30 September 2019
The Speaker of the 9th Cross River State House of Assembly CRSHA, Rt. Hon. Eteng Jonah Williams has been smeared with perceived inability to forestall communal leadership crisis in home town, Mkpani. This is coming on the hills of the recent crisis that has erupted claiming lives and destruction of properties.
Influential social commentator, Simon Utsu, undermined the leadership capabilities of Speaker Eteng Williams when he argued that, 'everytime they'll be praising the current speaker of the CRSHA Eteng Jones Williams as the best speaker since sliced bread but he can't do anything to stop the reoccurring communal crisis in his Mkpani, Yakurr LGA backyard… Let's leave the governor out of this!!! Political leaders of the warring communities should be held accountable!!!'
Offem Lekam raised an unconfirmed allegation against the Speaker claiming that he is responsible for the unfortunate incident. According to him, '… The speaker is from Aduma, he spearheaded the parallel celebration of the Mkpani new yam festival that metamorphosed into this crisis. He could not unite Afaben, Ajere, and Aduma people of Mkpani. Eteng Jones has failed and should not be excused.'
However, Leader of the 9th CRSHA Rt. Hon. Peter Odey has assured of the speedy intervention of the Speaker into the crisis. According to him, 'Simon, I'm sure the speaker will speak for himself but let me say the little I know. Hon. Eteng Jones Williams have been intervening in this matter even before he became speaker. As my colleague in the 8th Assembly, I can't remember how many times we took matters of urgent public important of crisis in this area. I remember once he drove security personnel himself to his constituency on issues like this. Thank God you have historical facts on this issues. this recent one is unfortunate. trust me,I haven't spoken to him yet on this but knowing Eteng I'm sure something is already being done to bring this under control.'
One Blessed Emmanuel Akpama reinforced Odey's submission thus: 'The speaker tried his best to prevent the current state of his community from being birth. But many had been looking for ways they can get this done. For me, the speaker is a leader. If not for the speaker, what's happening now would had happened during the the electioneering period. He is still on it. Many of us may conclude anyhow we want it, but for me, the speaker is a servant leader with the love of his community at heart.'
While according to a recent publication the Speaker is seen to have said that some persons are trying to link him to the crisis, it is obvious that Nigerians resident in and indigenous to Cross River want the Speaker, Eteng Jonah Williams to be proactive, for them the ongoing crisis is very bad for his corporate image and that of the state.
Reliable sources has it that the current communal leadership crisis is owing to the community being torn between Obol Sunday and Obol Oden.
