Obio Ibiet Esa, a quite and serene community in Oruk Anam Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, appeares to have launched itself into a new era, following the emergence of a-45-year -old Obong Ndifreke Ime Akpan as the new village head- elect.

Obong Akpan’s emergence came 38 years after the community’s traditional stool had remained vacant after the dead of the former village head, Chief Walter Ukpe.

The election which took place on Saturday at the community civic centre, attracted traditional rulers within and from a neighbouring Ukanafun Local Government Area.

The chairman, Family Heads Forum, Nto Clan, Oruk Anam, Chief Friday Moses Etim, who spearheaded the election, announced that four family heads, Obong Ndifreke Ime Akpan Umoren, Chief Udo Monday Akpan Udoudo, Chief Emem David Essien, and Chief Udeme Okon Akpan were in the race, having qualified for the position, but said Obong Ndifreke Ime Akpan Umoren was unanimously elected by other three family heads.

He said the process leading to the election of Obong Ndifreke Ime Akpan as the village head-elect of Obio Ibiet Esa was in conformity with the Akwa Ibom State Traditional Rulers Council Law and moral principles of fairness, equity and justice.

Speaking shortly after his joint presentation to the community by the family heads and Chairman of Family Heads Forum, Nto Clan, the Obio Ibiet Esa village head-elect, Obong Ndifreke Akpan Umoren, appreciated God for his emergence.

He also thanked the family heads, women, youths, as well as traditional rulers within and from other communities in Oruk Anam and Ukanafun Local Government Areas who were at the civic centre to witness the historic occasion.

Obong Ndifreke Umoren disclosed that the traditional stool of the community was vacant for that number of years, owing to their accommodation of another community, Obio Ibiet Esa 1, a magnanimity he said denied them an opportunity to have their own Chief ascend the traditional stool.

On how he will lead his people, the village head-elect said he would focus on educating the children, as well as empowering the youths and women, priorities he believed would turn around the community.

” I’m very happy for what God has done today in my community- Obio Ibiet Esa. We used to have two villages as one, but today, we have gone our separate ways and I have been overwhelmingly elected as Obio Ibiet Esa Village Head-elect.

” My first priority is to see how we can strengthen the bond of unity between our village and our neighbours. This is important to me.

” I also will prioritize the education of our children. We have to make sure that the only school in this village- Government Primary school is supported to function well for our children. Of particular interest to us is that we will ensure orphans in our community are either sent to school, or given empowerment. This, I believe, will put us on the path of greatness we all long for”.

While advising the people to return to the ways of life of their forebears whom he said were united, just and peaceful, Obong Umoren pledged to represent all interests in the community.

The village head-elect also announced Aniedi Jonah Akpan as the new town crier for the community.

Speaking to journalists after the election, a member of the community, Saviour Akpan, said the exercise was necessary in view of the vacuum that existed in the headship of the community.

Akpan, who is a Human Right Activist, said as a gazetted village in Akwa Ibom, a new leadership was needed to run the affairs of the community.

On what should constitute the priority of the new village head-elect, Akpan said unity was cardinal, as this could be a recipe for growth and development of the community.

” The first thing I expect the village head-elect to do is to bring unity. The unity must be based on an established justice. Anybody whose property was taken away must have back his or her property. Let everybody live in peace and harmony with one another”.

Akpan, who is also the immediate past National Chairman of Network On Police Reform In Nigeria ( NOPRIN), emphasized the need to educate the children in the community which he said would bring about a wholesome development of the minds and by implication the community.

While calling on the Akwa Ibom State Government and the global community to assist in this regard, the Human Right Activist said such assistance, particularly in the area of funding, provision of facilities, among others, would turn out a lot of doctors, lawyers, engineers and other professionals into the society, rather than criminals.

” The next thing I expect is education of the children in this community. Therefore, I call on the government and global community to come to our assistance. We want to make sure we educate our children in the area of academics and vocation. We have to produce more doctors, lawyers, engineers and other professionals.”

Saviout Akpan therefore, expressed optimism that Obio Ibiet Esa, under the leadership of Obong Ndifreke Akpan, would witness tremendous strides in many areas of life