Etung Monarch Seeks Shift to Yam Farming, Hails Commissioner Ayuk
By kingsley Agim
The Acting Paramount Ruler of Etung Local Government Area, Ntufam Anthony Ntui Etta, has called for a shift from overdependence on cocoa farming to increased cultivation of staple crops such as yam to boost food security in the area.
The royal father made the call at his palace in Ajassor, Etung LGA, while receiving the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, who joined traditional rulers in celebrating the Etung New Yam Festival.
Ntufam Etta noted that while rising cocoa prices remain desirable, farmers’ overwhelming focus on cocoa at the expense of other crops was worsening food shortages in the region. He urged Dr. Ayuk to draw government’s attention to the need for renewed investment in staple crop production, particularly in Etung’s agrarian communities.
The monarch commended Governor Bassey Otu for appointing an illustrious son of Etung to head a critical sector like health, describing Dr. Ayuk as a worthy leader who has remained connected to his people despite the demands of public service. He also thanked the Commissioner for his huge donation during the festival, noting that such gestures further strengthen the bond between leaders and their people.
He encouraged the Commissioner to sustain and surpass the achievements already recorded within two years of the Otu-led administration. He further assured the governor that Etung people would continue to support the administration for its goodwill toward the area, pledging loyalty even beyond 2027.
The royal father also thanked Dr. Ayuk for consistently paying homage to the traditional stool during major cultural ceremonies and prayed for greater responsibilities for him in service to the people.
Responding, Dr. Ayuk praised the monarch’s pragmatic leadership, noting that Etung has enjoyed relative peace since his ascension to the stool. He commended the ruler’s proactive efforts in strengthening communal security and fostering inter-communal harmony.
The Commissioner said his donation was a modest way of giving back to the community, stressing that he remains committed to supporting Etung people in health, education, agriculture, and other areas of need. He also aligned with the royal father’s call for agricultural diversification, emphasizing that Etung’s fertile soil could produce a variety of crops beyond cocoa. He pledged to complement his existing health and education interventions with support for farmers to diversify into yam and other staple crops to enhance food production.
The festive event drew a large turnout, including traditional leaders, political stakeholders, women groups, and community members.
In a related development, Dr. Ayuk also attended an award ceremony later that evening, organized by the Youth Leadership of Bendeghe-Ekiem community under the leadership of Comrade Kingsley Ntui Tandu. The event featured football and long-distance race competitions.
The Commissioner, who contributed additional prize money for the winners, lauded Comrade Kingsley Ntui Tandu for positively engaging the youths through sports, noting that sporting activities have the potential to make young people more productive, eschew violence, and avoid other vices that debase the moral fabric of society. He challenged the youths to leverage sports as a pathway to international recognition, citing the humble beginnings of Nigerian icons such as Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Chioma Ajunwa, and Terem Moffi in grassroots competitions such as the just concluded.
