Gov. Ayade, AIG Mbu And Cocoa Royalties: The Battle To Recover N1.5B From GRSG For Etung Cocoa Landlords

The Government of Gov. Ben Ayade and Etung Cocoa Landlords have been in a running battle over their cocoa estate royalties. After a consent judgement, it was agreed that 70% of allocation of Cocoa blocks should be allocated to Landlord communities while 30% should be allocated to others. In the same vein, income accruing from the rental proceeds will be shared in the opposite. 70% to Govt and 30% to the Landlord communities as royalties. This is the battle that has resulted to various threats to the individuals championing equity for the people and finally, the recent abuse of judicial processes.

AIG Mbu is an unrepentant professional whose conduct is nationally and internationally unblemished. His boldness and firm resolve for justice, fairness, impartiality, equity and political correctness has pitched him against the apostles of injustice.

The recent alleged murder charge against AIG Mbu is but a mischief, roguish, laughable and ill-natured. The government claimed that the alleged murder incident happened in 2018 and suddenly in 2022, Governor Ben Ayade instructed his Attorney General to commence prosecution of AIG Mbu. Absolute power they say corrupts absolutely. In a criminal case, it is required that the Attorney General should first seek for the opinon/advice of the Department of Public Prosecution. In the brouhaha and apparently inconsequential judicial rascality of the Cross River State Attorney General, Barr. Tanko Ashang, this vital ingredient never meant anything to him.

Fast forward, the Etung traditional rulers' council appointed a committee and deposed a Power of Attorney to the committee for the purpose to recover their cocoa royalties. It was headed by late Hon Engr Ata Obi Tangban and AIG Njargor Njom (Rtd) and others. They fought and got the consent judgement. After about six years, the committee could not bring back the N20 Million which the judgement first awarded neither were they able to collect total royalties of over N450 Million.

The traditional rulers also observed that some members of the committee were compromised. It was an open secret that some members of the committee were allocated 12 blocks of cocoa farm, some 70 etc. The traditional rulers' council revoked the Power of Attorney they deposed to the committee because the traditional rulers felt the late Chairman and his Vice the AIG were above 80years and lack the energy required to execute the enormous task before them. The Committee was dissolved and another committee headed by AIG Joseph Mbu, considered to be much younger, dogged, resilient and uncompromising was inuagurated and conscequently, a new power of attorney deposed to them. The new committee led by AIG Mbu is comprised of experienced and seasoned technocrats who know so much about cocoa.

The Etung traditional rulers were shocked when Rtd AIG Njargor Njom approached the court to stop the new and legitimate committee from functioning.

Contradictingly before his death Late Hon Engr Ata Obi Tangban wrote and signed a letter to Cross River Radio dissociating himself from the suite of AIG Njargor Njom (Rtd.) challenging the decision of the traditional rulers. At present, only AIG Njargor Njom (Rtd.) and two others are claiming to be legal members of the new committee while the former secretary and others have dissociated themselves from the court process.

AIG Mbu Joseph, a respected son of Etung Local Government area of Cross River state is resident in Abuja but visits home often to network with his people including the grassroot.

The Chairman of the new committee, AIG Mbu has confronted Mr Oscar Ofuka, the Special Adviser to Governor Ben Ayade on cocoa development whose responsibility it is to ensure that the royalties are paid. Ironically, Oscar Ofuka is an indegine of Bendeghe, a cocoa producing community whose community is among the beneficiaries of theroyalties. He is known to move around with over ten armed Mobile police officers to coerce his own people.

This is the background of the plot to silent AIG Mbu.