ETEIDUNG UKPONG WILLIAMS & ANOR V. CHIEF AKPAN AMOS UDOFIA & ORS

JOSEPH OLUBUNMI KAYODE OYEWOLE, J.C.A. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): This is in respect of an appeal against the judgment of the High Court of Akwa Ibom State sitting at Eket Judicial Division delivered by OBOT J. on the 24th February, 2014.

The appellants were defendants in a suit initiated by the respondents which then included two other deceased family heads of Nung Oku Ekanem Village in Onna Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State in respect of a dispute over the selection of a new Eteidung or Village Head for the said Nung Oku Ekanem Village. In the said action, the respondents/plaintiffs sought the following reliefs:

1. A declaration that the first defendant, not being a member of the ruling families of Nung Okpubak/Nung Ekpo Ituen in Nung Oku Ekanem Village is not qualified to be the Village Head (Eteidung) of Nung Oku Ekanem village and moreover as the first defendant has never been selected as the village Head (Eteidung) by the plaintiffs who are the King makers of Nung O…