Chief Bassey Obono Ikoi (Obol Nkama 1 of Mkpani)

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THE CHAIRMAN CORONATION PLANNING COMMITTEE, CHIEF BASSEY OBONO IKOI(OBOL NKAMA I OF MKPANILAND) BELOW IS HIS WELCOME SPEECH



AN ADDRESS OF WELCOME PRESENTED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE CHIEF BASSEY OBONO IKOI (OBOL NKAMA ONE OF MKPANILAND) ON THE OCCASION OF FINAL INSTALLATION/ROYAL CORONATION OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS OBOL SUNDAY OBONO OKOI, THE CLAN-HEAD OF MKPANI GROUP OF CLANS AND OBOL LOPON OF MKPANI THIS 18TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2012.

His Excellency
Senator Liyel Imoke (CON)
Executive Governor Cross River State.

His Excellency
Chief Clement Ebri (CON)
Ex-Governor of Cross River State.

Senator (Chief) Victor Ndoma Egba
Senate leader National Assembly, Abuja.

His Majesty Obol Ubi Ujong Inah
The Obol Lopon of Ugep and Paramount Ruler of Yakurr L.G.A.

H.R.H Obol Sunday Obono Okoi
Clan-Head of Mkpani Group of Clans and Obol Lopon of Mkpani.

H.H Obol Oden Dan Ubi
Clan Head of Aduma.

Okpebiri Ofem Eteng
Okpebiri of Mkpani.
Their Highnesses, the Clan-Heads of Ajere, Afaben and Lebilo.
The Chairman and members of Mkpani Town Council Care-Taker Committee.

The Chairman and members of Ad-hoc Development Committee Mkpani.

The Chairman and members of Board of Trustees (BOT) Mkpani.

Hon. Member of House of Representatives Yakurr/Abi Federal Constituency,
Hon. (Barr.) Bassey Eko Ewa.

Hon. Member of Cross River State
House of Assembly, Representing Yakurr ll State Constituency,
Hon. Eteng Jonah Williams and other Honourable Members here present.

Traditional Rulers and Chiefs,

My Lords Spiritual and Temporal,

My dear good people of Mkpani,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

1.We are overwhelmed with esteem joy, profound honour and heart-warming pleasure to welcome all of you to this historic epoch-making event with a deep sense of gratitude to God Almighty. You are all witnessing the installation of the first graduate king in the history of Yakurr.

2.This occasion as you all are aware is a very memorable one and is pregnant with hope, opportunities and inspirational drive for development. Today is the day of the fulfillment of the vacuum created by the hospitalization of Obol Inyang Ofem Bassey, the late Obol Lopon of Mkpani. The occasion, it is hoped, will usher in a dawn of a new era of purposeful leadership for the total transformation of the socio-economic and political aspiration of our people.

3.We crave your indulgence to use this auspicious occasion of our being here gathered to formally announce the sudden and painful demise of the late Clan Head of Mkpani Group of Clans and Obol Lopon of Mkpani, His Royal Highness Obol Inyang Ofem Bassey of blessed memory. Who passed unto glory on the 11th of July, 2010. As we do so, may we all rise and pause for a minute silence in his honour. May his gentle soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace Amen.

Since this unfortunate incident, it has been a trying and difficult moment for the leadership of the Royal Family (Leboljimoh) to scout laboriously and tediously to get the adequate replacement that will be presented to this August Assembly for royal coronation that will take place any moment from now. Nothing good comes easy so says an English adage. When this calamity befell us as a community it provoked confusion and misrepresentations depending whose side one is, but thank God we have over-come all that in one spirit. On this note, we like to use this medium to congratulate all stake holders in Kingship making in Mkpani’ notably the Ekoh of Afaben. We like to acknowledge in a more special way, the capable and timely intervention of H.H Obol Oden Dan Ubi the Clan-Head of Aduma for his maturity, commitment and love for the progress and unity of Mkpani.

In the same vein we like to appreciate the wonderful contributions of our illustrious and patriotic sons and daughters, notable among whom are: Chief Bassey Obono Ikoi Obol Nkama 1 of Mkpani and Mr. Omini Eteng Oden, Elder (Dr.) Otu I. Ibor, Obeten Uket Obeten, Hon. Eteng J. Williams, Hon.(Eld.) Bassey Inah Ibor, Capt. Eno Utum Inah (Rtd), Hon. Inah Ibor Ubi, S.B.Enang (KSM), Uket Obono Eno, Francis Eni Obeten, Emmanuel Ofem Uket to mention but a few. Above all, is the fatherly protection, traditional peace and security coverage, provided through out the installation ceremonies by H.R.M. Obol Ubi Ujong Inah the Obol Lopon of Ugep and Paramount Ruler of Yakurr L.G.A.

It is noteworthy and heart-warming too to place on record the instrumental roles of the Chairman and members of Ad-hoc Development Committee Mkpani; the Chairman and members of Mkpani Board of Trustees (BOT) and the chairman and members of Mkpani Town Council Care-taker Committee.

Also worthy of note and commendation, is the leading role played by the Traditional Rulers Council of Chiefs, through out the period that the installation lasted; We are immensely grateful to acknowledge them in no small way. We lack words to thank them enough.

The historical antecedence that governed this installation rituals are not a dramatic departure from the past, having been able to contain all the pockets of misunderstanding and disagreement which tended to attend the initial initiation ceremonies. We see this as a compelling force to recommend that going by our present level of civilization and literacy awareness. It would be necessary and proper to do elaborate and detailed documentation of all the ritual processes and procedure that are performed during the initiation/installation of a new Obol Lopon. This will forestall a repetition of the mistakes of the past. The new Obol Lopon of Mkpani , His Royal Highness Obol Sunday Obono Okoi whom we are about to coronate is the 8th in the series of Yabol Lopon who have ruled since the origin of this stool more 300 year ago. The line of our maternal ancestors who have ascended to the Kingship Throne of Mkpani , include the following:
1.Obol Obase Atun
2.Obol Obase Ekim
3.Obol Effiom
4 Obol Uket
5 Obol Eteng Abani
6 Obol Ibiang Okan
7 Obol Inyang Ofem Bassey
8 Obol Sunday Obono Okoi

We will continue to pay glowing tribute to all our departed traditional monarchs and fallen heroes and heroin who fought to achieve a common victory of justice, peace and human dignity for all of us today and our children both born and unborn. We owe them a great debt of gratitude and fulfillment for who and what we are today.

Let me quickly remind us that Mkpani community is famously known for her industry, peace and patriotism. It is our hope and believe that by the final installation rites and subsequent royal coronation of the new Obol Lopon of Mkpani about to be witnessed at this event, we will put the final nail on the coffin of violence, chaos, conflict, mischief, envy and antagonism that are prevalent among our people.

We passionately solicit the cooperation, solidarity, support and loyalty of all of you towards ensuring the success of the new traditional leadership that is now to be installed for our dear community, which indivisibility we must strive to protect and resist at all front.
We charge the new Obol Lopon of Mkpani to be philosophically very prophetic in leading the crusade and vanguard for unity and indivisibility of Mkpani, peace progress and development. He must foster a common sense of purpose for the advancement of an evolving egalitarian society by all standards of socio-political and economic and cultural affairs of our dear community in particular and the entire Yakurr nation in general.

Before I end my speech, let me use this occasion to formally plead with the good people of Mkpani to come together with a view of building a needed and befitting Obol Lopon Palace that would stand the test of time.

Once again I welcome you all in the name of peace, progress, justice and prosperity of all of us. Have a wonderful moment of excitement with us.

Thank you and God bless.

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