By Our Reporter
Although stakeholders have indicated interest for a peaceful resolution of their differences, the leadership crisis in Henshaw Town community of Calabar South local government area is far from being amicably resolved with two groups of leaders still locked in supremacy battle over who controls the Henshaw Town Council (HTC).
While the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South, HRM Etubom Nyong Efiom Okon is laying claims to the headship of the Council, the late Etubom Inyang GD Henshaw’s loyalists in the HTC, in which retired Justice Charles Archibong was one of the principal actors, is disagreeing with Etubom Okon’s disposition and claims.
Our reporter reliably gathered that late Etubom IGD Henshaw was the generally acknowledged Life President. When old age caught up with him, he appointed Etubom Nyong Effiom Okon in 2013 to act on his behalf, but in 2019 revoked that appointment. By then, Etubom Nyong was not the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South.
As expected, Etubom Nyong headed to Court to challenge the manner of his unseating as Alternate President of HTC but the challenge failed. He and his sympathizers boycotted Council.
By this time, Etubom IGD Henshaw had inducted Etubom Justice Charles Archibong as a member of Council, and thereafter appointed him Alternate President. Sources said representation of all the Houses of Henshaw Town was filled out under Archibong’s leadership in Council but in the absence of Etubom Nyong and his loyalists.
It was further gathered that before IGD Henshaw’s passing in 2021, he had directed that all the old Council members, including Etubom Nyong, be recalled. That directive, it was learnt, failed because of personality clash between Nyong and Archibong.
When IGD passed on in December 2021, the fight for his succession began in earnest. It was litigation all the way. Police were as well inviting this and the other among the feuding Henshaw Town Etuboms and chiefs to respond to series of allegations and complaints centred around threat to life, assault and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
After 4 years during which Etubom Nyong had become the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South, both Archibong and Nyong are now on the same page, talking peace and reverting to IGD’s 2021 directive and the 1980 Constitution..
The lingering crisis, which has become complex and multifaceted, had led to violent clashes and numerous court cases with some very senior personalities arraigned and jailed.
To bring the crisis to an end, the Obong of Calabar, His Eminence Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V, had last week, advised the Paramount Ruler to ensure that peace prevailed in the troubled Henshaw Town Council.
However, PillarToday gathered that as in the 2021 peace meeting, the one convened by the Paramount Ruler last Thursday, September 18, 2025, did not succeed in calming all frayed nerves.
Etubom Archibong’s decision to quit fighting and make peace with the Paramount Ruler had drawn the ire of his fellow HTC members who see the move as ‘a betrayal.’
In an interview on reasons for his sudden change of mind, Etubom Charles Archibong told our reporter: “My brother, peace is really difficult to make. One has to admit that you might be facing a situation of loss of status, loss of benefits, loss of advantage. It might be an ‘over your dead body’ prediction that meets you fully alive.
“I fully understand the feelings of elders who are usually hard set in positions and opinions formed over many years; particularly when they are in their last quarter in this plane.
“Late Etubom IGD Henshaw, Life President of Council at the time, as far back as 2021, in a peace move, had called for a recall of the Council he had appointed Etubom Nyong Effiom Okon to head for him as Acting President.
“The only addition to that Council was myself who he inducted while alive as Etubom of Efio Efanga, a subhouse of his Effanga Offiong House. I was to act as IGD’s Alternate putatively for the rest of his life term. That proposal was in writing, signed by IGD Henshaw and endorsed by Etubom Nyong Effiom Okon and myself.
“I walked away and derailed that agreement in 2021. The main reason being my isolation to work with Etubom Nyong Effiom Okon. No leverage without the support of those I had superintended their introduction to Council. These include the Etubom Ekpo Nsa Ekeng of Ewa Ekeng House. He was not in the Old Council.
“Present in that Old Council was Etubom Clement Nta Ekeng Henshaw, who as it happened, left Council with Etubom Nyong. That was when Etubom Nyong’s appointment as Acting President was revoked. He challenged the revocation in court.
“The Cross River state High Court affirmed as lawful the way and manner of his appointment’s revocation. It should be pointed out that it was only his appointment as Acting President which was revoked. The court did not revoke his membership.
“In 2021 we decided on peace. The starting point was recalling the Old Council and re-presentation of ‘new’ members who had been introduced in the absence of members of the Old Council. Essentially, I, for the sake of peace, have revisited this 2021 agreement. I stick by it fully for several reasons.
