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Pulse of Unity, Calabar (2025)

06/07/2025

Episode 52

Broken Brothers: The Ovonum–Ofatura Crisis in Obubra LGA

Episode Summary: This episode of Pulse of Unity examines the recurring communal conflict between the Ovonum and Ofatura communities in Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Once united under the historic Adon Kingdom, these two communities have been embroiled in a decades-long boundary dispute, recently reignited with devastating consequences—hundreds of homes burned, lives lost, and thousands displaced.

Despite a 2023 and 2024 peace agreements brokered through civil society and traditional rulers—including a symbolic signing on donated Bibles—the violence resurfaced, raising pressing questions about the durability of grassroots peace accords, the role of the government, and deeper issues of trust, justice, and land ownership.

This episode brings together community voices, conflict resolution practitioners, civil society actors, and government perspectives to reflect on:

* The roots of the Ovonum–Ofatura crisis
* Efforts at peacebuilding and where they faltered
* Sustainable solutions for long-term peace in Obubra and other similar conflict zones.

Talking Points:

1. Background & Context

* Overview of the Adon Kingdom and shared history between Ovonum and Ofatura.
* How colonial boundaries and modern land ownership disputes have contributed to communal tensions.
* Timeline of the conflict (notably 2023 and 2024/25 resurgence).

2. Recent Developments

* Destruction: 300+ homes razed, multiple deaths, 3,000 displaced (per Vanguard & Converseer reports).
* 2023 Peace Accord facilitated by Partners for Peace (P4P), traditional leaders, and CSOs.
* Formation of a 10-member peace committee by Obubra LGA Council.

3. Failures and Challenges

* Why the 2023 peace agreement failed to hold.
* Lack of enforcement mechanisms and persistent boundary ambiguities.
* Youth retaliation, poverty, and trauma as drivers of renewed violence.

4. Government and Security Response

* Governor Bassey Otu’s deployment of the military and his public calls for calm.
* Role of Hon. Egbe Abeng and the House of Assembly.
* Community perceptions of bias or neglect in state response.

5. The Role of Civil Society and Traditional Institutions

* Significance of symbolic peace gestures (e.g., Bibles, royal mediation).
* Role of CSOs like Partners for Peace and PIND Foundation in dialogue facilitation.
* Opportunities and gaps in community-level conflict management.

6. Proposals for Sustainable Peace

* Community-driven boundary demarcation and land-use planning.
* Joint youth empowerment initiatives (skills training, farming cooperatives).
* Early warning and response systems at the ward and LGA level.
* Integrating women and youth more intentionally in peace committees.

7. Voices from the Ground

* Testimonies from displaced families and residents of Ovonum and Ofatura.
* Civil society responses to displacement and trauma healing.
* What reconciliation could truly look like going forward.

28/06/2025

Episode 51

Blood in the Hills: Understanding the Roots of Youth Violence and Communal Conflict in Cross River.

Episode Summary

In Episode 51 of Pulse of Unity, we confront two harrowing incidents currently shaking the peace of Cross River State — the brutal cult-related alleged killing of Eugene Adie in Obudu, and the renewed communal bloodshed between Isobendeghe and Boje communities in Boki.

Our guest, Dr. Wisdom Owa, of the Department of Conflict Resolution, Office of the Deputy Governor, joins us to unravel the layers beneath these tragedies. From cultism’s grip on young people to land disputes manipulated by elite interests, we ask: What fuels the recurring violence in our state? Why do government-led peace efforts struggle to hold? And most importantly, what can be done differently?

This episode challenges political silence, probes systemic failures, and seeks answers for a safer, saner Cross River.

23/06/2025

Yipeee! It's our 50th episode!

At the 50th episode of Pulse of Unity, PoU we had two cerebral guests, Anthony Archibong and Endurance Okpa Agbor Esq who joined co-hosts Ukorebi Esien and Efio-Ita Nyok to discuss “Cross River Central Conflict Dynamics: Assessing Governance Responses”. The episode torchlighted Yelewata in Benue Massacre and the Failure of Early Warning and Early Response, EWER systems.

