By Emeka Samuel,Uyo
Against the backdrop of a recent warning by Governor Uno Eno to deal with groups obstructing the successful passage of the ongoing coastal highway through the stubbs creeks forest, the people of Ekid in Àkwa ibom has said that they are not opposed to development.
In an open letter tagged:, “APPEAL FOR REASON, JUSTICE, AND THE FUTURE OF STUBBS CREEK FOREST RESERVE,”Ekid Peoples Union (EPU) through its Chairman Board of Trustees and former Minister of Lands, Chief Nduese Essien and Secretary, Éngr Bassey Itama noted its concern on the illegal land racketeering going on within the Reserve lamenting that their ancestral land was being allocated without consultation, consent, or compensation.
According to the letter made available to newsmen in Uyo on Sunday, “contrary to some narratives, Ekid people have not opposed the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway as a federal project. We understand the importance of regional connectivity and economic integration. We also know that the Federal Government, in constructing the Highway in other parts of the country, has adhered to land acquisition processes, engaged host communities, and paid compensation where required.
“The caveat issued by Ekid People’s Union was not a call to stop development. It was a warning to private investors that illegal land racketeering was ongoing within the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve and that ancestral land was being allocated without consultation, consent, or compensation.”
The EPU said the remarks by the governor during the commissioning of a health center in Esit Urua recently against the Ekid people and the leadership of the Ekid People’s Union were deeply hurtful and troubling.
They added, “we have resisted the temptation to respond with anger or recrimination. Instead, we have reflected deeply and chosen to believe that the governor’s outburst may have been caused by the pressures of office, the exigencies of governance, and the heavy burden that leadership places on those who carry it”
The EPU Board of Trustees said thier intervention is not just a solemn duty owed to Ekid people but also to the peace, stability, and future of Akwa Ibom State.
“We must clear the misconceptions that have been generated, restate the genuine concerns of Ekid people with clarity and restraint, and create room for an amicable, lawful, and dignified resolution of the issues surrounding the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve.
.”Ekid people are not opposed to development. This must be stated clearly and repeatedly, because it lies at the heart of the current misunderstanding. 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.
“What we oppose is a model of development that treats host communities as inconveniences, that circumvents the law, and that ignores history and culture. Insisting on due process in land acquisition is not hostility; it is a legitimate demand grounded in law and citizenship.” The letter said.
The EPU said the legal status of the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve remained clear and well established as far back as 1918 via the Privy Council stressing that beyond legality and history lies the fact that Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve is one of the last remaining forest ecosystems in Akwa Ibom.
” Its mangroves and forests serve as natural buffers against coastal erosion and flooding, regulate local climate, and sustain biodiversity that is increasingly rare. They support livelihoods tied to fishing, hunting, and traditional occupations, and they provide ecological services whose value far exceeds short-term gains from land conversion.” They started.
They insisted that the people remained open to dialogue provided they are not expected to sign off “our inalienable rights” adding, “we remain committed to peace. We remain willing partners in the development of Akwa Ibom State. But we will also remain steadfast in defending our land, our environment, and our dignity.
“That stance is not terrorism. It is responsible citizenship rooted in the rule of law. It is justice bereft of self -help. It is maturity grounded in self -restraint . And it is our obligation to the future generations”.
They however appealed for a cessation of hostile rhetoric, for genuine engagement with Ekid stakeholders, for transparent environmental and social impact assessments, and for a reconsideration of any project that threatens to destroy Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve. “Alternative routes exist. Innovative solutions are possible. What is required is a political will grounded in wisdom” they intoned.
