The Cross River State Government, barring any last minute change of mind, is set to punish the Muri Munene of the Efut Nation and Paramount Ruler of Calabar South, HRH Itam Hogan Itam, a professor, for what government sources say is a perceived contravention of Section 30, Sub-section 3 of the Cross River State Traditional Edict No. 14 of 1978.
Itam, www.calitown.com government sources maintain, just days ago, attended a meeting of PDP stalwarts of CR South extraction where a decision is believed to have been taken on the concensus candidature of Arthur Jarvis Archibong. The monarch is said to have voiced his contributions, voted at the meeting as well as signed the attendance register, actions that contravene the quoted section of the CRS Traditional Edict No. 14 of 1978. We were further informed that monarchs in the state are by the provisions of this Edict advised not to be politically partisan.
Pressed for more information, another government source maintained to us that before the monarch attended the meeting, held at the instance of former state governor, Donald Duke, the paramount ruler of Bakassi LGA and Chairman, CRS Traditional Rulers Council, HRM Etinyin Etim Okon Edet, had called the monarch, sending across a word of caution that he should avoid the meeting, a word he is believed to have ignored, going ahead to attend the meeting.
Yesterday, Tuesday, May 10, 2022, Itam appeared before a small panel of traditional rulers at Council of Traditional Rulers building, Governor’s Office, Calabar, asked to explain why disciplinary actions should not be meted on him. The 79 years old monarch is widely believed to have offered explanations that do not exonerate his actions. An official government statement is anticipated in the next couple of hours.