Agbor Esq, during the discussion, hinted at his recent tour of the 60 wards which constitute the Cross River Central Senatorial District of the state and his discovery of immense economic potentials in the district. He suggested that senatorial districts in Nigeria should not just be deemed political areas but, economic centres. Do you agree?

14/06/2025

Pulse of Unity – Episode 49

Theme: Democracy on Trial: Power, Accountability, and the People
Date: June 14, 2025
Hosts: Ukorebi Esien & Dr. Efio-Ita Nyok

Broadcast Station: FAD 93.1 FM

🎧 EPISODE SYNOPSIS

This 49th episode of Pulse of Unity examines the paradoxes of democracy in Cross River State—especially as Nigeria just celebrated 26 years of uninterrupted democratic rule. Yet, recent events raise serious questions about the health of democracy at the state level.

We explore three interwoven stories:

1. Legislative Overreach: The controversial summons of Ejim Johnny Agogo by the Cross River State House of Assembly—initiated by Congressman Omang Charles—and the subsequent withdrawal following public backlash.

2. Alleged Assault and Executive Impunity: The slapping incident involving Cross River State Water Board MD, Godwin Nyiam, allegedly by the Security Adviser to the Governor, Major General Obono (rtd).

3. Intergovernmental Tension: The political fallout from the NDDC projects commissioning in Calabar South, and the state government's strong pushback against perceived false narratives.

Through this episode, we ask: How democratic are our institutions when citizens feel threatened for speaking out? When elected officials overstep their constitutional boundaries? And when development becomes politicized?

24/05/2025

Episode 48: TRAGEDY, ACCOUNTABILITY, & TRUST—THE ATAKPA SHOOTING AND THE SEARCH FOR JUSTICE

In this emotionally charged 48th edition of Pulse of Unity, we turn our focus to the tragic shooting incident that rocked Calabar Central Market on Sunday, March 23, 2025, when a police officer—Inspector Effiong Bassey—went on a deadly rampage, killing three and injuring several others.

We explore the full arc of the incident: from the alleged breakdown in mental stability of a trained officer, to the courageous intervention of Hon. Effiong Ekarika the lawmaker representing Calabar South I State Constituency at the 10th Cross River State House of Assembly, and the aftermath that has left a community grieving and demanding justice.

Since then, the Nigerian Police Force has formally dismissed Inspector Bassey and handed the matter over to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP), which has filed charges against him. But the story doesn't end there. The children of one of the deceased victims, Ijeoma Wilson Obot, allege foul play in how the DPP and the courts are handling the case—raising concerns about transparency and fairness in the justice process.

Shockingly, Ijeoma's body remains unburied, caught in the limbo between grief, court delays, and unresolved tensions.

In this episode, we ask: What lessons have we learned? Can justice truly be served when public trust in institutions is so fragile? Who is looking out for the children left behind by these victims? And what must change to prevent another such tragedy?

Join us as Pulse of Unity brings together voices from the community, legal minds, and public safety advocates to unpack this tragedy and chart a path toward true accountability and healing.

Our guests today will be children of the deceased Ijeoma, namely, Promise Wilson Obot and Israel Wilson Obot.

18/05/2025

Episode 47

LAW VS PRACTICE: THE VICE CHAIRMAN AND PEACE BUILDING IN CROSS RIVER LGAs

In this special edition of Pulse of Unity, we examine the evolving legal and leadership roles of Vice Chairmen in Local Government Areas across Cross River State, with a sharp focus on peacebuilding as outlined in the 2025 Cross River State Local Government Law.

The episode takes a critical turn by interrogating a recent development in Odukpani LGA, where a Boundary and Conflict Resolution Committee was inaugurated—but without the Vice Chairman as Chair, contrary to the provisions of the new law. Instead, a retired wing commander was appointed chairman, while the Vice Chairman’s name was named “alternate chairman” in the 17-person list.

This move, as analyzed will be our experts and callers, raises important legal and political questions: Is this a case of oversight, political maneuvering, or institutional disregard for state law? What implications does such a deviation have on the legitimacy, authority, and functionality of peacebuilding mechanisms at the local level?

