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Until your people round up and behead the Clement Ikpatts in your midst, you will never be free....Dave

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Bakassi residents grieve over handover
By Paul Odili & John Ighodaro

CALABAR—The paramount ruler of Bakassi land, Chief Etim Okon Edet, expressed shock and outrage yesterday at the deal under which Nigeria will handover Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon in 60 days. He declared that the sun would stand still on the proposed day of handover as it happened in Joshua’s Biblical days.

The paramount ruler said the most shocking part of the deal was that the people of the peninsula were not even aware of the meeting at which the deal was sealed.

Sharing the grief and outrage of the paramount ruler of Bakassi are former Minister of Health, Dr. Emmanuel Nsan and Professor Itse Sagay. At separate interviews, both men expressed serious concern on the issue.

For the former Health Minister, the likely results of the decision to handover the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon by the Federal Government might affect adversely the 2007 elections and handover of power. Professor Sagay said the handover was ill-advised.

Bakassi ruler threatens

The Paramount Ruler of Bakassi, Chief Etim Edet said: “I was born there. I schooled there. Watch out, on the day that Nigeria withdraws its soldiers from Bakassi, the sun will stand still as it happened in the day of Joshua. Bakassi is not like what happened in North Eastern Nigeria where as water was receding, people moved over to that place. In Bakassi, we are the Aborigines.

“I am shocked at this New York meeting. You can’t just trample on people like that. Terribly shocked. Without informing us. When you are told that your mother is ill and the person eventually dies, you won’t be so shocked. But when you are not aware that she is ill and you are suddenly told that she is dead, you can imagine the shock. I am so shocked.”

Nsan shocked

Speaking in Calabar, Dr. Nsan said: “The latest news about the fate of Bakassi, that is, vis-a-vis its continued membership of Nigerian territory and polity is no good news. It gives all patriotic Nigerians in general and Cross Riverians in particular cause for anxiety. I do hope that Bakassi events of the next few months will not upset the countdown to handover of power in 2007 by the out-going administration. I, therefore, call on President Olusegun Obasanjo to handle Bakassi with care.

“Nothing that maybe done to fulfil the judgement of the International Court of Justice at The Hague will remove from the people of Bakassi their natural sense of belonging to Nigeria. God knows that the people and the territory are Efik. That is why it is so sad the way things have turned out. They, being my people, I know the depth of their feelings over the matter. No matter how they say it, that part is our territory.”

Sagay angry

“It is a monumental tragedy and I am personally angry with the Federal Government for surrendering Bakassi. I say so because Bakassi is made up of Nigerian population. During British rule, Bakassi was established as an Efik territory. We are now slicing away this territory which the Nigerians inhabitants are extremely against to another country; a country they have nothing in common.

“Under international law, it would be wrong to handover a territory without first holding a referendum. The absence of such a mechanism is a gross violation of the fundamental rights of those people. I am saying that if the International Court of Justice (ICJ) had asked President Obasanjo to handover Abeokuta to the Cameroon, would he do so?

“His comment that it was a happy and equitable solution is wrong, and I find the whole settlement the most inequitable, because we are catering away families to be ruled by a brutal dictator who has not held election in 30 years, and somebody who is most likely going to treat them badly. So to call this arrangement equitable is the most misuse of language I have ever heard.”

Triesman commends Nigeria

Meanwhile, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Africa, Lord David Triesman, has commended the signing of an agreement between the governments of Nigeria and Cameroon on the administration of the Bakassi Peninsula. The agreement was signed in New York on Monday. Triesman expressed his pleasure over the development in a statement by Graeme Banatynne of the Press and Public Affairs Unit of the British High Commission.
The statement described the agreement as a major step and said: “The resolution of this long running dispute is very important. The UK has always recognised the importance of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling and the need for it to be implemented.

“This agreement represents a significant progress. It also demonstrates to Africa and the World that territorial disputes can be resolved according to international law and by peaceful means.”
It commended Presidents Paul Biya and Olusegun Obasanjo for their commitment to a peaceful resolution of the dispute, which it noted would benefit the people of the region.
“I also commend the UN Secretary General, Koffi Anan and his Special Representative, Mr Ould-Abdallah, for their role in bringing about a successful resolution through the tireless work of the UN Mixed Commission,” it quoted Triesman as saying.

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