TRADITIONAL rulers from Efut nation in Cross River State have described as sacrilege, the locking up of the palace of the Muri Munene of Efut nation and their denial of access to their deity for about three years by the state government. The monarchs said for about three years, the state government locked the palace of Muri Munene of Efut and denied the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South, His Majesty, Muri Effiong Mbukpa access to the palace, adding that they have been unable to commune with their ancestors. Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, Secretary of Efut Combined Assembly, Ndabo Godwin Bassey said that the action of government was surprising to the Efut nation because Governor Liyel Imoke had during his electioneering campaign visited the paramount ruler, commended him for restoring peace to Calabar South and also promised to present with a certificate of recognition. The palace was locked on April 25, 2012, by the state government when people suspected to be hired thugs invaded the palace and malhandled Muri Munene Mbukpa. The government had claimed that the locking of the palace was to protect the paramount ruler from the invaders and had also charged those behind the invasion to court for attempted murder. Decrying the alleged continuous denial of Muri Munene access to his palace, Ndabo Bassey said The palace was locked on April 25, 2012 under the pretense that government wants to protect the place. In normal circumstances, if you want to protect a citizen, you dont lock him outside his house; rather you allow him stay in his house and give him protection. ”But locking him outside using government veto is a sacrilege. So we feel bad. We have on many times pleaded with the government to open the palace for the Muri Munene so that we can work. Traditionally, he is our anointed in our customs. You dont have any authority to disgrace him by sending him out of his palace, locking it. The deities of Efut nation have been trampled upon, the customs and the tradition of the nation has been pushed to the wall. They destroyed the throne too. Like I told you, it is a sacrilege. It has never happened before in Efut.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 21:33:36 +0000
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