After 14 years, peace has returned to Akwa Ibom community torn by strife. The crisis was said to have been fueled by the struggle for a chieftaincy position.
Checks by LEADERSHIP revealed a sigh of relief from the distraught residents of Ikot Ekop, in Ibiono Ibom local government area of the state as the legal battle that trailed the village headship was finally laid to rest while restoring stability.
This followed the judgment of Uyo High Court which dismissed the case for want of jurisdiction and struck out the suit seeking to dethrone the authentic Village Head, Chief Asuakak Effiong Brown, popularly known as Chief Aloysius Effiong Brown.
In a one-hour judgement by Justice Ntong Festus Ntong, the court recalled that one “Chief Clement Bassey Udo, who claimed to be the village head-elect of Ikot Ekop, approached the court for an order to restrain Chief Asuakak Effiong Brown, from parading himself as the Village Head of the community.”
“The matter commenced on 22nd December 2010 without a proper and valid writ of summon which robbed the Court of the requisite jurisdiction to hear and determine the case, hence the Court cannot make any consequential order as to who is the Village Head or not.”
“Although the claimant, Chief Clement Bassey Udo, had a genuine intention and desire to champion his case and grievances, through his lawyer, he did not approach the Court properly as required by law.”
The court held that “an expired writ is no writ and to proceed with such a dead writ is like giving a dead man medicine in an attempt to resuscitate him.”
Delivering the judgement, Justice Ntong, held that “there is an uncontroverted evidence that Chief Asuakak Effiong Brown had been recognised by the Governor of Akwa Ibom state in line with section 15 of Traditional Rulers Law and that the law presumes that due process was followed, hence he has no judicial powers to disturb such traditional recognition.”