“Let me say here that the HTC Constitution of 1980 emphasizes succession through ranking. We have decided that this must be the foundation for any move forward. Which means that the person who died, that is, my uncle IGD Henshaw, must be followed by the ranking member. The ranking member after him is the present Paramount ruler. So, he’s the next person.
“That his rule or reign or administration is uncomfortable to you or not will not shift that basic paradigm. Whether I like Nyong’s face or I don’t like his face; Whether he speaks Queens English or he doesn’t speak, this is Henshaw Town constitution. He is the man at the helm of HTC. This is the whole truth.”
Asked on whether he took the decision due to his recent ordeal at the Chief Magistrate Court, the retired judge said “The first reason for reconciling with Etubom Nyong and accepting him as the leader of HTC is that my own family has insisted that I make peace with the Paramount Ruler.
“Secondly, the Governor of Cross River State is associating with Etubom Nyong. His Advisers, Commissioners and political allies associate with Etubom Nyong. The government is sticking with Etubom Nyong while I, Hon Justice Charles E Archibong (Rtd) on the other hand, am doing Police Cell duty and being arraigned in Chief Magistrates Court.
“The State Judiciary’s default mode is to accommodate Etubom Nyong, as much as is lawfully possible, and subject to rebuttable presumptions. I have been the ‘Rebutter of Presumptions in Chief’ for the past 6 years.
“Recall that he fought for Etubom Ani (Tony) to take the Efik stool up till less than 2 years ago. That effort grounded into the sand very, very recently but His Eminence has brushed that aside and has received Etubom Nyong in private and public audience.
“As you could bear witness, the cases in court have multiplied. Six functionairies of Council have been prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to terms of imprisonment, including Etubom Efio Ita Effiom, former President of Council I handed over to when my uncle passed, whom I replaced when he was jailed.
“I have also been arraigned but the case was dismissed over the same Henshaw Town crisis. How long do you think this should continue?”
Asked on why he took the decision without the consent or involvement of those he led in Henshaw Town Council for some years, he said “I told them I’m not fighting anymore. I wanted to pull out but some of them objected. I told them for several weeks that I’m pulling out. The forces are really against us.
“I can’t spend the rest of my years, and I don’t know how many years I have left, just fighting over the same thing. And in any case, what is my own direct interest?
“The people there who I’m supposed to be leading in part, have not done anything to advance my cause. They have not in short advance my cause. And all I have been doing is protecting their interests in Council by shielding and leading the fight to continue.
“I wasn’t getting anywhere or getting anything out of it. So, okay, let me just leave the field for them to continue.
“The people who have fight in them now would have been better off if they had shown this capacity before now. At this time it is best to sit around a table and iron things out. They are weak even with their present posture. They weaken me too as a result but I don’t mind. After all I wanted out.
Investigations indicated that some critical stakeholders in the HTC are uncomfortable with Etubom Archibong’s alignment with the Paramount Ruler.
Their disapproval was contained in a letter dated September 17, 2025 on the matter, titled ‘Re: Composition of Henshaw Town Council,’ issued as a public notice.
The said Public Notice which was signed by HRH Etubom Ekpo Nsa Ekeng of Ewa Ekeng House (addressed as ‘Acting President); HRH Etubom Offiong Ekeng Effanga of Ekeng Iwatt House and HRH Etubom Efio Ita Effiom of Efiom Ewa Nsa House, said “While we respect Etubom Charles Archibong’s personal right and freedom of association, we consider his defection a betrayal and a disappointment.
“He surrendered, purportedly in the interest of peace, to a faction that has terrorized the Henshaw Town Council and community, (this) came as a shock to the rest of the Council.”
The Public Notice added that the Henshaw Town Council, now led by Etubom Ekpo Nsa Ekeng was “open to peace and reconciliation with all factions in Henshaw Town, and advice that efforts at peace building should be inclusive and respectful.
“Genuine peace requires dialogue, truth telling, listening, acknowledgment of and apologies for wrongdoings, peace offering and closure,” insisting “For the avoidance of doubt, the Henshaw Town Council, I Inyang Ekeng Street, Calabar remains under the Authority of the Undersigned.”
In another letter, the three Etuboms found fault with the manner in which the said peace meeting of September 18, 2025, was convened, saying that invitation was extended to “only members who were in HTC when it was closed in May 2019.”
