April 4, 2023

Reinstated Paramount Ruler of Etung Local Government Area, Dr. Atue Ojong, disclosed that he was framed-up and suspended by the government of Cross River in May 2021.

Ojong, in an interview with journalists in Ikom on Tuesday, said he was accused of embezzling royalties meant for cocoa landlord communities of Etung which the state government only started paying recently.

He said without giving him a fair-hearing, he was suspended by the state government and all benefits that accrued to him were also suspended.

A High Court sitting in Calabar, had on March 23, reinstated the suspended traditional ruler and slammed a fine of N50 million on the state government as compensation to the royal father for psychological trauma.

Delivering judgment on the matter with suit number HC/96/2022 between Ojong, claimant and government of Cross River and four others, Justice Elias Abua ordered that the claimant be reinstated and all benefits accrued to him be paid.

The court further restrained the state government from issuing any certificate of recognition to anyone under the guise of paramount ruler of Etung LGA.

This was because according to the court, the claimant was never dethroned nor his certificate of recognition withdrawn.

According to the royal father, “today the state government has begun doing payment of the cocoa royalties, so where did I misappropriate the cocoa fund?” the traditional ruler wondered.

“I thank God that the court which is the last hope of the common man still exists.

“I have forgiven all those who conspired and framed me up for reasons best known to them,” he said.

The issue of payment of royalties to cocoa landlord communities has been a subject of much controversies in the last few years in Cross River. (NAN)