We also unpack the broader role of Vice Chairmen in conflict mediation, youth engagement, and grassroots stability, while evaluating how they are perceived and utilized across LGAs in the state.

With rising tensions, land disputes, and community clashes in various parts of the state, enforcing the legal framework for peace structures becomes not just a governance issue—but a matter of security.

Tune in as we spotlight the law, the lapses, and the leadership Cross River State needs to build and maintain peace from the grassroots.

11/05/2025

Episode 46

Pulse of Unity – This Week’s Edition
Topic: Ekorinim in Crisis: Untangling the Roots of Communal Discontent

Date: Saturday 10th May
Time: 8:15 am
Station: FAD 93.1 FM, Calabar

Synopsis
This week, Pulse of Unity zooms in on the recurring waves of unrest in Ekorinim Community, Calabar Municipality — a once peaceful neighborhood now plagued by leadership disputes, police brutality allegations, youth marginalization, and a growing distrust in traditional institutions.

We’ll trace the timeline from the 2021 shooting of a youth leader by a police officer allegedly working for Chief (now Etinyin) Ita Nyong, to the rising tension over contested land deals — including the controversial sale of land meant for a community market project.

Through compelling interviews and eyewitness accounts, we will explore:

The underlying power tussle and lack of consensus in community leadership.

Repeated crisis flashpoints involving youths and alleged land encroachments.

The silence of key actors and what it means for communal accountability.

Voices of peace: what local government and peacebuilding actors like Partners for Peace are doing to restore calm and transparency.

🎧 Join hosts Ukorebi Esien and Efio-ita Nyok as they dissect how broken trust and unresolved leadership conflicts can endanger community development — and what pathways exist for healing and progress in Ekorinim.

📞 Call-in Segment: What would you do if your community’s future was sold without your consent?

Let’s talk truth, reconciliation, and solutions — because peace begins with honest conversations.

03/05/2025

Episode 45

Topic: Early Warning, Early Response (EWER) and the Federal Question: Resource Control, Marginalisation, and Conflict in Nigeria

Context:
This episode continues the series on Early Warning, Early Response (EWER), now shifting focus to Nigeria’s federal structure and its implications for resource control and conflict. Nigeria’s federalism has long been criticized as being overly centralized, with the 1999 Constitution granting the federal government exclusive control over mineral resources across the 36 states. This has led to grievances and perceived marginalisation among minority ethnic groups whose communities host valuable resources but who see little benefit from them. These tensions are further compounded by the unwritten tradition of rotating the presidency between the Hausa/Fulani (North) and Yoruba (South), effectively excluding other groups from power and its associated benefits.

In a recent development, the 10th Cross River State House of Assembly passed a resolution urging the National Assembly to allow the state to take charge of administering its mineral resources. This political action raises deeper questions about autonomy, equity, and the potential flashpoints of future conflict.

26/04/2025

44th Episode of Pulse of Unity
Topic: Early Warning and Early Response (EWER): Lessons from Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s Burkina Faso and Africa’s Resource Struggles

Episode Summary:
This week on Pulse of Unity, we delve into the concept of Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) systems and how they can help African countries navigate the tensions arising from struggles over natural resources.

Using the case of Captain Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso — whose leadership has sparked renewed conflict with Western interests over control of mineral resources — we explore how EWER frameworks can be crucial in detecting early signs of conflict and crafting effective, peaceful responses.

We'll also draw parallels with other resource-rich African countries facing similar tensions, raising key questions about sovereignty, neo-colonialism, and sustainable development.

Background Context:
Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who came to power in Burkina Faso in 2022, has adopted a bold nationalist stance, challenging Western control over the country's rich mineral deposits, particularly gold. His position reflects a broader continental pattern where foreign interests, often from former colonial powers, maintain economic dominance over Africa’s natural wealth. This growing tension has historically been a trigger for instability.

Early Warning and Early Response systems are vital for anticipating such flashpoints before they erupt into full-blown conflict. Understanding the signals and designing smart responses could mean the difference between peace and chaos, both for Burkina Faso and other African states.