According to the aggrieved Etuboms “this implies that all those who were inducted into HTC after May 2019 are not invited to the meeting.” They explained that seven principal members of the HTC were not invited to the said peace meeting.
“We the undersigned consider the disregard of HTC authority and activities since May 2019 to date September 2025, offensive and reprehensible. Etubom Nyong Effiom Okon lied to the Etubom Traditional Council (of Obong’s Palace) when he claimed that all was well in Henshaw Town.
“To be clear, a court judgement in Suit No. HC/186/2019 had declared that the undersigned are legally authorized to conduct the affairs of Henshaw Town Council including possession of the HTC building. The judgment also declared that Etubom Nyong Effiom Okon had no authority.”
As at the time of this report, Etubom Ekpo Nsa had convened another peace meeting for Thursday, September 25, 2025 at the HTC hall, which he christened “Nkot Mbok Nsidung 2025.’
In an interview, Etubom Ekpo Nsa told our reporter that unlike what transpired on September 18, the Nkot Mbok was to accommodate everyone with all manner of opinion on how to take the Council forward, noting that peace cannot be imposed or declared unilaterally.
Meanwhile, a press statement, signed by HRM Etubom Nyong Efiom Okon, Wednesday, “called for suspension of the proposed traditional event facilitated by some quarters and tagged Nkot Mbok.”
The statement said the suspension of Nkot Mbok was based on ‘directives of the Executive Governor of Cross River state,” and added “You will also recall that the emissaries of The Obong of Calabar, His Eminence Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V and the Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice Barr Ededem Ani called for resolution of issues at stake.”
The Paramount Ruler advised the Etubom Ekpo Nsa’s group to “avail themselves for further consultations, review their stand,” while declaring a ‘safety and resolution meeting’ for same Thursday, September 25, at the same HTC Hall by 11 am.
However, some critical stakeholders and concerned Cross Riverians have given their opinions and advice on how to bring the crisis to a permanent end.
Speaking, a prominent Henshaw Town stakeholder, who preferred anonymity said the root cause of the crisis was a move by the Etubom Nyong Effiom Okon’s people to change or amend the 1980 HTC constitution.
“I think it was in 2018 or 2019 that they began a process of changing the constitution of Henshaw Town Council. Etubom IGD Henshaw was very sick at that time. His ill-health issue was why he appointed Etubom Nyong in the first place as alternate president.
“But, it became clear that one of the things they wanted to institute in that change of constitution was to make Etubom Nyong Effiom Okon the substantive president.
“If I recall correctly, the phrase then was, if the substantive president is incapacitated, there should be ‘another substantive president’ as opposed to alternate which Etubom Nyong was. That prompted IGD Henshaw to remove Etubom Nyong from the HTC as member and sacked him from the position of alternate president. Etubom Nyong went to court and lost.
“At that point, I completely disagreed with, was opposed to that move, and I felt that by our tradition, there are certain positions that are given for life. And for life means for life, until you draw your last breath.
“The Obong of Calabar is in that category, the president of Henshaw Town Council is in that category. If that was changed, that would be a fundamental change in our traditional affairs. In my assessment, it’s an abomination to contemplate that.
“As the crisis festered, I had counseled them to write to or visit the Governor. Chronicle all these things that are going on and let him take action, whether it’s an investigation or this, that, and the other.
“I also thought that it was important they approach the Obong of Calabar. These matters are traditional matters. Traditional matters do not always follow the line of legal justice or even the whims and purposes of governments.
“Luckily, we have an Efik governor there, but when you had a non-Efik governor, he would not understand the nuances and the traditions.”
Corroborating, an analyst on contemporary issues, Sir Ojong Inah, submitted that peace in Henshaw Town would remain elusive until the Governor or the Obong of Calabar steps in.
“Both factions will ordinarily listen to the Governor or the Obong of Calabar as both the Governor and His Eminence are both of Efik stock. The good news is that the Paramount Ruler has now submitted himself to the leadership of the Obong.
“Both principalities, the Governor and the Obong, should know that allowing this crisis to linger in an Efik community questions their leadership capabilities. Anything other than this will not work, in fact, what the two factions are trying to do will just be an exercise in futility or at best, they would have an uneasy or peace of the graveyard,” he stated.
The drama is still unfolding and it will be interesting to see how things develop now that Nyong and Archibong are on the same page.
