Telling the Ekid Story — Preserving Heritage, Unlocking Opportunity

The Olatawura Commission of Enquiry was a judicial commission established by the Cross River State government in 1978, headed by Justice Olajide Olatawura, to determine the ownership of the disputed Stubbs Creek Forest. Key DetailsPurpose: The commission was set up to resolve a long-standing land dispute between the Ekid (Eket) and Oron people in present-day Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, over the ownership of the Stubbs Creek Forest.Proceedings: The Ekid people, through their counsel, presented a 1918 Privy Council judgment that had already settled the ownership of the land. They argued that the legal principle of res judicata (a matter already judged) applied, meaning the issue could not be re-litigated by the commission.Outcome: The commission's proceedings were effectively halted on the first day after Oron's counsel, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, a respected legal figure, agreed with the Ekid counsel's argument and recused himself. The commission subsequently wound up, accepting that the matter had already been settled by the highest court at the time.Legacy: The commission's handling of the case is often cited in the region as a precedent for legal finality in the land ownership dispute, which resurfaced in subsequent years and led to a similar ruling by the Justice Ephraim Akpata Commission in 1993. Justice Olatawura later served as a Commissioner for the Nigerian Police Service Commission (PSC) and was also a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

𝗡𝗨𝗝 𝗨𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗞𝗦𝗚 𝘁𝗼 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗨𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗘𝗸𝗶𝗱 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗯𝗯𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗸, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲.By Assam AbiaThe Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, has called on the Akwa Ibom State Government (AKSG) to urgently open constructive dialogue with Ekid Nation over concerns surrounding Stubbs Creek, also known as Akoiyak, warning that sustained engagement is necessary to restore trust and ensure lasting peace.The call comes on the heels of the recent arrest and arraignment of Princess God’sown Udoito over issues relating to the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, an action that has sparked widespread public outrage, and formed the central resolution of the January Congress of the Union held on Thursday 15, 2026, at the NUJ Press Center, Information Drive, Uyo.The congress noted that transparent and sincere discussions would help bridge gaps of suspicion and foster mutual understanding between the state government and the Ekid people.In the communiqué issued at the end of the congress, NUJ also expressed profound appreciation to Governor Umo Eno for the Christmas packages extended to members of the union, describing the gesture as thoughtful and morale-boosting.The congress congratulated Comrade Aniekeme Finbarr on his appointment as Media Manager of Sumedha Energy Limited, expressing confidence that his wealth of experience in journalism and public relations would add value to the organisation.Raising concerns about workers’ welfare, NUJ appealed to the governor to urgently intervene in the plight of casual workers of the Akwa Ibom State Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC), popularly known as Permanent Artistes. The union lamented that some of the workers have put in over 15 years of service and are owed stipends spanning more than three years, urging the state government to clear the arrears and regularise their employment.On security, the congress condemned the activities of pirates terrorising fishermen along the waterways in Mbo Local Government Area and other parts of …

EPU Raises Alarm Over Arrest of Ekid Rights Advocate, Demands Police AccountabilityBy Akpan Akata The Ekid People’s Union (EPU) has confirmed the arrest of Princess God’sown Udoito, a prominent advocate for Ekid indigenous rights, by the Nigeria Police Force, raising concerns over her safety and the circumstances surrounding her detention.In a press statement issued on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, and signed by the National President of the Union, Dr. Samuel Udonsak, and the Secretary General, Bar. (Sir) Hon. Bassey Dan-Abia, the EPU disclosed that Princess Udoito was taken away from Eket by police operatives earlier in the afternoon.According to the Union, neither the EPU leadership nor police authorities in Eket Local Government Area and Esit Eket Local Government Area have been able to confirm her current whereabouts as at the time of the statement. The Union said it is making concerted efforts to establish contact with her and ascertain the basis for her arrest.Princess Udoito is widely known for her vocal advocacy on behalf of the Ekid people over the ownership and rights issues surrounding the Stubb’s Creek Forest Reserve, also known as Akoiyak Ekid. The long-standing dispute over the forest reserve has, in recent times, intensified, drawing increased public attention and community tension.While stressing that it has no intention of escalating the already sensitive situation, the EPU said it considered it a duty to alert the general public, human rights organisations, and the international community to closely monitor developments. The Union warned that the arrest could signal a broader clampdown on advocacy efforts related to Ekid ancestral land rights.The EPU further called on the police to ensure that Princess Udoito is treated with dignity and in strict adherence to the rule of law. It specifically demanded that her fundamental human rights be respected, including the constitutional requirement that any arrested person be charged to court within 24 ho …

𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝗸𝘄𝗮 𝗜𝗯𝗼𝗺 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝘁'𝘀 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗯𝗯𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 By Daniel Etim.A former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Eket Chapter, and a prominent son of Ekid Nation, Barrister Akpadiaha Ebitu, has strongly faulted the position of the Akwa Ibom State Government that the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, popularly known as Akoiyak Ekid, does not belong to the Ekid people.Barrister Ebitu made this assertion during a live radio programme on EXCEL FM 106.9, aired under the BUSH HOUSE Channel 27 banner, where he described the state government’s stance as legally untenable and historically misleading.According to him, it is an established legal fact that the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve belongs to the Ekid people, a position firmly settled by the 1918 Privy Council judgment, which he noted remains valid and binding till today. He stressed that the agitation by the Ekid people over encroachment on their ancestral land predates the current administration and had been ongoing long before Pastor Umo Eno assumed office as Governor of Akwa Ibom State.Barrister Ebitu further cited concrete historical evidence to buttress Ekid ownership of the land. He recalled that in 1998, when Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited sought to acquire portions of the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve for the expansion of its operational facilities, the oil company, through the Akwa Ibom State Government, paid compensation to the Ekid people as the recognized landowners.He wondered how the present state government could now feign ignorance of facts that are well documented and still available in official records across relevant government ministries.“There are issues a governor does not use public events to address,” Barrister Ebitu said, expressing deep disappointment over what he described as Governor Umo Eno’s recent descent into personal attacks during the commissioning of a medical facility in Eket.He specifically condemned the governor’s public criticism of Dr. Sam …

EKID AFAHA CLAN YOUTH LEADERS COUNCILOFFICE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COORDINATORWARNING TO WHOSEVER IS TRYING TO INTIMIDATE EKID NATION OVER AKOIYAK EKID!We, the Ekid Afaha Clan Youth Leaders Council, are issuing a stern warning to whoever is behind the intimidation and harassment of Ekid nation leaders, particularly Dr. Samuel Udonsak, President of Ekid People's Union, and Sir Mkpisong Barr Bassey Dan Abia KJW, Secretary of Ekid People's Union, over the Akoiyak Ekid issue.We remind you that the courts have ruled in favor of Ekid nation, specifically the 1918 Privy Council judgment, which remains binding and cannot be overridden by any edict, gazette, or executive order.We are calling on all Ekid sons and daughters, both home and abroad, to rise up and defend our heritage and our rights. We are also calling on all well-meaning Nigerians and the international community to support us in this fight for justice and fairness.To whoever is trying to intimidate us, we say:  You will not succeed in silencing us. We will not be intimidated. We will not be bullied. We will continue to fight for what is rightfully ours.__AKOIYAK EKID IS OUR HERITAGE, AND WE WILL NOT SURRENDER!_Signed:Ata Uko Martin BrownInternational Coordinator, Ekid Afaha Clan Youth Leaders CouncilLONG LIVE AFAHA EKPENEDI VILLAGE!_LONG LIVE EKID AFAHA CLAN!_LONG LIVE EKID NATION!

Beyond Asphalt and Power: How
Coastal Highway Through Reserve Pits Akwa Ibom’s Govt Against Laws, ScienceAs Akwa Ibom State throws its
weight behind routing the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway through the Stubbs
Creek Forest Reserve, a legally protected ecosystem of immense ecological
value, serious questions arise about due process, environmental law, and the
meaning of development in a climate vulnerable era. This report examines what
the law says, what the government has done, and why environmental experts and
civil society groups warn that sacrificing Stubbs Creek could represent an
irreversible mistake.By Ekemini Simon  The controversy surrounding
Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve escalated unprecedentedly when Akwa Ibom State
Governor, Mr. Umo Eno publicly dismissed objections to routing the
Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway through the reserve. Speaking at the
commissioning of an ultra-modern health centre in Nduo Eduo, Eket Local
Government Area, the governor described opposition from Ekid leaders as
needless resistance to progress. “Make no mistake, nobody will
stop the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway from passing through the Stubb’s Creek
Forest Reserve. It is a government reserve, and when the government decides to
act in the interest of the people, it will act,” Mr Eno declared. That statement triggered a swift
response from leaders of Ekid extraction, operating under the Ekid People’s
Union (EPU), who had earlier petitioned against the proposed route. Their
response sought to counter what they described as a fundamental mischaracterisation
of their position. “Ekid people are not opposed to
development. This must be stated clearly and repeatedly,” the group said. “We
desire development in all its forms. We want roads, hospitals, schools,
industries, and opportunities for our young people, just like every other
community in Akwa Ibom State.” Their objection, they insisted,
was not to infrastructure itself but to “a model of development that tre …