election, the Essu Nlap Oro will pay courtesy visit to him. Ahta Oro is the president of council of Traditional Rulers which has other officials like the chairman, Secretary, treasurer and other officials. It is not a personal matter. Ahta Oro is Ahta in council because all the eleven clans in Oro nation are involved. These eleven clans have surrendered their sovereignty to one person who is the Ahta Oro. When Ahta Oro speaks with other members of council of Traditional Rulers, that is when we say, Ahta is binding on entire Oro people. It is a decision that is taken by the entire council of Oro Traditional Rulers which Ahta is the president. It is the council of Traditional Rulers that set up Essu Nlap Oro, not Ahta Oro. So the decision of Ahta Oro and his driver or personal assistant cannot be binding on entire Oro people.

(cut in) Are you telling us that Ahta has other people he can take decision with?

It is so pathetic that the personal assistant to Ahta Oro who was eventually elected councilor in his ward is still the personal assistant to Ahta Oro. The personal assistants and drivers are selected randomly and these people have brought in a lot of misgiving in Oro. Even the P.A to Ahta who is not even qualified to be a councilor is still doubling as the defacto Ahta which warrant him to do what he wants to do. Ahta is not Ahta of one person but for entire Oro nation. Let me open up, PD and the driver to Ahta had challenged the entire TRC that they will produce the youth leader and they went to Ahta’s clan to bring somebody. Ahta himself is a very clean person. It is only the people around. Let me tell you that it was Ahta that suggested that the constitution should make provision for second term so that any youth leader that performs well, can be given a second chance, and it was published.

As the International president of Essu Nlap Oro, are you aware of juju that was poured in the land to stem the killing among youths?

I am aware that there have been series of prayer to stop cult activities in the land. I am also aware of the traditional injunction.

(Cut In) I mean the one done by Ahta Oro?

No, Ahta is a very clean person. Ahta Oro cannot go and pour libation. I am only responding to correct the wrong notion which people have flooded media houses with.

Can you just highlight some of your achievements in the past administration and what you have in mind for the youths of Oro nation?

Now that I have really comprehended the rationale behind God bringing me to Oro and judging from various achievements God has recorded for me. I want to say that nothing I have achieved without the support of the Governor. Our achievements have to do with peace. If it were in old days, corpses would have littered the roads and a lot of people would have been injured. In fact, no development can be achieved in the atmosphere of rancor. I will make sure that I look out for opportunities in companies, state and federal to bring in credible hands into it. As I am talking to you I have seen the government on this inter-ministerial projects and I was given opportunity to nominate youths. May be from the wisdom of Governor and based on my interaction with him, the contract will be shared evenly to five youths across all the local government area that make up Oro nation. We have constructed more than 30 classroom blocks before courtesy of Governor Godswill Akpabio. As a project coordinator I made sure that even when some of the resources were playing pranks, we made sure we mop that from available sources. I am very proud to bring to your notice that those projects have been completed and commissioned. This is one of the things we used our initiative to do. Let me bring this to the notice of the public. I and other Oro people, we had cooperated with the government when the airport should be given to the governor, past administrations who did some jobs and some leaders in Oro nation who saw the need to cooperate with the Governor. I personally appealed to the Governor that the youths of Oro nation should be included in the airport workforce and His Excellency asked me to select 20 youths from the five local government areas that make up Oro nation. As I am talking to you, over three of them have been employed courtesy of [the]Governor. This was facilitated from my office. There is a strong illegality of collecting money by some youth leaders from those who want to set up buildings up to the tune of five hundred thousand naira which is very wrong.

How do you intend to stop that?

This is an illegal action of few disgruntled elements who go about collecting money from strangers who want to build houses. These are the people who are struggling for leadership of youths in Oro nation that is why prominent people have stood up to say they will not come in.

(Cuts in) can you just mention your plan?

Previously we were struggling to come out from the bush; this is going to be the time of empowerment. We have selected 200 youths from the 5 local government areas of Oro nation and I am partnering International Welfare Association. We needed to give them take off grant so that the seaport that is coming to the area will have enough manpower. We need to train our youths so that when opportunity comes, they will be able to fit in.

On a final note, what words of advice do you have for the public?

I am calling on all the youths of Oro nation to join hands with me and the Council of Oro Traditional Rulers council to build a better and egalitarian Oro society. They should always stand for justice and fairness for the sake of 2015.