08/02/2025

If you can, join me at FAD 93.1 FM on the 33rd edition of Pulse of Unity with Ukorebi Esien and Efio-Ita Nyok, we have Dr Wisdom Owa the Head of Administration, Department of Conflict Resolution & Management, Office of the Deputy Governor, Cross River state...

19/01/2025

Topic: Revenue Mobilization and Multiple Taxation in Cross River State: A Ticking Time Bomb?
Date: Saturday, 18th January 2025
Time: 8:15 Am
Station: FAD 93.1
Episode: 31st

Sypnosis
Amid the prevailing economic challenges in Nigeria, Local Government Chairmen in Cross River State have recently embraced a new trend: setting up multiple Revenue Mobilization and Tax Force Committees to boost internally generated revenue (IGR). While the need for increased revenue is understandable, the proliferation of these committees raises critical concerns about the implications for citizens already burdened by economic hardship.

The potential for conflict arising from these actions cannot be ignored. Historical precedents, such as the violent clashes in Watt Market, Calabar South, and the tragic death of a young boy in Marian Market during revenue collection attempts, underscore the dangers of unchecked revenue drives.

Key questions remain:

What conflict potentials do these committees pose to the social fabric of Cross River communities?

How can revenue mobilization efforts be structured to minimize exploitation and conflict?

What is the role of the new Tax Reform Bill in harmonizing revenue collection practices and addressing these issues?

Are these committees genuinely serving the interest of the people, or are they creating new avenues for extortion and discontent?

Show Objectives:
This week on Pulse of Unity, your hosts Ukorebi Esien and Efio-Ita Nyok with our guest William Itorok Esq will delve into these pressing issues, dissecting the challenges and exploring viable solutions. The discussion aims to:

Highlight the dangers of uncoordinated revenue collection strategies at the LGA level.

Analyze the impact of multiple taxation on citizens and local businesses.

Examine the new Tax Reform Bill and its potential to bring order to the revenue collection process.

Propose strategies for conflict prevention and more inclusive revenue generation systems.

Relevance to Cross Riverians
As residents, traders, and business owners bear the brunt of these revenue mobilization drives, this conversation is critical to ensuring their voices are heard and their rights protected. Understanding the dynamics at play will empower Cross Riverians to advocate for a fair and conflict-free system of revenue generation.

Join the conversation by calling in or engaging with us on our social media platforms. Share your experiences, ask questions, and contribute to the dialogue. Let’s chart a path towards a more equitable and peaceful approach to revenue collection in Cross River State.

Don’t miss this week’s edition of Pulse of Unity on FAD 93.1 FM. Together, let’s unpack the complexities of revenue mobilization, highlight its risks, and propose solutions that work for everyone.

22/12/2024

EPISODE: 27th
DATE: Saturday 21st December 2024
EPISODE TITLE: Managing Conflict and Ensuring Security During the Yuletide in Calabar and Cross River

EPISODE SYNOPSIS: As the festive season reaches its peak, Cross River state—renowned for hosting vibrant events like Carnival Calabar, the Christmas Village, and bustling activities in economic hubs such as Ikom and Ogoja—faces unique security and conflict challenges. On today’s edition of Pulse of Unity with Ukorebi Esien and Efio-Ita Nyok, we delve into the intersection of security and conflict management during this period.

Talking Issues:
1. Sources of Conflict During the Yuletide
- Overcrowding at events and marketplaces.
- Economic tensions due to rising costs of goods and services.
- Traffic congestion and parking disputes.
- Increased petty crimes such as pickpocketing and theft.
- Cultural and social misunderstandings due to the influx of visitors.

2. Practical Security and Conflict Management Tips
- Personal safety and de-escalation strategies in public spaces.
- Home security during festive outings.
- Preventing and addressing economic and traffic-related disputes.
- Emergency contacts and the role of community vigilance.

3. Community and Government Roles
- How community efforts can foster peace and prevent conflicts.
- The importance of increased security presence at hotspots.
- Effective planning and crowd control measures at festive events.

Key Message:
The Yuletide season is a time for joy, togetherness, and celebration, but it also requires heightened awareness and collective efforts to manage conflicts and ensure security.

Join the conversation and share your insights as we explore how to make this festive period safe and harmonious for all.

Pulse of Unity

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