Rt. Hon. Eteng Jonah Williams And Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba Paid Homage To His Royal Highness Ovar Mbina Mbina III.

RT. HON. ETENG JONAH WILLIAMS AND RT. HON. MIKE ETABA PAID HOMAGE TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS OVAR MBINA MBINA III THE OHORODO OF OKUM CLAN IN OBUBRA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

By Beatrice Akpala

The Honourable Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Eteng Jonah Williams and the member representing Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba, have both paid homage to the Ohorodo of Okum Clan in Obubra Local Government Area, His Royal Highness, Ovar Mbina Mbina 111, in his palace.
The two flagbearers who are contesting for the Senate and Federal House of Representatives respectively, under the banner of the All Progressives Congress (APC), saw the need to pay homage to such a revered traditional ruler to seek his royal blessings in order to smoothen their sail as they get ready to confront the 2023 general elections.


Rt. Hon. Eteng Williams is contesting for the Central Senatorial Seat while Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba is running for the House of Representatives.
The palace of the Ohorodo of Okum was a beauty to behold as the traditional ruler\'s hierarchy of Chiefs and other officials were on hand to receive the two great politicians.

Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba, who introduced Rt. Hon. Eteng Jonah Williams, described him as a great political figure with whom the executive branch of Government led by His Excellency, Senator (Prof) Ben Ayade, find it easy to work with adding that the cordial relationship existing between the executive and legislature is largely due to Rt. Hon. Eteng Williams\’ matured handling of the legislative matters in Cross River State. He reiterated that under his dispensation there has been nothing like disruption of government business, noting that such a figure should be encouraged to rise higher in his political career in order to serve the people in higher and greater capacities.

Rt. Hon. Etaba disclosed that as a well respected political office holder who is seeking a higher office and who respects traditional authority and honours the people\’s ways of life, it was only proper that the visit be paid to the Royal Father in order to get the royal blessings which can only come from a revered traditional ruler like the Ohorodo of Okum.
Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba thereafter presented Rt. Hon. Eteng Williams to the Royal Father, who in turn, warmly received him as one of his loyal subjects and the people\’s servant.

In his remarks, Rt. Hon. Eteng Williams expressed his deep gratitude to the Royal Father and his entire cabinet for the warm reception accorded them. He was equally full of thanks for the overwhelming support and generous goodwill so far shown by the people towards their electoral dreams which they promised to tackle to the most logical conclusion. He assured the people that once they are elected into office, there will be a real turn around of fortunes for  the good people of Cross River Central Senatorial District.
He explained that having held political office for some time now, he and Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba were better placed to bring the dividends of Democratic Rule to the people.


 Earlier in his own remarks while ably welcoming the political office seekers and their entourage to the palace, the Ovar of Okorogba Village, Chief Francis Ebingha, described His Royal Highness, Mbina Mbina III as a great leader of his people who has really brought tremendous progress and peace to the Okum Clan and all its people. He also expressed happiness that the very revered traditional ruler was his pupil whom he taught in Primary School and saw great potentials in him long before he assumed the throne of his forebears.
In his response, the Royal Father, Ovar Mbina Mbina 111, assured the two APC flagbearers of the unalloyed loyalty, support and prayers of his people, whom he noted, were even now more politically conscious and are ready to vote for all APC candidates in the coming elections including the two great visitors. He urged them to work out modalities of bringing lasting peace to the people of Obubra and Yakurr who more often than not, are engaged in communal disturbances and very unnecessary squabbles. He asked them to always strive to remember the peace which had existed between their great ancestors and try at all times, to maintain it because nothing can be achieved in the absence of peace.
The Royal Father said that their victories are assured and admonished Rt. Hon. Eteng Williams to take care of Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba and equally urged Rt. Hon. Etaba to show the Honourable  Speaker the ways of the National Assembly when eventually they find themselves at the Centre of Power in Abuja. He specifically told Rt. Hon. Eteng Williams to combine efforts with Rt. Hon. Etaba to bring the much needed lasting peace to the area.
He urged Rt. Hon. Etaba not to forget all the great responsibilities and the roles placed on his shoulders as the people\'s servant and Number One Political Leader in Obubra Local Government Area since the unfortunate death of Chief John Oyom  Okpa.
Ovar Mbina Mbina III disclosed to his august visitors that there are fifteen Autonomous Communities in his domain which includes Apiapum, Iyamoyong, Iyamitet, Okumirutite, Ochon, Ohana and Ogabang. Others are Isabang, Oyan Orang, Onyan Okpan, Edondon, Akam, Odongit and Ogwogonghi, all of which make up the Okum Clan.


According to him, all these areas require attention in one form or the other. He assured the two politicial Icons of his people\'s support to enable them to emerge victorious in the coming elections.