Village head confers excellence awards, chieftaincy titles on Ibuot, okpokpo, Idio & ors

The village head of Ikot Essien village,  Okon clan, Etteidung Raphael UdO Effiong, has conferred award of excellence on the executive secretary of the technical committee on agriculture and food sufficiency, Hon. Pastor Sunny Ibuot. Also conferred with excellence awards were the parish priest of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Ikot Essien, Rev. Fr. Sebastian Ekaidem, to mention just two. 

In the chieftaincy titles category, top on the list were Obong Imo-owo Okpokpo who bagged the title of Obong Inwek Ikot Essien, the immediate past chairman of transition committee of Essien Udim local government area, Rt Hon Paulinus idio whose title was obong Uforo Ikot Essien and Ekpedeme Mkpong with Obong Idoroenyin Ikot Essien among several others space constraint may not allow to list all. 

The awardees were given the recognition for the selfless services rendered to God and humanity while serving in one office or the other.

For instance, while serving as an executive chairman of Ikot Ekpene local government some years back, Pastor Ibuot was said to have touched so many lives even outside Ikot  Ekpene, including some in Ikot Essien, hence the award on him for excellent and philanthropic service.

Apart from siting of infrastructure in the area, some of the honourees have helped in the award of scholarship to brilliant but indigent youth and employment of qualified ones in the petrol chemical industries in Rivers state, to mention but a few. 

Decorating the celebrant with the paraphernalia of office, the paramount ruler of Essien Udim, HRM Obong Cosmas Okon Akpan flanked by the clan head of Okon, HH Obong Bassey Johnny Akpan and village heads of other villages that make up Okon clan, charged him to see his enthronement as an opportunity to dispense justice fairly to all his subjects irrespective of their status. 

On the other hand, he advised his subjects to cooperate with him to make his reign successful. The charge was corroborated by the clan head who also delegated authority to the celebrant to act on his behalf. “sometimes I may not be around when you need me.Whatever he tells you people give him the regard as if you’re giving it unto me”. The event also featured raising of funds for the completion of the palace of the Eteidung.

Reacting to the honour done him, Hon. Ibuot who called himself an adopted son of the village by the virtue of the award,  thanked them for acknowledging the little he did when he was an executive chairman of Ikot  Ekpene. He told them that he is eyeing Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara/ Essien Udim federal constituency seat in 2019 and sought their support with a promise to do more if given the chance.

Also speaking, Obong Okpokpo who chaired the occasion, advised youth to shun anti social vices and embrace education, promising to step up his support to them with the award. 

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n his address after he was crowned by the paramount ruler, Eteidung Effiong explained the reason behind extension of the honour list to accommodate people outside his dormain. “Those honourees outside Essien Udim were chosen for their selfless service. Some of them have provided employment to our youth, including three of my children”, he added. 

The celebrant is a retired Air Force officer and devout catholic, said to have brought sanctity to the traditional stool by abolishing fetish practises hitherto associated with it since he ascended the thro.