Stakeholders of Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have raised the alarm over the neglect of the council which was created by the British colonial masters to experiment with grassroots democracy in Nigeria.
They raised the concern while celebrating 74 years of grassroots democracy in the local government area, during a one-day symposium held at the council Town Hall on Tuesday with the theme ‘Ikot Ekpene LGA: The First And The Best Evolving in Strides.’
Addressing community leaders, women and youth groups, a former senator and proprietor of Ritman University, located in Ikot Ekpene, Senator Emmanuel Ibokessien
disclosed that Ikot Ekpene council was the first council to be created by the British colonial masters in Nigeria.
He said that the colonial administrators created the council to experiment with the workability of grassroots democracy in Nigeria, adding that other councils were created from the experiment conducted using the Ikot-Ekpene council.
He said that after Ikot-Ekpene, the colonial masters moved to Onitsha in Anambra State where they created another council.
He added, “Today 774 local government areas have been created by the Federal Government from the experiment conducted using our area 74 years ago. It was the first experiment by the colonial masters to test how the natives could be used for grassroots development before they moved to Onitsha in Anambra state to create another one.”
He lamented that the Federal Government has forgotten the pioneer local government area and allowed it to suffer from several forms of neglect, ranging from infrastructural deficits, lack of youth employment and other forms of deprivations.
He enthused, “The Federal Government and Nigerians have forgotten Ikot Ekpene as the first experiment in local government democracy in British colonized territories in West Africa.”
Ibokessien however said that when the council will be 75 next year, other West African countries will be invited to come and celebrate during the diamond jubilee celebration.
Also speaking, the council chairman, Hon Aniefiok Nkom disclosed that the first council chairman, late Chief Robert Udoka Umoinyang was elected on 11th April 1951, adding that two local councils have been carved out of Ikot-Ekpene.
Nkom enjoined all the council areas carved out from the present Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area to come together to fulfill the dreams of the founding fathers.
He said, “I therefore enjoined the two council areas created from Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area namely: Obot Akara and Essien Udim to come together to fulfill the dreams of our founding fathers.”
In a paper presentation titled ‘Ikot Ekpene: The Historical Perspective,’ Justice Ekerete Ebienyi highlighted the historical antecedents of the council and its contributions to the development of the area.
Ebienyi regretted however that though the council was the first experiment in local government administration, it has been relegated to the background by the Federal Government.
He said, “The first local government election was conducted in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area where late Chief Umoinyang emerged the winner, but developments in the area are not commensurate with its pioneer status among the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.”
Other paper presenters at the anniversary symposium were Prof Felicia Etim, who spoke on ‘Ikot Ekpene In Contemporary Times,’ and former Editor of National Concord, Engr Nsikak Essien, who presented a paper on ‘Our Ikot Ekpene, Our Future.’