EKID ANNUAL NATIONAL CONGRESS 2024:
B.O.T OF EKID PEOPLE’S UNION REQUESTS FOR THE STREAMLINING OF TRADITIONAL PRACTICES FOR MARRIAGE AND BURIAL RITES.
– Seeks to abolish Vigil and Friends Nights. Defaulters to pay N500,000.00
-Opening of mourning house to be limited to one hour of prayers conducted by churches leaders.
-Bride Price and other Marriage rites to be reviewed downward.
The Board of Trustees, B.O.T. of Ekid People’s Union have requested that Esop Mbong Ekid should streamline and regulate the practices of Marriage and burial for Ekid Nation.
Addressing Ekid people during the 2024 ANNUAL NATIONAL CONGRESS of Ekid People’s Union, EPU, the Chairman B.O.T, Chief, Rt. Hon. Nduese Essien said that Marriage and Traditional burial rites in Ekid land have been bastardized to the point that eligible youths can no longer afford to enter into marriage and corpse of our family members stays longer than necessary or in some cases abandoned in the morgue without burial. The Board of Trustees and Executive Council of Ekid People’s Union have authorized Esup Mbong Ekid to take a look at these practices and streamline them into uniform rules for burial and marriages. The former Minister and Lawmaker informed the gathering that Ekid Traditional Rulers Council has already made recommendations as follows; and they have aligned with them.
1. Vigil Nights and Friends Nights are to be discarded. Those who wish to continue should apply to the Local Government Council and pay a fee of N100,000 (One hundred thousand Naira only). Defaulters are to pay fine of N500,000 (Five Hundred thousand Naira only)
2. Opening of Mourning Houses should be limited to prayer sessions of not more than one hour and should be conducted by church leaders. Those who may wish to go further than the time frame should apply to the local government council with the fee of N100,000. Defaulters of this rule shall pay a fine of N500,000 (Five Hundred thousand Naira only)
3. Embalment: That no family shall deposit corpse(s) in both private or government mortuaries for a period more than three months. That Environmental Health Department shall organize Mass Burial to disposed of Corpses that stays more than 3 months. That defaulters shall pay a fine of N500,000.(Five Hundred thousand Naira only) to Local Government Council.
4. Churches should not impose unnecessary demands and burden on their members in the process of burying of either their members or family members. And should not also prolong the period of burial.
5. Marriage rites should be limited to a level where everyone can enter into marriage relationship. The practice of making provisions to all manners of people: Grand mother, paternal and maternal uncles and Aunties, dead or alive should be terminated.
The Political leader frowned at the “Pull Him Down syndrome” and nonchalant attitude of our public office Holders who abandoned their communities immediately getting appointment either in government or corporate organizations, which he opened that is working against us as a people.
Hear him:
“Even though forces and powers around do not seems to be favourable disposed to us, we should also look at ourselves to spot attitudes, tendencies and idiosyncrasies which work against us as a people:
pulling down attitude, anxiety to rise to the top at shortest time without working, greed and
antagonistic tendencies”
He continued: “We should also look at the attitude of some of our elected and appointed sons and daughters who abandoned their communities as soon as they get into office. This attitude has adversely affected our unanimity and strength. This Congress should call all elected to a meeting to address this issue.”
The issues bothering on Afigh Iwaad Ekid was also of great concern to the B.O.T of Ekid People’s Union. Chief Nduese Essien who is a Grand Patron of foremost and once very vibrant youth organization in Eket Federal Constituency and indeed Akwa Ibom State, called on the Congress to look into the lingering crisis in the organization caused by intransigence of a few egoistic individuals for years now. He noted that Afigh Iwaad Ekid has sang into doldrums and lacks behind other socio-cultural organizations in the State,. including the newly created ones.
Daniel Edon is a Community Development Journalist, writes from Atai Ndon, Afaha-Eket.
