HRH Ayuk Peter Akpoeban installed as
“Ntufam”
 |
| HRH NtufamAyuk Peter Akpeban |
Senior Treasury Inspector who was formerly
the Pay Master of the South West region, HRH NtufamAyuk Peter Akpeban, was on
Monday 28 March 2016, officially installed as the 8th ruler of the Inokun
chiefdom in Eyumojock sub-division of Manyu Division.
By Ojong Steven Ayukogem in Inokun
HRH NtufamAyuk Peter Akpoeban was installed
in the Inokun chieftaincy stool by the Divisional Officer of Eyumojock, Mochi
Johnson Malafa, at a colourful and hugely attended ceremony at the Government
Primary School Inokun field.
Speaking
while installing the new chief, the DO told the over 2000-man crowd that came
from far and near to live the occasion that NtufamAyuk Peter Akpoeban was
freely, unanimously and overwhelmingly chosen by the people of Inokun to be
their leader.
MochiMalafa
said following consultative talks that were conducted in the village on 28
November 2015, the king-makers of Inokun all put their trust and confidence on
the senior treasury inspector.
He
noted that even before the consultations were conducted the people of Inokun
had already, on their own accord and free will, selected and publicly presented
Mr. Ayuk Peter as their next chief.
The DO made the point clear that though he
was the one performing the installation ritual, the decision recognizing Ayuk
Peter Akpoeban as the chief of Inokun was signed by the SDO for Manyu, Mr.
Peter TiehNdeh, in his Prefectoral order No. 069/2016 of 23 February 2016.
Speaking
earlier, the vice chairman of the Inokun traditional council, Ndum Peter Agbor,
presented a brief historiogeneology of the Inokun chieftaincy institution. He
said Inokun was named by the Germans from the word “ekuni-itarem”, the name
that the first settler, NtaAsick from “Osuo-egwi”, called the area.
He
recalled that since its discovery by the Germans, Inokun has had eight
traditional rulers, with NtaAsick being the first and HRH EyambaOtun Stephen
Ntui being the 7th. He said HRH NtufamAyuk Peter Akpoeban is thus the 8th chief
since the existence of Inokun.
Mr.
Ndum Peter intimated that NtufamAyuk Peter’s coronation comes almost four years
following the passing to eternity of the 7th chief, EyambaOtunNtui on 2nd
October 2012.
For
his part, the President of the Manyu Union of Chiefs, HRH Ntufam General James
Tataw, told the Inokun people that they should be happy and proud for having a
man of AyukAkpoeban’s caliber and ilk as their chief. The army General and
‘Ntufam’ described HRH AyukAkpoeban as “a diamond in the sky; a man who has
done what Napoleon left undone, for his people.”
Ntufam
General Tataw enjoined the Inokun people to give their total and unalloyed
support to their new chief. He urged them to handle him with the utmost care,
saying that men like Ayuk Peter Akpoeban only come to a community once in a
lifetime.
Officially
admitting HRH NtufamAyukAkpoeban into the privilege circle of Manyu chiefs,
General Tataw assured him of their total support and protection.
“You
can rest assured we are with you and for you; no wind shall shake you; we shall
guide you and show you the way,” NtufamTataw said in the Ejagham dialect. As if
to say “when a child washes his hands he can dine with kings”, Chief General
Tataw noted that yesterday Ayuk Peter was his son but today they are
colleagues.
It
should be mentioned that the coronation of HRH NtufamAyuk Peter Akpoeban was
preceded by the inauguration of the Inokun water supply scheme by the SDO of
Manyu Peter TiehNdeh and the GM of the South West Development Authority, SOWEDA,
Dr. Andrew Eneme. The water supply scheme was retained by SOWEDA and sponsored
by government.
Reactions
He is God’s chosen one
- Orock
Clement, Inokun elite
It is not a good thing for a community to
exist without a leader. Reason why we thank God almighty for giving us the
wisdom at the time we gathered together as a village to select NtufamAyuk Peter
Akpoeban as our new chief. In fact, NtufamAyukAkpoeban is God’s own choice.
Having a leader of his timber and caliber is a mighty blessing for our village.
That is why we are very happy and proud to have him as our torch-bearer. His
patriotism and love for Inokun is immeasurable; his selflessness and especially
his kind-hearted gestures did the magic for him. He succeeded in distinguishing
himself in the village and within his family. That is why the message was
boldly written on the wall even before the consultative talks were conducted by
the administration. I can only pray God to guide him to succeed in these
daunting, yet exalting duties as chief.
He is the hope of his people
- EgbenchongAlloysius,
Inokun CPDM sub-section president
Chieftaincy in Inokun rotates from family
to family or better still from quarter to quarter. So it was the turn of the
Mbakem family to produce a chief. Since the death of the late EyambaOtun
Stephen Ntui on 2nd October 2012, Inokun has been without a chief. So when on
12 November 2015 we decided to select a new chief, all the king-makers and the
youths placed their confidence and trust on Mr. Ayuk Peter Akpoeban. We did not
choose him because he is the oldest or the richest person in our village. We
chose him because he has so far demonstrated the most love for his village and
his people. He has convinced us that he can lead us to the skies. Even the
ancestors readily accepted him when the traditional rites were performed. HRH
has supported the village and the villagers both financially and otherwise. You
can hardly find a son of Inokun who has not drank from his fountain of love and
largesse. Today, if Inokun boasts of portable water, a health centre, good
roads and a technical secondary school, it is thanks in great part to HRH Ayuk
Peter Akpoeban, who lobbied for all these things. He also recently liberated
some villagers who would have gone to prison. In fact he is most deserving of
our chieftaincy stool.
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