OPINION: Traditional Rulers and the Imperative of Peaceful Land Dispute Resolution in Cross River State

By Okoi Obono-Obla

I am a Traditional Ruler in my capacity as the Obol Kepon and Village Head of Letampankom, Ijiman Okurubong Town in Ugep Urban, Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria, a position I have held for the past 15 years. I am well aware of the roles and responsibilities traditional rulers can play in local and grassroots governance.  

I therefore urge the Government of Cross River State to invoke its powers and coercive instruments to deal decisively with traditional rulers in any part of the State where communal strife and violence erupt over land disputes. Such disputes should ordinarily be submitted to the institutions established by law for resolution. These institutions include the Nigeria Police Force, the Judiciary, and the Government itself through the office of the Deputy Governor, who has been delegated to handle such matters.  

Enough is enough. It is the right time for the Government of Cross River State to sternly warn all traditional rulers in Yakurr Local Government Area, especially in Ugep and Idomi communities, to maintain peace and resolve whatever disputes they have concerning land with calm, restraint, and adherence to traditional ethos rooted in African jurisprudence and customary law. These are the same principles our ancestors successfully employed for millennia before the intrusion of Western ethos.  

 *Conclusion* 

Traditional rulers must rise to the occasion as custodians of peace and heritage. By embracing dialogue, restraint, and the wisdom of our ancestors, we can preserve harmony in our communities and strengthen the institutions of governance that safeguard justice and order.