To douse alleged rising tensions and clear the air over a proposed legislative bill, the Member representing Eket/ONNA/Esit-Eket/Ibeno Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Okpolupm Etteh, on Friday, April 4, 2025, met with stakeholders of Eket and Esit-Eket at the residence of the Leader and Chairman of Eket Senatorial District Elders’ forum , Rt. Hon. Chief Nduese Essien.
The meeting, which had in attendance Hon. Iniobong Robson, Hon. Aniekan Akpan, Barr. Jack Udoata, Hon. Isaiah Abia, state house of assembly members of Eket and Esit Eket/Ibeno state constituency’s and Chairmen of Eket and Esit Eket Local Government Council respectively with other prominent Leaders, select opinion leaders, among others, was convened by Chief Essien at the instance of the National Assemblyman.
The central issue at the meeting was a Bill proposing the renaming of “Eket” to “Ekid,” which recently stirred public reactions and internal disquiet in the area.
Setting the tone for the meeting, the convener, Chief Essien, said the meeting became necessary due to misunderstandings and heated debates sparked by the Bill, revealing that the National Assemblyman came to him to give clarity on the matter, and appealed for convening of an enlarged meeting for the purpose especially as many community members felt sidelined in the legislative process.
“At moments like this, transparency and dialogue are the pillars of unity,” Essien emphasized, noting the historic relevance of community consensus in decision-making.
Addressing the stakeholders, Hon. Etteh, who broke the silence, cut short procedural formalities to deliver what he termed “a straight-to-the-point briefing.”
He explained that the name-change Bill was inspired by a formal letter dated April 24, 2024, authored and signed by a respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a former Nigeria Ambassador to Russia, a very senior citizen of Eket, Chief Assam Assam.
According to Hon. Etteh, the letter, which he read aloud, argued that “Eket” was an anglicized distortion of the indigenous term “Ekid,” and urged correction for cultural and historical accuracy.
Hon. Etteh admitted he had made attempts to reach out to Chief Essien ahead of the Bill’s introduction but was unsuccessful.
He further disclosed that he fell ill just as the Bill was scheduled for its Second Reading and was diagnosed with malaria and a parasitic infection, which prevented his participation in the Plenary Session.
Upon learning that the Bill had appeared on the House Order Paper for debate, Hon. Etteh said he quickly wrote to the House Committee on Rules and Business to request that it be stepped down for further and enlarged stakeholders consultations.
He took time to read out his official communication to the Chairman, Rules and business and a response from the Clerk of the said committee of the House as supporting evidence to the stakeholders.
The lawmaker stressed that the Bill by his letter of March 26, 2025, is stood down, with confirmation from the Chairman of House Committee on Rules and Business, saying “There is no secret in the National Assembly. Everything is on record. Unless the Bill is reintroduced, the Bill currently remains dormant.”
Following Hon. Etteh’s explanation, Chief Essien responded with a historical perspective, quoting colonial historian Talbot to argue that “Eket” refers to the geographical region, while “Ekid” designates the people who inhabit it.
He further traced the administrative transitions from the 12 original local governments to the current configuration of the Eket Federal Constituency, highlighting how identity and boundaries have shifted over time.
In his remarks, Hon. Aniekan Akpan acknowledged that much of the tension resulted from a communication gap, saying “It’s tough leading as a minority. But we must never allow lack of dialogue to become a weakness.”
Also speaking at the event, Barr. Udoata maintained that while the lawmaker’s reliance on a respected elder’s letter was justifiable, wider consultation would have been the more prudent path, characterizing Chief Assam’s letter as “academic” and urged focus on the broader implications of such identity-driven changes.
On his part, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Power, Hon. Iniobong Robson called for restraint, saying, “If the letter read by the MP was satisfactory, there’s no need to pick it apart.”
In its final resolution, the stakeholders agreed that Hon. Etteh, as a representative of the people, must endeavour to hold periodic briefings moving forward.
As the meeting ended, what emerged was not just a cooling of tensions but a reaffirmation of the need for unity, transparency, and inclusive representation in the legislative process.
Meanwhile, Hon. Etteh, in response, promised to reconvene the stakeholders soon to present a scorecard of his legislative engagements.
