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Ukorebi Esien | July, 5 2025
CALABAR -Tension is brewing in Bendeghe Ekiem community, Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State, as women and youths have given the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Johnson Ebokpo Jr., a 14-day ultimatum to reverse the planned privatization of a government-controlled cocoa estate. They have threatened to invoke traditional protest methods, including going unclothed around the plantation, f their demands are ignored.
The protest, which took place on Friday, saw scores of women and youths take to the streets in a peaceful demonstration to express their displeasure over the government's decision.
Speaking during the protest, the women leader of the community, Ntunkai Mary Obi, alongside the women chief, Chief Helen Ogar, called on the Commissioner to initiate dialogue with community leaders as a first step toward resolving the brewing crisis.
"Starting from today, we are giving the Commissioner two weeks to reach out to us. If we don't hear from him, we will escalate the protest," Obi stated. "If he refuses to meet with us, our tradition will guide our next action. According to our culture, when our voices are not heard, we will go naked and walk around the estate. After that, we will leave the land entirely for the government."
Also lending his voice, the Town Council Chairman, Mr. Etta Atu-Ojua, who spoke alongside the community youth leader, Comrade Tandu Kingsley, warned that the privatization plan could throw the community into chaos and encourage criminality.
"We've had dark days in this community when our youths took to crime. The presence of the cocoa estate helped to change that by keeping them engaged," Atu-Ojua said.
"Does the Commissioner want to send our boys back to prison? An idle hand, as they say, is the devil's workshop. The estate is like a factory that gives our young people purpose and dignity. Just look at how energetic they are."
Echoing similar sentiments, Comrade Kingsley described cocoa as the community's lifeline.
The youth leaders warned that the protest would continue if the Commissioner fails to respond within the stipulated 14-day period.
Echoing similar sentiments, Comrade Kingsley described cocoa as the community's lifeline.
- "Our land is our heritage. The cocoa may belong to the government, but the land is ours. If they insist on going ahead with this plan, let them uproot their cocoa trees so we can reclaim our land and plant new ones ourselves," he declared. "Cocoa is our oil. Cocoa is our gold. Nobody can take that from us."
The youth leaders warned that the protest would continue if the Commissioner fails to respond within the stipulated 14-day period.
- "This land belongs to us. We've cared for it, lived on it, and worked on it. If the government won't manage it for the good of the people, we will," Kingsley added.
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